18/06: Rocky Mountain National Park
Category: General
Posted by: The Agnew Family
When I was planning our trip to Colorado I thought we’d only have time to do southern Colorado and a bit in the middle and if we were lucky maybe spend a day in Colorado Springs where we once spent an afternoon. About half way through the trip Ed and I realized that southern Colorado didn’t take as much time as we expected and Ed decided that he really didn’t need to go back to Colorado Springs. That put Rocky Mountain National Park on the agenda. Two days isn’t really enough time to see this amazing park but it’s what we have. Today we left Grand Lake on the west side of the park and drove Trail Ridge Road across the park to Estes Park. As the crow flies it’s 29 km, by road it’s 77 km. With stops it took us the entire day so you can imagine the number of photos we took today.
It was sunny this morning so we spent a few minutes walking around Grand Lake and of course got more hummingbird photos.
Rocky Mountain National Park is 415 square miles of spectacular mountain environments. The eastern and westerns slopes of the Continental Divide run directly through the center of the park with the headwaters of the Colorado River located in the park's northwestern region.
The Rocky Mountain National Park Act was signed by President Woodrow Wilson on January 26, 1915. In 1976, UNESCO designated the park as one of the first World Biosphere Reserves.
We saw Elk in a couple of places on the western side of the park. As hunting is not allowed in the park, the Elk are not afraid of people.
The Colorado River isn't very big here.
The wildflowers are absolutely amazing here as it's still spring high in the mountains.
A Clark's Nutcracker.
At the Alpine Visitor we followed the trail to the top --- 12,005 feet above sea level. It was very cool and very windy up there. I look a little chubby because I have my purse under my jacket.
Some of the amazing scenery.
These are lava cliffs. There's still some snow here, especially at the higher altitudes.
Tiny, tiny blue flowers.
Ed climbed to the top of a rock outcropping. The disc is a 360 degree map naming all of the peaks you can see.
Everywhere you looked it was beautiful.
A Marmot.
Loved the little lake nestled high in the mountains.
A Coyote. We and a lot of other people were watching a number of marmots when this coyote appeared. Not sure if he left because the marmots noticed him or because of all the people.
I think this is a golden-mantled ground squirrel or it could be a chipmunk. I asked but he wouldn't tell me what he was.
Some more scenery.
I think I may have gone a little overboard on the photos today but the park is so beautiful and I really did leave a lot out.
It was sunny this morning so we spent a few minutes walking around Grand Lake and of course got more hummingbird photos.
Rocky Mountain National Park is 415 square miles of spectacular mountain environments. The eastern and westerns slopes of the Continental Divide run directly through the center of the park with the headwaters of the Colorado River located in the park's northwestern region.
The Rocky Mountain National Park Act was signed by President Woodrow Wilson on January 26, 1915. In 1976, UNESCO designated the park as one of the first World Biosphere Reserves.
We saw Elk in a couple of places on the western side of the park. As hunting is not allowed in the park, the Elk are not afraid of people.
The Colorado River isn't very big here.
The wildflowers are absolutely amazing here as it's still spring high in the mountains.
A Clark's Nutcracker.
At the Alpine Visitor we followed the trail to the top --- 12,005 feet above sea level. It was very cool and very windy up there. I look a little chubby because I have my purse under my jacket.
Some of the amazing scenery.
These are lava cliffs. There's still some snow here, especially at the higher altitudes.
Tiny, tiny blue flowers.
Ed climbed to the top of a rock outcropping. The disc is a 360 degree map naming all of the peaks you can see.
Everywhere you looked it was beautiful.
A Marmot.
Loved the little lake nestled high in the mountains.
A Coyote. We and a lot of other people were watching a number of marmots when this coyote appeared. Not sure if he left because the marmots noticed him or because of all the people.
I think this is a golden-mantled ground squirrel or it could be a chipmunk. I asked but he wouldn't tell me what he was.
Some more scenery.
I think I may have gone a little overboard on the photos today but the park is so beautiful and I really did leave a lot out.