Rocky Mountain National Park
Rocky Mountain National Park
This "park in the sky," which captures the full grandeur of the Rocky Mountains, is one of our country's most frequently visited national parks, attracting more than three million visitors each year. 76 of the great mountains in the park reach elevations of 12,000 feet or more. Forests of spruce and fir tower over wide valleys where aspen and willow line hundreds of streams and lakes. At the highest elevations, above the tree line, is the fascinating, arctic-like alpine tundra, fraught with blizzards in winter and filled with flowered meadows in summer. All this is just 65 miles northwest of Denver! Rocky Mountain National Park offers visitors an enormous variety of things to do throughout the year, ranging from all snow-related activities during the winter, to hiking, biking, camping and fishing during the summer.
At A Glance
In The Park
Superintendent: Vaughn BakerPhone Number: 970-586-1399
Entrance Fees: Individual Pass (valid for 7 days): $10; Vehicle Pass (valid for 7 days): $20; Commercial Tour Fees: $25-$200 (varies depending on seating capacity); Annual Park Pass: $35
Sights: Stanley Hotel; Grand Lake; Rocky Mountains; Trail Ridge Road; Old Fall River Road; Lawn Lake; Fall River Area
Endangered Species: Boreal Toad (threatened); Bald Eagle (threatened); Least Tern; Mexican Spotted Owl (threatened); Piping Plover (threatened); Whooping Crane; Yellow-billed Cuckoo (threatened); Bonytail; Colorado Pikeminnow; Greenback Cutthroat Trout (threatened); Humpback Chub; Pallid Sturgeon (threatened); Razorback Sucker; Canada Lynx (threatened); Preble's Meadow Jumping Mouse (threatened)
Important Dates
Established as Park: January 26, 1915By The Numbers
Acres: 265,828.00Highest Point: Longs Peak (14255 feet)
Annual Visitation: 2,743,676 (2006)
Location
Latitude / Longitude :40.259170 / -105.834440 (map it)
State: CO
Nearby Big City: Estes Park, CO
Gateway Communities: Estes Park, CO; Grand Lake, CO; Glen Haven, CO; Drake, CO; Allenspark, CO; Granby, CO; Lyons, CO; Hot Sulphur Springs, CO; Tabernash, CO; Hygiene, CO; Ward, CO; Masonville, CO; Parshall, CO; Loveland, CO; Fraser, CO; Winter Park, CO; Longmont, CO
Nearby Airports: Denver International Airport (DIA)
Green Features
Has Recycling? : YesHas Shuttle System? : Yes
Has Volunteer Program? : Yes
Park Photos
Elk Grazing
Terry Reimink
Entrance Sign
Ronald Sherwood
Forest Waterfall
Craig E Divine
View More Rocky Mountain Photos
In Detail
10 Essentials 1. Map 2. Compass 3. Flashlight 4. Sunglasses and Sunscreen 5. Extra Food and Water 6. Rain Gear and Extra Clothing 7. Waterproof Matches 8. Candle (or other Fire-Starter) 9. Pocket Knife 10. First ... read more.
Activities & Programs Rocky Mountain National Park is more than just a summer destination. Visitors who enjoy the freedom and space found here in the summer, often come back to enjoy the beauty of fall, winter and spring, ... read more.
At Your Fingertips General Park Information (970) 586-1206 www.nps.gov/romo Emergencies 911 (970) 586-1203 Backcountry Information (970) 586-1242 Camping Reservations Glacier Basin, Moraine Park (888) 448-1474 (in ... read more.
Bighorn Sheep The bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis), symbol of Rocky Mountain National Park, are well-known for their impressive horns and their incredible agility on the steep crags of the Rockies. Neither of these ... read more.
Camping at Rocky Mountain Camping is only permitted in the park's five roadside campgrounds. Campgrounds fill quickly from mid-June to mid-September and on holiday weekends, so it's wise to plan ahead. Fees are $20 per night ... read more.
Continental Divide Trail The construction of the Continental Divide Trail (CDT) is one of the most significant conservation initiatives ever undertaken. Designated by Congress in 1978, a focused effort to complete the trail ... read more.
Estes Park As the eastern gateway city to Rocky Mountain National Park, Estes Park hosts more than 2 million travelers from around the world each year. Almost all commercial activity takes place in Estes Park b ... read more.
Flora & Fauna Rocky Mountain National Park is home to about 900 species of plants, 281 types of birds and 60 species of mammals. Some are easy to spot while others remain elusive, but all are part of the park's ec ... read more.
Grand Lake Situated at the western border of Rocky Mountain National Park, near the headwaters of the Colorado River, Grand Lake is Colorado's largest natural lake. The village of Grand Lake—surrounded by ... read more.
Hiking Chart Trailhead Distance (one Elevation Difficulty (starting elevation in feet) Destination way in miles) Gain (in feet) Level Bear Lake (9,475) Around Lake 0.6 20 Easy Nymph Lake 0.5 225 Easy Biersta ... read more.
History of Rocky Mountain Park Early Inhabitants During the Ice Age, massive glaciers ground the landscape, shaping the meadows and peaks, and making the present-day park area an inhospitable land. It was not until some 11,000 yea ... read more.
In A Nutshell Park Entrances You can enter Rocky Mountain National Park from the west via U.S. 34 from Grand Lake (the largest glacial lake in the state), or from the east via either U.S. 34 or U.S. 36 from Estes ... read more.
Just For Kids The park has a "Rocky's Junior Ranger Program" geared toward children in kindergarten through eighth grade. Emphasis is placed on park preservation, flora and fauna facts, and environmental education ... read more.
Leave No Trace Leave No Trace is a national program that promotes and inspires responsible outdoor recreation and stewardship of America's public lands. The National Park Service is a cooperating partner in this pr ... read more.
Oh, Ranger! I am the Deputy Superintendent at Rocky Mountain National Park. I began my career as a National Park Service seasonal in 1978, at the Gateway National Recreation Area in New Jersey. In 1980, I became ... read more.
Only A Day You can see many of the park's highlights by driving along Trail Ridge Road, much of which follows the trail once used by the Ute and other American Indian tribes. It traverses ridge -tops from Deer ... read more.
Preserve the Park Until 1915, when Congress voted to establish this area as a national park, the area's valleys had been threatened by agricultural development, its wildlife endangered by hunting and its hills, mounta ... read more.
Rocky Mountain Regulations You can help preserve and protect the park by honoring the following NPS regulations. Contact a visitor center if you have any questions. • Camp only within designated campsite areas. • ... read more.
Ticks at Rocky Mountain A tick is an arachnid, a member of the spider family. Like a mosquito, it feeds on blood from larger, warmblooded animals in order to reproduce. It is also similar to the mosquito because it can carr ... read more.
Trail Ridge Road Trail Ridge Road, the highest continuous paved road in the continental United States, is celebrating its 75th Anniversary this year. This awe-inspiring road needs work that is long overdue and will o ... read more.
Recent News
- Trails, Trails, and More Trails in Your Own Backyard! August 26, 2008, 6:18 pm
- Having Fun(gi) in the National Park August 25, 2008, 12:22 pm
- Moraine Park Golf Course Going Au Naturel August 22, 2008, 2:23 pm
- Rocky Mountain National Park Program Reveals the Many Faces of Longs Peak August 22, 2008, 2:21 pm
- ACORD: Two-for-one trailhead at Rocky Mountain National Park August 5, 2008, 11:08 am
- Snowdrift Peak is a blast from the past August 1, 2008, 11:19 am
- Trouble on the tundra July 30, 2008, 11:13 am
Rocky Mountain In Depth
News from the Parks
Kautz Creek: Nature's Power Is Evident
August 28, 2008 - 5:06pm
I used to know exactly how many switchbacks it took to get to Indian Henry's Hunting Ground from Kautz Creek. I have forgotten the number, but there are many. I did remember most of the trail was in the forest, an advantage on a hot day.
August 28, 2008 - 5:06pm
I used to know exactly how many switchbacks it took to get to Indian Henry's Hunting Ground from Kautz Creek. I have forgotten the number, but there are many. I did remember most of the trail was in the forest, an advantage on a hot day.
Popular N.C. Beach Reopened for Vehicles
August 28, 2008 - 4:58pm
A popular beach on North Carolina's Outer Banks that has been closed to off-road vehicles has been reopened by the National Park Service in time for Labor Day weekend visitors.' The Cape Hatteras National Seashore said Thursday the area known as Bodie Island Spit is open to give fishermen access to Oregon Inlet.
August 28, 2008 - 4:58pm
A popular beach on North Carolina's Outer Banks that has been closed to off-road vehicles has been reopened by the National Park Service in time for Labor Day weekend visitors.' The Cape Hatteras National Seashore said Thursday the area known as Bodie Island Spit is open to give fishermen access to Oregon Inlet.
Redwood Park's Hofstra Gets National Award
August 28, 2008 - 4:56pm
Longtime Redwood National Park senior biologist Terry Hofstra was awarded the U.S Department of the Interior's second-highest honor Wednesday in Orick. Hofstra though he was going to a party celebrating the park's 40th anniversary -- which is indeed this year -- but instead found himself the focus of the gathering of about 200 park employees and friends.
August 28, 2008 - 4:56pm
Longtime Redwood National Park senior biologist Terry Hofstra was awarded the U.S Department of the Interior's second-highest honor Wednesday in Orick. Hofstra though he was going to a party celebrating the park's 40th anniversary -- which is indeed this year -- but instead found himself the focus of the gathering of about 200 park employees and friends.
When Traveling, Boingo is the Road Trip's Best Bet
August 28, 2008 - 4:54pm
Boingo Wireless, the global market leader in Wi-Fi, announces the addition of NomadISP to the Boingo Roaming Network, giving Boingo members access to close to 300 new hotspots located at RV parks, campgrounds and parks throughout the United States and Canada. With the addition of the NomadISP network, Boingo members will be able to enjoy broadband connections as they take their vacations this summer, and whenever they are traveling across North America and staying at a campground or RV park -- either with their laptop computers or their Wi-Fi enabled cell phones.
August 28, 2008 - 4:54pm
Boingo Wireless, the global market leader in Wi-Fi, announces the addition of NomadISP to the Boingo Roaming Network, giving Boingo members access to close to 300 new hotspots located at RV parks, campgrounds and parks throughout the United States and Canada. With the addition of the NomadISP network, Boingo members will be able to enjoy broadband connections as they take their vacations this summer, and whenever they are traveling across North America and staying at a campground or RV park -- either with their laptop computers or their Wi-Fi enabled cell phones.
Donor Partnership Crosses Borders To Nurture National Park Volunteer Program
August 28, 2008 - 4:52pm
The Friends of Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park announced a philanthropic partnership that will establish a proactive and sustainable volunteer program for the 9,100-acre park, which spans two states, three counties, and several cities, towns and neighborhoods.
August 28, 2008 - 4:52pm
The Friends of Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park announced a philanthropic partnership that will establish a proactive and sustainable volunteer program for the 9,100-acre park, which spans two states, three counties, and several cities, towns and neighborhoods.
