Rocky Mountain National park is a gem of and for Colorado. The park offers great hiking opportunities during the summer with cross-county skiing and snowshoeing in the winter. I enjoy the diversity of wildlife with the large herds of elk, deer, many species of birds and the moose which were reintroduced in the 1990s and have spread across much of northern Colorado. The park is also struggling with the issues of human-induced climate change (stop debating human-induced climate change - it is real) that include loss of trees to various insects, corrupted migration times due to the warmer temperatures and disrupted plant fertilization - again due to warmer temps.
"Located on the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains along the Continental Divide, 100 km north-west of Denver (Colorado), this biosphere reserve and national park is managed for nature conservation, environmental education and public recreation purposes. Three vegetation zones are represented within the altitude range from 2,328 to 4,345 meters above sea level. The upper montane forest is characterized by ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) shrublands, meadows and grasslands; the subalpine forest zone comprises mainly Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii) and fir (Abies lasiocarpa); and the alpine tundra includes open stands of grasses, sedges and dwarf flowering plants and willows.
Early meat and sport hunting drastically reduced large ungulate populations in the area.
Wapiti (Cervus elaphus) was reintroduced in 1913-14 and have increased to a winter herd of about 1,500. Mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) is now common and about 350 bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) utilize the high-elevation ranges. Some species, however, such as Grizzly bear (Ursus arctos), pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) and bison (Bison bison) never recovered.
Outside of developed areas and roadways, the impact of humans has been minimal. Many exotic plant and sport fish species have been introduced in the area. There are over 2.5 million visitors mostly using only the developed areas and about 36,000 camper days were recorded in the back-country in 1986.
In recent years, the Rocky Mountain Biosphere Reserve and National Park has made important contributions to regional studies on atmospheric pollution, acidic deposition and climate change." (from (
visit link) )
"100th Anniversary = Wilderness, Wildlife, Wonder:
Honor the Past, Celebrate the Present, Inspire the Future
From September 4, 2014, through September 4, 2015, Rocky Mountain National Park, along with local and national communities, will be celebrating the park's 100th Anniversary. Speakers, special activities, and community events are being coordinated to commemorate our Centennial.
Whether you're a regular visitor, a national park traveler, or a virtual explorer, Rocky Mountain National Park hopes that our 100th Anniversary will inspire you to experience and connect with this park that has inspired 100 years of protection and that will continue to enchant and delight visitors and stewards for another 100 years!" (from (
visit link) )