Are you traveling to Colorado anytime soon for one of your favorite rocky mountain vacations? Are you looking for something new to do? Rocky Mountain National Park is the perfect place for your next trip. With a variety of activities and an amazing collection of wildlife in a beautiful landscape, this Colorado rocky mountain location will leave you saying wow.
Rocky Mountain Park, created on January 26, 1915, contains areas of grassy valleys, dense forests and over 60 peaks that rise above 12,000 feet. It contains 416 square miles of land that encompasses 150 lakes and 450 miles of stream. It hosts over 3 million visitors per year, and the number one activity of these visitors on their rocky mountain vacations is wildlife viewing.
Rocky Mountain Park offers a variety of activities including hiking, horseback riding, bird watching, camping, cross country skiing, fly fishing, and backpacking. Sledding and snowmobiling are available in the winter, but only in designated areas. Rocky Mountain Park also offers amazing views of wildlife in their natural habitat. Elk, mule deer, bighorn sheep, coyotes, eagles, cougars, hawks, black bears and even an occasional moose all call the park home and can be viewed by visitors.
The park does contain 359 miles of trail that vary in length and level of difficulty. Shuttle buses run throughout the park so visitors can easily access most hiking trails. There are no trails for bikes, as bikes are only allowed on paved roads. The park is home to the highest paved road in the United States. Trail Ridge Road reaches an elevation of 12, 183 feet, which makes it a great challenge for bikers.
Camping is also a favorite activity of park visitors. Rocky Mountain Park offers five drive in campgrounds, and one drive in group campsite. While the park is open 24 hours a day, those staying overnight to camp must stay at one of the six designated camp areas, some of which require permits from the park's visitor center.
One of the unique things about this rocky mountain park is the artist-in-residence program it offers. For two weeks, five to eight professional writers, artists, composers and performing artists are invited to stay free at the historic William Allen White Cabin, in order to be inspired by the Colorado rocky mountain landscape and wildlife. In exchange for their stay, artists donate one piece of their work that represents their stay and provide two educational programs to the public.
Fires do sometimes occur naturally at the park, but are often controlled for fear of getting out of control. Visitors must understand though that fires are important to the park as it thins the forest, recycles nutrients in the soil, releases seeds for new plant growth and creates meadows. Although recent media reports have been about fires in the rocky mountains started by humans, lightning is the primary cause of wildland fires and will most likely always be.
With a variety of activities for visitors and a breathtaking view of wildlife in their natural habitat, this Rocky Mountain Park is the perfect destination for travelers. Being open year round, visitors will enjoy hiking and camping in the summer months and cross country skiing and sledding in the winter.