Untamed Rocky Mountain National Park
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Together, they form the backbone of America. They are cold, ruthless and breathtaking. They are an experience unlike any other. They are the Rockies. Boasting a number of the tallest peaks in the continental United States, Rocky Mountain National Park is unspoiled, untarnished, true wilderness. Even at the peak of summer, the towering cliffs of the Rockies play host to some of the coldest temperatures and largest snowfalls ever recorded. Rocky Mountain National Park is for the adventurer, the thrillseeker and the naturalist. If you believe in the purity of Mother Nature, Rocky Mountain National Park is for you.
Take the trail less traveled
To fully immerse yourself in Colorado’s greatest national park, you have to climb. There’s no doubt that in order to get the most out of your visit to Rocky Mountain National Park, you’ll need to step off the paved road and get your boots dusty. We recommend doing so via one or more of the park’s 359 trails, some of which start at the highest available elevations and others rise from the valley to the peak of a 12,000-foot rock skyscraper. Rocky Mountain National Park boasts 60 named peaks that break the 12K mark, so it’ll take some time before you find a mountain you haven’t already conquered.
Or take the trail most traveled
If scaling mountains isn’t your idea of a good time, but you still want to take in the incredible vistas on display at Rocky Mountain National Park, you can traverse the cliffs in the comfort of your own vehicle by way of Trail Ridge Road. This 40-mile stretch of asphalt is the highest continuous paved road in the United States, and it also offers some of the most remarkable photo opportunities and lunch destinations. Either way, it doesn’t matter how you choose to experience the glory of the Rockies, just be sure to experience it
Rocky Mountain National Park. These mountains form the stony spine which holds together the great land mass of America, east to west, the backbone of a continent. Encasing the continental divide and the headwaters of the Colorado River rises Rocky Mountain National Park. Here in the North central region of the state of Colorado, surrounded by lush national forests, Rocky Mountain National Park touts over 60 named peaks, higher than 12,000 feet. With its high altitude wilderness, crowned with granite peaks, this park preserves the quintessence of the far reaching chain of Rocky Mountains. Spring time. After a long winter slumber, the park comes alive. Thousands of visitors traverse the highest continuous paved highway in the United States, Trail Ridge Road, carefully winding upwards through a primeval wilderness. You would have to go on a round trip to the Arctic circle to view the life zones along this 40 miles of road. In the uplands now, more than a fourth of the park is above the tree line. Alpine Tundra, frost shattered rocks, plants must be tough to survive here. At this altitude spring lasts only a week or two and the growing season only around 40 days. At last we're at the very top, the roof of the Rockies. Here gusts of wind can reach 200 miles an hour. Thunderheads may gather ominously. And then vanish in an instant burst of sun. Gnarled, twisted trees and stubby grass cling tenaciously to the hostile landscape. Even at the peak of summer, snow may fall. A fresh snowfall adds enchantment to an already spectacular landscape. Some of the park's 359 trails begin above the tree line. So even short hikes lead to spectacular vistas. Winter. It comes early in Rocky Mountain National Park. Before the frigid blast sweep in, animals leave the high country for the valleys. While bears and marmots hibernate deep in their dens, other wildlife comes out in the open. In the winter back country, sports take on a special excitement. Beneath these granite crests, hiking these valleys, fishing these rivers, today's park visitors, families of visitors can still experience true wilderness. Untamed. Unspoiled. As it's been since the dawn of creation.
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