Rocky Mountain National Park Colorado

Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) is one of our favorite US parks. It was established 26 January 1915.

The scenery is magnificent--especially when getting off the road on various trails.

Off in the distance, you might see a moose like the one below. They can be seen in the lowlands.

Elk can be seen in various places. I saw this one by the roadside, parked and got back to photograph it whilst cars whizzed by.

And not to ignore deer though common in the US.

There are small mammals too like the yellow-bellied marmot. They are the size of a cat and known as a species of ground squirrels. They hibernate in winter.

Hiking above the tree line offers fantastic views and a chance to cool down in August. Here I am above 12,000 feet. It's one of the highest US parks with elevations up to 14, 259 feet at Long's Peak.

The Alpine tundra is vastly different from the mountain meadows. There is more than one tundra trails in the park.

When hiking the trails to mountain peaks, look among the rocks to find a Pika. They are herbivorous, about 7-inches long, and weigh about 7 ounces.

Of course, there's a diversity of flowers and plants as well.

Some small birds hidden in crannies.

And near the Western entrance, I saw these eagles.

Here's a few photos of the scenery at Rocky Mountain National Park.

Along Coyote Trail

Nymph Lake, Bear Lake Trail

A hike to Alberta Falls is worth the effort--see below.

You can still see some snow in August.

And here's the sign marking the Continental Divide-- the point where drainage runs off either to the Atlantic Ocean or the Pacific Ocean. You'll see it along Trail Ridge Road, which peaks at 12,183 feet.

And here's the park sign--what a great setting!

On leaving the park, I got this shot from my car -- a moose just outside the western entrance off route 34.

Some park notes

• Native people were in this area for a long time. In recent history, Native tribes known as Ute, Arapaho, Cheyenne, Comanche and others were in the area that is now Rocky Mountain National Park. Read more about Native Americans in this area.
• The park's symbol is a Bighorn Sheep.
• The area was part of the $15 million Louisiana Purchase in 1803.
• The nearby Estes Park was named for the first European settler, Joel Estes of Kentucky.
• Millions of people visit this park every year--most come during the summer.
• If you have the time, allow a few days to enjoy several trails--there are some 350+ miles of trails.
• Some trails are steeper than others so hiking shoes or boots and trekking poles can be helpful.
• Even in summer, the temperatures can drop to the 40s in the highest elevations.
• Toilets are found near many trails and popular parking spots. The signs can be entertaining...and of course informative.

Check the park website for details. Some roads are closed at certain times of the year.

Photo notes

Photos are mine and from August 2009 and 2021

Close ups of eagles and Elk taken with Canon D70 and Sigma 150-600 lens.

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Here's a video of Rocky Mountain National Park. It begins with some overview scenes and ends with video clips of Elk- it's on my YouTube Channel.