Facts about Rocky Mountain National Park

The 265,761-acre Rocky Mountain National Park is located northwest of Boulder, Colorado in the United States. It’s no surprise that more than 3 million people visit this park each year, with its wooded forests, mountain views, and wildlife. Enos Mills, a 14-year-old boy, moved to the area in 1884 and eventually wrote many books about it, later becoming an advocate for establishing the area as a park. President Woodrow Wilson signed a bill passed by Congress establishing the land as a national park in 1915.

Although people have been visiting the region now known as Rocky Mountain National Park for 11,000 years, beginning with the Paleo Indians, it is now accessible via three highways, making it easier to see the park’s beauty.

The Continental Divide cuts through Rocky Mountain National Park.

The Grand Lake Cemetery is an active community cemetery in the park. It has been in place since 1892.

Longs Peak, at 14,259 feet, is the park’s highest point.

There are 359 miles of trails to explore in the park.

In the park, there are 260 miles of horseback riding trails.

The Colorado River’s headwaters begin within the park’s boundaries.

The first female nature guides in America were licensed in Rocky Mountain National Park in 1917, after being trained by Enos Mills, the young man who helped establish the park.

Autumn officially begins on September 23rd, but due to the park’s elevation, it arrives earlier. It even snows when the leaves are just starting to change in other parts of the country.

The largest earthquake recorded in Colorado occurred in 1882, and it was centered near the park’s northern boundary.

Despite the lack of seismometers at the time, the earthquake was estimated to be of magnitude 6.6.

During the summer, 267 toilets must be cleaned every day throughout the park!

The park still has a few small glaciers. Throughout history, giant glaciers have left their imprints on the park.

The park is home to at least 63 different species of mammals, including foxes, mountain lions, black bears, and bighorn sheep.

Since its establishment, 280 bird species have been identified in the park, and it is now designated as a Globally Important Bird Area.

The park was designated a UNESCO International Biosphere Reserve in 1976.

The park’s lowest recorded temperature was -39 degrees Fahrenheit in 1951.

The park’s highest recorded temperature was 96 degrees Fahrenheit in 1989.

Tick season is in the park during the spring and summer. Ticks can be a nuisance to wildlife, but not to black-billed magpies. They can be seen riding around on the elk’s backs, picking ticks off their skin.

The park contains rocks that are 1.7 billion years old, making it one of the oldest in the National Parks System.

Snowshoe hares and short-tailed weasels turn white in the winter to blend in with the snow, so you may not see them if you visit the park in the winter.

Biologists in the park discovered a deer carcass in a tree and determined it had been dragged up by a mountain lion.

Rocky Mountain National Park was established as the tenth national park by Congress. There are 50 more across the country.