Established:
Became
a national park in 1915
Land Area: 415
square miles of silver streams, wooded valleys and craggy
mountains
Lowest
& Highest Elevations: 7,840
feet at park headquarters, 14,255 feet at Longs Peak
Plant
and Animal Species: More
than 900 plants, 250 birds, 60 mammal species
Sights:
Trail
Ridge Road, Kawuneeche Valley, Never Summer Ranch, Grand
Ditch Trail, Milner Pass, Fairview Curve, Gore Range
Overlook, Horseshoe Park, Moraine Park, Bear Lake Road,
Glacier Gorge, Longs Peak
Hiking
Trails: More
than 355 miles of trails
Visitation
Highest in July and August
Location
Located in north-central Colorado between
the towns of Grand Lake and Estes Park.
Address
Headquarters: Rocky Mountain National Park
Estes Park, CO 80517
Telephone
(970) 586-1206, for general information.
(970) 586-1333, phone recorded message.
(970) 586-1319, TDD.
(970) 586-1242, backcountry information.
(970) 627-3471, West Side information.
Park
Entrances
There
are only two entrances into Rocky Mountain National
Park
East Entrance: U.S. Hwy 34 or 36 from Estes Park
West Entrance: U.S. Hwy 34 from Grand Lake
Entrance
Fees
$10.00 per private vehicle; $5.00 per bicyclist, motorcyclist
or pedestrian; $10.00 for Golden Age passport; $50.00
for Golden Eagle passport; and free for Golden Access
passport. An annual pass for Rocky Mountain National
Park is also available for $20. Backcountry permit fee
is $15.00.
Reservations
and Permits
Campground / Lodging / Restaurants - Reservations are strongly
recommended for all concession operated facilities.
Reservations should be made as
far in advance as possible.
For campground reservation
information, call (800) 365-2267.
Backcountry Camping - Permits
are required. A $15 permit fee is charged during the
summer and reservations are suggested. Permits are required
for bivouacs.
Operating
Hours For current road conditions and construction,
contact the NPS at (970) 586-1206.
Transportation
Commercial airlines serve the following
airports near Rocky Mountain National Park all year:
Ft. Collins, Boulder, and Granby. Rental cars are available
in all these cities.
The park is accessable by car, bike
and foot. Rental Cars are available in the surrounding
communities as well as in Denver, Boulder and Ft. Collins.
Climate
Summer; sunny mornings, possible afternoon thunderstorms
and cool nights. Winter; cool conditions to blizzard
conditions with extreme temperature variations. Weather
conditions change quickly in mountainous areas and snow
is possible year round. Wear appropriate dress for each
season; comfortable clothing, dress in layers, rain
gear, and sunscreen.
Safety
Tips
- Prevent blisters by wearing comfortable
boots or shoes which fit the terrain.
- Prevent hypothermia by wearing
layers. If you find yourself shivering and feel
disoriented, seek shelter and drink warm liquids.
Hypothermia can develop and is a serious condition
requiring medical attention.
- If you see a storm developing,
reduce the risk of lightning strike by retreating
to a lower location and avoid water, ridges, isolated
trees and boulders. If you feel an electrical charge
building up, kneel down, lean forward and place
your hands on your knees. DO NOT seek refuge under
rock overhangs.
- To lessen the possibility of being
bitten by a tick, stay on the trails and avoid grassy,
brushy areas. Do a tick check to ensure that no
ticks have attached themselves to you. Also, when
possible, wear long pants and long sleeves shirts.
No ticks carrying Lyme disease have been found in
Yellowstone to date, but there have been cases of
Rocky Mountain spotted fever, which is transmitted
by the Rocky Mountain wood tick.
- Do not swim in lakes, rivers, or
tributaries. The water is exceptionally cold and
has a deceptively strong current.
- Giardia lamblia flourishes in the
lakes and streams of the Rockies. Do not drink the
water without purifying it first.
- High-altitude sickness may be experienced
by visitors from lower elevations. Symptoms are
shortness of breath, fatigue, dizziness, headache,
rapid heartbeat, and occasionally nausea. It can
take several days to adjust to the change in elevation,
but you can do these things to minimize the symptoms:
rest, eat lightly, drink more fluids, avoid cigarettes
and alcohol, limit strenuous activity.
- Snowfields are created when snow
lingers into the summer. It is easy to loose your
footing and slide into boulders lying at the base
of the snowfields.
Visitor
Centers and Exhibits
The Visitor Centers are the hub for park information.
Most offer exhibits and history of the park.
- Headquarters Visitor Center
- open year round
- Kawuneeche Visitor Center
- open mid-April to late October and Mid-December
to mid-March
- Alpine Visitor Center -
open Memorial Day through min-October
- Lily Lake Visitor Center -
open June through August
- Moraine Park Musem - open
May through mid-October
- Corral Creek Information Station
- open mid-June Labor Day
Exhibits can be viewed during the summer. Only the
Headquarters Visitor Center is open year round.
- Headquarters Visitor Center
Exhibits on park orientation and movies.
- Kawuneeche Visitor Center
Exhibits on park orientation and movies.
- Alpine Visitor Center
Exhibits on the alpine tundra ecosystem.
- Never Summer Ranch
Exhibits on historical dude ranching.
- Lily Lake Visitor Center
Exhibits put together by the efforts of both the
forest service and park service about the Longs
Peak area.
- Moraine Park Museum
"The Making of a Landscape" exhibits on
the geology of the park.
Recommended
Activities
Scenic driving tours, hiking and bicycling, camping,
backcountry camping, skiing and snowshoeing, limited
snowmobiling, picnicking, ranger led activities, wildlife
and wildflower viewing and birdwatching.
