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Rocky Mountain National Park Facts

Rocky Mountain National Park Facts
Northwest of Boulder, Colorado in the United States is the 265,761 acre Rocky Mountain National Park. With its wooded forests, mountain views, and wildlife, it's no wonder that more than 3 million people visit this park each year. In 1884 a 14-year-old boy named Enos Mills moved to the area and eventually wrote many books about the region, later becoming an advocate to establish the area as a park. In 1915, president Woodrow signed the bill that had been passed by Congress, establishing the land as a national park. Although people have been visiting the region now called Rocky Mountain National park for 11,000 years, beginning with the Paleo Indians, today it can be accessed by three highways, making it easier to see the beauty the park encompasses.
Interesting Rocky Mountain National Park Facts:
The Continental Divide runs right through Rocky Mountain NP.
There is an active community cemetery in the park called the grand Lake Cemetery. It has been there since 1892.
The highest peak in the park is at Longs Peak, at 14,259 feet.
There are 359 miles of trails in the park to explore.
There are 260 miles of trails for horseback riding in the park.
The headwaters of the Colorado River begin within the park's boundaries.
In 1917, the first female nature guides in America were licensed in Rocky Mountain NP. They were trained by Enos Mills, the young man who helped establish the park.
Although autumn officially begins on Sept. 23rd, it comes early in the park, due to its elevation. It even snows sometimes when in other parts of the country the leaves are just beginning to change.
The largest earthquake recorded in Colorado took place in 1882 and was centered at the northern park boundary. Although they did not yet have seismometers, it has been estimated that the earthquake was about a 6.6 magnitude.
267 toilets must be cleaned every day throughout the park during the summer!
There are still some small glaciers in the park. Giant glaciers throughout history have left their marks in the park.
There are at least 63 different species of mammals within the park, including fox, mountain lions, black bears and bighorn sheep.
There are 280 species of birds that been identified in the park since it was established, and the park is now designated a Globally Important Bird Area.
In 1976 the park was designated a UNESCO International Biosphere Reserve.
The lowest recorded temperature in the park was -39 degrees Fahrenheit in 1951.
The highest recorded temperature in the park was 96 degrees Fahrenheit in 1989.
In the spring and summer it is tick season in the park. The wildlife can be bothered by the ticks, but not the black-billed magpies. They can be seen riding around on the backs of the elk, picking the ticks off their backs.
There are rocks 1.7 billion years old in the park, and they are also some of the oldest in the National Parks System.
Snowshoe hares and short-tailed-weasels turn white in the winter to match the snow, so you may not be able to see them if you visit the park in the winter.
The carcass of a deer was found in a tree by biologists in the park, who determined it had likely been dragged up by a mountain lion.
Rocky Mountain National Park was the 10th national park approved by Congress. There are 50 others in the country.


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