Rocky Mountain National Park ⓘ

Isabella Bird was an Englishwoman of astounding accomplishments. Throughout her life she traveled through North America, Asia, Europe and Australia. She became the first woman to be accepted into the Royal Geographic Society in Great Britain. Often ill when she stayed in one place for too long, Isabella Bird supported herself through writing about her adventures. One of those adventures was to the place that would become Rocky Mountain National Park.

On a trip to "the Sandwich Islands" (Hawaii) in the early 1870's, Bird learned about a place that supposedly was, "the most beautiful country in all of the Americas". She set out for Colorado, heading to the mountain town of Estes Park. She resided at Griff Evans' Cottage Camp on Fish Creek and went exploring throughout the Estes Park valley and even to the heights of Longs Peak. She became the second woman known to climb it. Anna E. Dickinson had been there as a guest of Professor Hayden, of the Hayden expedition, only a month before. Bird's guide, Jim Nugent - more famously known as "Rocky Mountain Jim", often accompanied her on her daily travels. The friendship between a genteel Englishwoman and an American mountain man outlaw became a legend in the Estes Park area.

She chronicled her trip in a book called A Lady's Life in the Rocky Mountains , which was published in 1879. The book was made from a collection of letters she had written to her sister back in Scotland. The book became so popular in Great Britain that it was later exported to France. Her writings created an interest in Estes Park, which was growing as a tourist destination. Writers like Isabella Bird were integral in the interest and establishment of national parks.

Many passionate people worked together to lobby, promote, and gather public support for Congress to pass enabling legislation to create the park. Another one of these individuals was Mary Belle King Sherman. Mary Belle King Sherman was a parliamentary law instructor at the John Marshall School of Law in Chicago and a philanthropist. In 1909, she and her husband John Dickenson Sherman moved to Estes Park, Colorado. Mary Belle used her influence with the Federated Women’s Club to gain public support for the establishment of Rocky Mountain National Park. In the early 1900s, she was one of the first advocates for the idea that children gain health benefits from spending time in the outdoors. Mary Belle traveled and lectured at women's clubs across Colorado and in other states to cultivate the public support of women for establishing a new national park. On March 13, 1915, at the National Park Conference held in Berkeley, California, she stated, "e very community should have a place in which the people may spend their leisure time, where they will be brought in direct contact with things of beauty and interest in the outdoor world." Mary Belle King Sherman later became known as the "National Park Lady." She served as Chairperson for the Conservation Department of the Federated Women’s Clubs and worked to build public support for the creation of Grand Canyon and 5 other national parks.

Elizabeth and Esther Burnell were sisters who came to Estes Park in the summer of 1916 to stay at the Longs Peak Inn. Both women were college educated and enjoyed the Estes Park area. Esther purchased a homestead near MacGregor Pass where she stayed with enthusiasm, even through the harsh Rocky Mountain winters. She became famous for a 30-mile snowshoe across the Continental Divide.

In 1917, the two sisters were encouraged by Enos Mills to take the examination to become nature teachers. Both sisters passed. They became licensed by Rocky Mountain National Park as nature guides. Superintendent Claude Way felt they filled a longstanding need, and they became very popular guides. Although Way sought to limit female nature guides to one-day hikes below treeline, Elizabeth became the first woman guide on Long's Peak. Elizabeth went on to head Enos Mills' trail school for 12 summers before heading to Los Angeles to promote nature study in schools.

In 1918, Esther Burnell married Enos Mills and helped him operate the Longs Peak Inn. After Mills' unexpected death in 1922 she continued to run the inn and promote her husband's writings for more than 20 years.

In the summer of 1928, Margaret Fuller Boos became Rocky Mountain National Park's first female ranger-naturalist. Women were not allowed the title of Park Ranger until several decades later. She had recently earned her PhD in Geology and had done research for a comprehensive geology guide for the Front Range. Superintendent Roger Toll hired her because of her speaking and teaching experience, and because he hoped she would add to the park's collection of lantern slides for interpretive programs.

She worked the summers of 1928 and 1929, running Rocky Mountain National Park's interpretive program. She led dozens of hikes and taught evening programs wearing the same uniform as the men. She wrote over twenty articles for Nature Notes, a park publication that discussed many natural science topics. During her time as a ranger-naturalist, Boos also created a geology guide for the park. She was offered a permanent position in 1929, but she turned it down to work with her husband elsewhere. Later in her life she helped establish the Geology Department at the University of Denver.

When Congress passed the Rocky Mountain National Park Act in 1915, the legislators focused on Rocky's scenic and natural wonders. Still, what became the park held many cultural treasures including ancient trails, game drives, cattle ranches, and lodges. Early Superintendents tried to develop roads, backcountry cabins, and trails to blend with the surroundings. Rangers manipulated the landscape to look more "natural;" they suppressed fires, planted seedlings, and controlled predators. The National Park Service purchased private lands and removed buildings, roads, post offices, driveways, irrigation ditches, and fences.

After World War II, with park visitation increasing across the country, the National Park Service implemented Mission 66, a nationwide development and improvement program. Rocky, like many parks, suffered from outdated facilities. Mission 66 brought new comfort stations, overlooks, employee housing, campgrounds, and visitor centers to Rocky Mountain National Park.

During the 1960's, as cultural revolutions swept the nation, Congress passed significant environmental laws to protect the American landscape. Many of these affected the management of both natural and cultural resources in the National Parks. Every year, more cultural resources are identified and protected in Rocky Mountain National Park. Today a team of cultural and natural resource specialists work together to protect the park resources.

As part of the NPS Museum Management Program , the collections at Rocky Mountain National Park provide researchers access to materials that relate directly to the park while preserving the artifacts and specimens for future use. This function is mandated and motivated by the enabling legislation of the NPS: "...which purpose is to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects..."

The collections are stored in several repositories such as the YMCA of the Rockies, Denver Botanical Gardens, and on site in the park; and currently consist of 33,465 cultural objects, 294 works of art, 10,495 biological specimens , and 455 geological specimens. These objects document human use of the land and the natural history including the alpine tundra ecosystem. About 710 of these items are on exhibit throughout park at visitor centers and the Holzwarth Historic Site. The archival collections consist of central files, images, and donated manuscripts stored on site and at the National Archives Record Administration, NARA.

The curator prepares the objects for display, gives access to the collections for researchers, and oversees the collections stored in the storage facility and collections on loan to other repositories. Many supportive duties are performed by student interns and VIPs (Volunteers in Parks), including: archival and artifact inventories, cataloging, and rehousing, pest and climate monitoring, housekeeping, and library functions.

Preservation plays a very important role in extending the life of museum artifacts. Preservation methods include housing items in climate controlled environments; protecting them from devastating degradation due to insects, light, and changes in humidity. If not on exhibit, artifacts, archives, and specimens are more often than not taken out of the public eye. The technology of digital imaging has enabled museums to give public access to their repositories while reducing the materials' exposure to degrading elements.

On this page you are provided access to the digital museum collections. Check back on a regular basis for additions to these digital collections .

Lantern Slide Collection This is a sampling of lantern slides from a collection of over 1,100 slides. The accession record states the slides were acquired in 1975. The majority of the images are from the 1930s and 1940s. Some are even older copies of photographic prints dating to the late 1800s. It is assumed that the images were used for campfire programs. Many of the black and white images have been hand colored.

Nathan Finck slides Online Exhibit with Finding Aid : Link to the virtual collection or click to read the archival finding aid .

There are about 600 buildings in Rocky Mountain National Park, though there were once twice that many standing within park boundaries. For much of the twentieth century, the National Park Service considered Rocky Mountain a natural park, and therefore management decisions aimed to return the landscape to pre-contact conditions. Though some buildings were protected, not until 1988 was the "natural" designation lifted and a new mandate towards historic preservation embraced. Since then, numerous park buildings have been restored or rehabilitated.

A historic building is listed in or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places . The National Historic Preservation Act of 1967 requires the National Park Service to nominate resources for listing. In order to be eligible for listing, a building must be significant to our history--in architecture, archaeology, engineering, or culture. Buildings must convey a sense of time and place. Generally, they must also be at least 50 years old.

Park buildings are generally listed in the National Register because of their architectural significance or their association with ranching and tourism in the region.

Most of the park's buildings are rustic in style. The first director of the NPS, Stephen Mather, advocated rustic design within parks as early as 1918 believing that buildings should blend with their natural surroundings. With wood shingle roofs, log framing, stone foundations, exposed rafter tails, and dark-stained siding, many buildings within Rocky Mountain NP exemplify this design philosophy. The Twin Owls Residence behind MacGregor Ranch is one of the earliest extant National Park Service-constructed buildings in the park.

Before Congress established Rocky Mountain NP in 1915, the areas around Grand Lake and Estes Park were filled with cattle ranches. With the growing popularity of tourism in the area, many of these ranchers converted their properties to dude ranching. They built cabins to house their guests. During the 1930's, 40's, and 50's, many park visitors stayed at one of the guest ranches in the area, including McGraw Ranch, Never Summer Ranch, Green Mountain Ranch, and Onahu Ranch. You can visit all of these sites in Rocky Mountain National Park. Many other visitors built vacation homes in and near the park. These homes, many of which are used to house park employees, represent the growth of the local tourism industry.

Even visitor buildings like campground ranger stations and comfort stations are listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Built in 1939, the Timber Creek Campground Comfort Stations have exposed rafter tails, exposed log framing, and board and batten siding. The Ranger Station at Glacier Basin Campground (1930) has a stone foundation, exposed rafter tails, and log construction. The National Park Service built Aspenglen Comfort Station (1942) with wavy siding, echoing the nearby riparian area of Fall River. The Keeper of the National Register designated these and other National Park Service-constructed rustic buildings in 1988.

There are ten backcountry buildings listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The backcountry cabins share the rustic style, although materials vary from stone to log depending on the environment. Examples can be found at Fern Lake (1925), the Keyhole on Longs Peak (Agnes Vaille Memorial Shelter, 1927), Willow Park (1923), Lawn Lake (1931), Shadow Mountain (1933), Thunder Lake (1930), and Twin Sisters (built by the National Forest Service in 1914).

The Utility Area Historic District is significant for its rustic design. National Park Service employees designed these buildings in the 1920's and 1930's. Young men in the Civilian Conservation Corps, a New Deal work program, built some of the buildings. Many are still used for their original purposes. This area includes housing for permanent employees and their families, maintenance shops and garages, and ranger offices.

In January 2001, the Secretary of the Interior designated the Beaver Meadows Visitor Center a National Historic Landmark, the highest historic designation reserved for just 2400 properties across the nation at the time. Built in 1967, it is nationally significant for its contribution to the National Park Service Mission 66 program and for its embodiment of modern National Park Service architecture. Mission 66 was a park building program that began in 1956. Its goal was to transform the National Park Service to meet postwar conditions, including modernizing visitor facilities. Beaver Meadows Visitor Center also embodies National Park Service modern architecture. Tom Casey of Taliesin Architects, a design firm started after Frank Lloyd Wright's death in 1959, designed the building. It exemplifies Wright's belief in organic architecture, which attempts to integrate a building into its surroundings. Taliesin Architects, therefore, continued the tradition of rustic design in Rocky Mountain National Park--utilizing modern materials--into the 1960's.

Visitors to Rocky Mountain National Park see craggy peaks, bugling elk, fierce electrical storms, and a profusion of wildflowers. And, although most visitors use the park's trail system, few notice the trails themselves. This would no doubt please the generations of Rocky's trail builders. Their goal was for trails to disappear into the sublime landscape. There are several hundred miles of trails in the park, and most can be associated with three broad historical themes: first trails, recreation and tourism, and naturalistic design.

First trails is a context for corridors used for transportation. These are not consciously designed, but rather paths of least resistance. Often, there is not a "line on the map" representing the trail. Rather, these are corridors connecting waypoints, such as archeological sites. As transportation methods evolved, so too did the corridor. The Santa Fe Trail and the Mormon Trail are examples of this type of corridor-trail. In Rocky, the Ute Trail (which shares the corridor with Trail Ridge Road) is the best representation.

The second category is the association with recreation and tourism. When Congress established Rocky Mountain National Park in 1915, 100 miles of trails existed. Private lodge owners, local improvement associations, and citizens built and maintained trails, which often began at lodges (that today are parking lots) and went through scenic vistas to lakes. In 1920, when Rocky's budget increased and Roger Toll became superintendent, the park improved these existing trails and built new ones. This period coincided with an increase in park visitors who desired hiking and extended camping as recreational activities. Fern Lake exemplifies an early, very popular trail that was constructed and maintained by lodge keepers and local tourism boosters before the national park was established. Natural and built features—i.e., lodges, bridges, waterfalls, creeks and lakes—identified the path. Even though the alignment shifted in its early days, the trail continued to connect these important features.

The third category is National Park Service naturalistic design, which focuses on professionally-designed trails. Both engineers and landscape architects planned trails in Rocky following standards established by the National Park Service. There was both an aesthetic component and technical component. The aesthetic component required the use of local materials such as rock, wood, and dirt to harmonize with the local environment. For example, bridges should use logs the same diameter as the trees in the adjacent forest. The technical component required a 15% maximum grade, 3-4 feet width, and sustainability through the use of stone steps, log checks, and log or stone culverts. Both the National Park Service and the Civilian Conservation Corps built naturalistic design trails, such as the East Inlet Trail.

Longs Peak trails require their own category, because they are so important to the park's history. The Longs Peak trail is significant as an almost legendary trek to the top of a prominent front range Fourteener, attracting hardy tourists since the 1860’s. The trail is also where Enos Mills developed and honed his naturalist skills, preparing him to become the most vocal advocate for the creation of Rocky Mountain National Park.

Bridges, overlooks, rock walls, signs, lakes, waterfalls, elevation benchmarks, stands of vegetation, and views are all important elements of historic trails. Maintenance on park trails has not changed significantly over time, which helps to preserve their historic character. It also helps to preserve the sense of place familiar to anyone who has ventured into Rocky's back country.

Seeing a raptor in the wild is an incredible experience that many people highly value. Raptors, also known as birds of prey, rely on their keen eyesight, sharp talons, and hooked beaks to hunt and feed on other animals.

Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) is home to 25 documented species of raptors including eagles, hawks, falcons, owls, and more. Imagine seeing a Golden Eagle soar above you. This massive raptor has a six-foot wingspan. Smaller, but faster, is the Peregrine Falcon which can dive at speeds of 200 mph to catch prey.

Raptors have a critically important role in ecosystem health. Known as “keystone predators,” raptors help to regulate prey populations of small mammals, other birds, fish, and reptiles. The status of raptor populations in the park can be an indicator of ecosystem health, with dips in breeding success signaling an imbalance in the ecosystem.

Raptors are sensitive to stressors such as habitat loss, disease, pollutants, climate change, and disturbance by people. While RMNP continues to provide good raptor habitat, human activity in the park can cause raptors to avoid establishing nests or to abandon nests. Human activity also can temporarily flush, or startle, adult birds away from their nests, leaving eggs or young birds vulnerable to predators or weather; young birds may miss essential feedings. Flushed adult birds may also inadvertently knock eggs or young from the nest or ledge. Additionally, disturbed young may attempt to fly prematurely, resulting in injury or death. Reproductive rates are low in most raptor species, with breeding pairs producing 1-2 offspring (also known as fledglings) per year. Repeated breeding failures can cause declines in raptor populations overall.

Raptor species are afforded protections to ensure their longevity within the park’s borders and beyond. Federal protections, such as the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act protect raptors across the country. Within Rocky Mountain National Park, many different people have worked over time to help contribute to the park's rich history of raptor preservation and protection. This has included the work of park staff, volunteers, and members of the rock climbing community.

An RV campsite in Moraine Park Campground NPS Planning to Camp During the 2026/2027 Winter Season Camping is a fun activity to enjoy year-round for those who are prepared. Winter camping is open from October 19 to mid-May.

During the winter camping season, Moraine Park Campground is the only campground open inside Rocky Mountain National Park. Campsites will be available on a first come, first served basis. The Following Campsites will be Open: Loop A from sites 1-62 All sites in Loop B All sites in Loop C All sites in Loop E - Groups of 8 or more should use a group site in Loop E. Available Amenities Running water and restrooms will be available in Loops A and C. Vault toilets are available in Loops B and E. The Dump Station and fresh water fill is offline during the winter season. Campers with RVs will need to fill and dump their tanks outside of the park. There are no hookups with water available in Moraine Park Campground. Sites with electric hookups are available only in Loops B and C. During the winter season, firewood and ice are not available for purchase in the campground. Camping supplies can be purchased at stores outside of Rocky Mountain National Park. The closest available options are located in the Town of Estes Park.

Campground Fees Winter Standard Non-Electric Campsites $30 per night Winter Standard Electric Campsites $55 per night Summer Standard Non-Electric Campsites $35 per night Summer Standard Electric Campsites $55 per night Summer Tent-Only Non-Electric Sites at Longs Peak - No Water $30 per night Summer Group Sites at Glacier Basin Campground $50 per night for small sites $60 per night for medium sites $70 per night for large sites

Courtesy Recreation.gov Winter Camping Fees Standard non-electric campsites are $30 per site, per night. Standard electric campsites are $55 per site, per night. How to Pay Winter Camping Fees To pay overnight camping fees, campers can use the Scan & Pay function on the Recreation.gov Mobile App or pay in person at Beaver Meadows or Fall River Entrances. Scan and Pay It is easy to pay using the Scan and Pay feature. First, download the Recreation.gov Mobile App and then create or update an account. More details are available at https://www.recreation.gov/mobile-app/ and additional directions are posted on the kiosk at Moraine Park Campground.

During the winter camping season, firewood and ice are not available for purchase in the campground. Supplies can be purchased in the Town of Estes Park. Additional Things to Know When Planning a Winter Camping Trip Campsites have a picnic table, tent pad, fire ring, and food storage box Campsites are not plowed or shoveled by park staff Campers are advised to pack a shovel and be prepared to dig out your own campsite When it snows, plowing the main park roads are our number one priority Snowplows will plow campground roads, but expect and be prepared for delays

Pop-up camper in a campsite NPS Photo How to Make a Campground Reservation for a Summer Trip Planning for a summer camping trip? Advanced reservations are required to camp inside Rocky Mountain National Park at Moraine Park, Glacier Basin, Aspenglen, and Timber Creek Campgrounds.

Camping Reservations can be made through the following ways: Online at www.recreation.gov Using the Recreation.gov Mobile App Or by calling 1-877-444-6777 Campground reservations cannot be made in person at the campground or at any of the RMNP visitor centers. Some campsites are available on a short-term release. Please see each individual campground's page on Recreation.gov for specific campsite details.

Timber Creek Campground NPS Photo Campground Dates for Summer 2027 Campground Name Opening Date Closing Date Moraine Park Campground TBD: Check back in mid-November.

Timber Creek Campground TBD: Check back in mid-November. Aspenglen Campground TBD: Check back in mid-November. Glacier Basin Campground TBD: Check back in mid-November. Longs Peak Campground TBD: Check back in mid-November.

Campsite at Longs Peak Campground NPS Photo Interested in Camping at Longs Peak Campground Longs Peak Campground is a seasonal campground open to tents only. This campground typically opens in early July and closes in early September.

Planning for a Wilderness Backpacking Trip? Thinking about going overnight wilderness backpacking? Learn about planning for a wilderness overnight backpacking trip at https://go.nps.gov/romo/wildernessbackpacking .

Rocky Mountain National Park accepts payment for all entrance & campground fees in the form of debit/credit card only.

NPS Photo Ready to Enjoy a Trail Looking to get outside and hit a trail? Rocky Mountain National Park has a trail for everyone! With over 350 miles of hiking trails to choose from, there are many options to enjoy from scenic nature trails to challenging mountain summits.

Looking to get outside and hit a trail? Rocky Mountain National Park has a trail for everyone! With over 350 miles of hiking trails to choose from, there are many options to enjoy from scenic nature trails to challenging mountain summits. Not sure where to begin? See below for a variety of fun hikes in the park. You can search by activity, length, features, and more!

970 586-1206 The Information Office is open year-round. During summer, the office is open from 8 am to 4 pm daily. During the winter season, the office is open from 8 am to 4 pm Monday - Friday, and from 8 am to noon on Saturdays and Sundays. For information on Trail Ridge Road, the recorded Trail Ridge Road status line is available 24 hours a day: (970) 586-1222.