The Rocky Mountains stretch nearly 2,700 miles from New Mexico to northern British Columbia and form the backbone of the continent, dividing waterflow, wildlife, vegetation and in the not-distant past, people. Their distant towering peaks effectively mark the true beginning of the American west for travelers crossing the flat midwestern plains.
Guide to Rocky Mountain
Alert
Rocky Mountain National Park has implemented a “Timed Entry Reservation” system in an effort to restrict access to the park’s interior. Permits will be required to enter the park between late May and early October. Click the link above to jump over to the RMNP website for information regarding a summer trip to the Rockies.
Rocky Mountain National Park
Rocky Mountain National Park, as the name may suggest, lies in the heart of the Rockies. It is the highest of our national parks measured by average elevation. This land holds a jagged array of summits that is not equaled in the lower 48, with more than 60 peaks above 12,000 feet.
More than 450 miles of streams flow through its lush valleys, leading to and from 150 mountain lakes, many with water so clear you may think it not even there. Combine such scenery with a collection of wildlife that includes bighorn sheep, elk, moose, mountain lion and bear, along with some 300 species of birds, and we have our 9th national park.
Exploring Rocky Mountain
Established in 1915, the 265,800 acre park is about 1/8 the size of Yellowstone, yet during most years, it receives more visitors. Rocky Mountain hosted more than 4.5 million guests in 2018, making it the third most visited national park that year. In 2021, this mountain getaway saw only 4.43 million visitors, but this was due to a reservation system which restricted traffic into the park.
Summer visitors will often find congested roadways and limited parking. A shuttle service operates along the popular Bear Lake Road between the Beaver Meadows Visitor Center and Glacier Basin Campground that relieves a fair amount of the traffic, but busses here can be crowded too. The shuttle operates from Memorial Day through October.
The east side of RMNP is home to the masses, given the proximity of the east entrance to the metropolis of Denver. Most visitors enter and leave the park from the east entrance, and stay in Estes Park, or Denver for those who are single day visitors. Endless opportunities for dayhikes are present on the east side, and there are options to turn many such romps into overnight trips.
The park’s quieter west side is home to the headwaters of the mighty Colorado River. Although heralded as the most powerful river in the west, the famous river is merely a mountain stream with a flow of less than 100 cubic feet per second at its birthplace in the Kawuneeche Valley of RMNP.
This valley, the name of which translates to “valley of the coyote” in the local Arapaho language, is home to large herds of elk who roam through marshy meadow and beaver ponds, while its streams team with Colorado River Cutthroat trout and brook trout, making it a popular destination for knowledgeable fly fishermen.
Trail Ridge Road
Few roads penetrate the park. Those seeking a scenic drive however, will get their money’s worth on the Trail Ridge Road, which is the only route to run completely through the park. This is the highest continually paved highway in the country, reaching 12,183 feet at the highest point along its 48-mile route, more than 10 miles of which runs above 11,000 feet.
The road, completed in 1932, winds through forests of ponderosa pine and zones of fir and spruce before climbing above tree line, where open tundra graces massive mountain slopes as the road winds along what may at times seem to be the spine of the world.
Old Fall River Road
The Old Fall River Road is a one-way-uphill, 10-mile dirt road that was built in 1921, making it the first auto route into the park’s high country. It runs from Endovalley to the Alpine Visitor Center and is usually open from early July through late September depending on snow levels. It is a steep road with tight curves and there is a length limit of 25 feet and trailers are prohibited.
This road runs parallel to the Trail Ridge Road from the eastern side of the park and the two roads connect in the high country, just east of Medicine Bow Curve. Linking the two and forming a loop drive can be a nice way to spend the day for guests who just feel like taking a scenic cruise.
Rocky Mountain Geography
This is a land of extremes. Elevations in the park range from 7,680 feet to 14,259 feet at the summit of Longs Peak and more than a third of the park towers proudly above tree line, where high winds and frigid temperatures make the rules. The peculiar name of the mountain range that forms the park’s western boundary says it all: The Never Summer Range.
Rocky Mountain is essentially bisected from north to south by a chain of mountains that form the Continental Divide. Rain and snow that falls on the western side of these particular mountains flows toward the Pacific Ocean, while water moves eastward toward the Atlantic Ocean if it falls on the eastern slope of these peaks.
Park Ecology
This divide has a profound effect upon the park’s climate and foliage. Cloud systems moving in from the Pacific drop most of their moisture on the western slope of mountains, leaving very little for the eastern slopes. Thus, the western side of Rocky Mountain is more lush and harbors a greater number of larger animals such as moose, while the eastern side is more arid and supports a variety of different species that are generally smaller.
A wide variety of ecosystems exist in Rocky Mountain, with low-lying wetlands providing homes for willows, water birch and mountain alder, where meandering rivers flow through open meadows in the Montane ecosystem (5,600-9,000 feet) of the park’s lower elevations.
Ponderosa pines and varying types of shrub are found along low south-facing slopes, while Douglas fir, lodgepole pine and Engelmann spruce find homes on low northern slopes, which hold more moisture. Quaking aspen also prefer such moisture-rich areas, and are unique among trees in that their leaves contain chlorophyll on both sides, so even when winds turn them upside down, they can still take advantage of the sun’s energy.
Colorful fields of wildflowers lie separated by stands of evergreen trees that seem to take over in the subalpine zone, between 9,000 and 11,000 feet. Fir and Engelmann spruce rule this area, while small communities of lodgepole pines may thrive just after a fire, due to the abundant sunlight available in the absence of other trees. However, upon regrowth of the surrounding forest, spruce and fir will likely regain control of these areas, as their seedlings require less direct sunlight.
Near treeline, seedlings of young trees struggle to attain a foothold, and usually only germinate on the leeward side of rocks, often growing no taller than the rock behind which they take up residence. Any further growth will usually be in a horizontal direction, with tree branches attempting to reroot if they touch soil. This gives the tree another valuable foothold in a hostile world of high winds and exposure.
Krummholz
During winters, these trees are hoping to be buried by snow, as most branches that exist above snow cover will either die or be destroyed by wind. The dense growth of low-lying trees in such environments is known as krummholz, (German – krumm – crooked or bent, holz – wood ) and well-established krummholz forests can grow to be hundreds, if not thousands of years old. In Rocky Mountain, such trees are often of the Limber Pine variety, a hearty tree, usually not growing more than 30 feet tall, that somehow thrives in these areas.
The Alpine Zone
About 11,000 feet in elevation marks the beginning of the alpine tundra zone in Rocky Mountain. It is a unique setting to most who visit, with the park’s Trail Ridge Road providing rare auto access to such a rugged landscape. Plants at this elevation are hardcore, most are perennial and grow only a few inches above the ground.
Cushion plants seem to like it here. These are compact, slow growing mosslike plants that usually have deep tap roots and can live to be more than a hundred years old. Many flowering plants on the tundra had thick hairs on their stems to provide wind protection and some have red-colored pigments that convert sunlight into heat. Lichens are common at these heights as well, clinging to rock, they add wonderful splashes of color to the landscape.
Glaciers
During many periods during the Earth’s history, large swaths of land were covered by sheets of ice that were several miles thick. Rocky Mountain holds evidence of at least 6 major periods of glaciation in the past 700,000 years alone, with each period likely lasting more than ten thousand years.
The most recent of these occurred between 70,000 and 10,000 years ago, and is known as the Wisconsin period in North America, while commonly referred to as the Pinedale glaciation in the Rocky Mountains. This event did not entirely cover the Rockys, but did fill most of its valleys with thick sheets of ice. A few small glaciers exist in the high, north facing slopes of the park today.
Most of the glacial activity that can be studied in the park today occurred during the past 18,000 years. Massive sheets of ice gave shape to numerous bowl-shaped cliffs, known as cirques, that lie at the head of lush U-shaped valleys. At lower elevations, evidence of past glaciers can be observed in the form of moraines. These features are made of the fragments of rock left behind by retreating glaciers.
As glaciers move, they pick up rocks and debris, which are pushed to the sides and collected at the front of a slow-moving glacier. As glaciers melt, the leave behind piles of such debris, which acts as telltale clue to a glacier’s past presence. Strange, out-of-place rocks can be seen throughout such areas, these are likewise often abandoned by retreating glaciers, and are known in scientific speak as erratics.
Playtime
RMNP has long been a favorite of adventure seekers. More than 355 miles of trails crisscross a land sprinkled with more than 200 backcountry campsites. With the vast number of mountain peaks found here, climbing, peak-bagging and backcountry skiing promise a never-ending medley of opportunities for adrenaline junkies.
Classic hikes that prove challenging to even the fittest of adventurers are found throughout the park, such as Longs Peak, which requires a 16-mile trek that climbs 4,000 feet, placing hikers high atop the park at 14,259 feet. See the activities page for more information.
The park’s streams and lakes are abundantly sprinkled with fish. Early mornings find fly fishermen on the banks of mellow streams as if in meditative communication with the water. Of the park’s 156 lakes, only 48 contain reproducing populations of fish, as the higher altitude lakes often lack spawning habitat and cold temperatures limit reproduction. Nevertheless, lower lakes and streams are stocked in order to restore native species. Grab a fishing license your pole and head on out.
Horseback travel has long been part of the park’s tradition and more than 260 miles of Rocky Mountain’s trails are open to equestrian pursuits. Two stables are located within the park and stock is permitted at several backcountry campsites that are designated for stock use. Numerous guides outside the park are authorized to operate tours inside the park and offer various services for those who want to step into the saddle.
Services
No lodging is available in the park, however Estes Park at the east entrance and Grand Lake on the western side provide ample accommodations. The only way to stay inside the park, is to camp at one of the five campgrounds that are provided, or at one of the more than 200 backcountry campsites. See the visiting page for more info.
Park Junkie Verdict
Rocky Mountain is spectacular, no doubt. A simple drive through the park is a highlight for sure, but those who leave the pavement and head into the wilds here are sure to depart with a much deeper appreciation for this insanely sick environment.
The opportunities for adventure here are limitless, and the number of trails will provide an endless array of options for a summer hiking season, let alone for a week or two.
See ya there…
Guide to Rocky Mountain
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