Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

The Rocky Mountains form one of the world's longest ranges, stretching almost unbroken from Alaska to Mexico. Rocky Mountain National Park, established in 1915, preserves a small section within this range in Colorado, approximately 400 square miles. 

Created deep in the earth, pressure transformed sedimentary and metamorphic rock into hard crystalline metamorphic rock. Mountain-building raised these ancient rocks up nearly 10 miles from where they were formed 1.7 billion years ago. And yet, these peaks we see today are still considered young compared to the range on the east coast. 
Today's Rockies occupy the site of two much older mountain systems. The first set completely eroded 600 million years ago, the second by 200 million years ago. By 30 million years ago, erosion had reduced the Rockies we see today, which are now considered to be rolling hills.
Beginning about 10 million years ago, the entire region - from eastern Kansas to central Utah - rose more than a mile. Aided by the higher and steeper terrain, streams like the Big Thompson River began to cut deep canyons. The debris eroding off the mountain filled deep basins between the mountain ranges. According to one reader board, driving here from the midwest you spend hours driving over debris that was once part of these original mountains. Denver sits on top of 13,000 feet of this sediment!

Without a doubt, these mountains are majestic, awe-inspiring, grand, and leave you breathless at their magnitude (literally for me at the highest elevation of over 12,000 feet). 
We explored the park over the next four days, a first-time visit for us. What we were unprepared for was how busy this park is and at this time of year!  
The traffic was constant, and it wasn't the tour buses or rented campers but primarily cars with number plates from New York, New Jersey, Missouri, Ohio, Illinois, Minnesota... it seemed that every state in the nation was in Rocky Mountain National Park this week.

On a chilly but blue-sky day, we headed into the park and along Bear Lake Road, our objective to reach Bear Lake and do a couple of short hikes. 
We stopped to check out the elk in the meadow at Moraine Park. Cars were pulled over and Michael took this photo because I had no intention of getting out of the car!

a herd of elk in Moraine Park meadow

We continued on to the Moraine Park Discovery Center and viewed the moraine formed from glaciation, now covered with trees. 

From there, we continued on to Bear Lake, the road twisting and winding through gorgeous scenery, the peaks straight ahead looming large, the aspens aglow in fall colors. 

Tyndall glacier, still one of 5 active glaciers in the park, up ahead
 in the u-shaped valley between Hallett Peak and Tyndall Mountain  

aspens in their fall garb shimmering in the sunlight

At Bear Lake we and dozens of other cars were turned back because the parking lot was full. There is a shuttle bus visitors can take from a park-and-ride area close by, but even that was full.  We stopped at Sprague Lake instead and did the easy .75-mile trail around the lake, where it was peaceful and quieter.

From there we headed further north towards the Alluvial Fan. The scenery again was stunning, especially down into the valley. 

We saw more elk and a couple of frightened mule deer along the road.

We had our picnic lunch in Endo Valley, enjoying the peaceful surroundings, the inquisitive chipmunks and blue jay.

We made a stop at the Alluvial Fan and walked to see the river. Presumably with the spring run-off, most of the rocks are covered with water.

Our final stop was at Fall River Visitor Center which featured displays about the wildlife in the park. What caught my attention was this fabric wall hanging created by fiber artist in residence, Darcy Love, in 2003. She cleverly portrayed all the wildlife residents of the park within the elk, an appropriate symbol of the park since they appear to be frequent sighting at this time of year especially.

Day two began very early to avoid the crowds. We made our way along the Trail Ridge Road, covering about 45 miles of twisting, winding, and tight hairpin bends all the way to the mountain tops. It was like entering another world when we reached the tundra area where it is too cold for trees to survive. Only hardy plants can survive here in the thin soil, strong ultraviolet light, and a short 4-to-6-week growing season.  They hug the ground in dense mats.  Plaques on the pathways stressed the importance of staying on the trail because damage caused by stepping on the plant mats can take decades or sometimes centuries to recover.  

The surrounding scenery was breathtaking. The highest point along the road was at 12,183 feet. John Denver's song came to mind: It's Colorado rocky mountain high....

We were experiencing it for ourselves.

climbing our way above the tree line

at the top of the world where nothing much grows

breathless (me) over 11,000 feet

on top of the world in the early morning sunshine

At Milner Pass (elevation 10,758 ft), we crossed the Continental Divide. The Rocky Mountains are the backbone of North America. The Continental Divide which runs through them is part of a hemispheric divide, splitting watersheds from Alaska's Brooks Range through the Andes to the Straights of Magellan. Between Canada and Mexico, the Great Divide stretches approximately 3,100 miles, connecting the summits of 13,000 and 14,000-foot peaks. 

West of the Divide, water flows to the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of California. East of the Divide, all waters end up in the Gulf of Mexico, Hudson Bay or the Arctic Ocean. In Rocky Mountain National Park, the Divide follows the alpine tundra passing through forested land only twice. Within the park, the Divide is the point of origin for Cache La Poudre, St Vrain, and Colorado Rivers.

After 5 tight hairpin bends, we descended to the Kawuneeche Valley on the west side of the range. Compared to the east side of the range, this was more open and flat. After a quick stop at the Visitor Center, we returned to the picnic area at Harbison Meadows to have our breakfast. 

The Trail Ridge Road is one way in and one way out. We made our way back, the scenery still as riveting in reverse. 

Poudre Lake

Never Summer range

views into the valley, called parks after the French "parque"

climbing back up to 12,000 feet on our way back

Four and a half hours later, we were back home again. 

Our next attempt to return to Bear Lake was successful in the late afternoon. By then, the crowds had eased and we were able to find a spot in the parking lot. We walked the pretty .5-mile trail around the lake. 

Bear Lake (elevation 9,449 ft)

Then we continued along an even prettier 2-mile round trip trail to Alberta Falls. 

a pretty Aspen grove along the trail

Alberta Falls and blue jay on the tree branch

Close to the Sprague Lake turnoff we saw many cars parked along the side of the road, always a tell-tale sign of wildlife. And that is how we saw our first bull moose. He was quite oblivious to the crowds watching him.

Wildlife has kept us entertained through our entire stay, in many ways outshining the scenery itself. We have been entertained daily with elk viewings during this rutting season. They have been as close as in our RV Park, and one walked right past the Alpine one morning! Every morning and late afternoon, the elk created traffic jams as curious and excited visitors pulled over to take photos. One afternoon the traffic jam was so bad that the rangers were called in to help direct the never-ending stream of cars. Once again, I was reminded that when it comes to wildlife, more often than not the biggest challenge for the rangers is not animal but people management. After all, we are the guests in their natural homes. 

The elks' bugling kept us awake every night. At first it was rather exciting to hear their high-pitched almost pitiful calls. Eventually I wondered whether their ceaseless bugling ranked up there with my feelings about trains blaring their horns through the night.

a lucky stag with at least two dozen cows, right here at the entrance to our RV Park

this stag is herding his cows back to the other side of the road

bugling his way into the camp ground...  I watched with fascination as the
stag elegantly stepped over the fence

these two were at it, horns locked and at one point literally eye to eye

Tomorrow our national parks tour comes to an end as we continue on towards Albuquerque, New Mexico for the annual Balloon Fiesta that begins October 6th.  The next leg will take us through Pueblo, Colorado and Taos, New Mexico before we arrive in Albuquerque by October 3rd.

Elk Meadow RV Park with the Rocky Mountains surrounding us on all sides

Road to Rocky Mountain National Park

Our 200-plus-mile journey from Devils Tower to Glendo, Wyoming took us down Routes 585, 85, and 18, through picturesque scenery. 

Devils Tower still visible from miles away

We made our way across peaks, down valleys, and through open grassy rolling plains. It was interesting to see the topography in this region, and the effect of erosion that has partially revealed the rock in some areas. For the most part, we drove through open, rolling grassland. 

wide open spaces

distant buttes

This area of Wyoming may appear to be remote and uninhabited but it is in fact ranch land. Cattle of every color - black, brown, white and tan - can be seen munching the vast grassy expanse. Pronghorn deer seem to feel quite at home in the pastures with the cattle. Occasionally, we caught sight of horses as well.

cattle country with vast open space 

In the early afternoon we arrived at our RV Park in Glendo to spend the night (and take care of a very full laundry bag - we have been dry camping for more than a week). 
It was a particularly windy afternoon, blowing us about for the final miles to the RV Park. It was also a warm wind, with afternoon temperatures around 86F. 

Glendo Lakeside RV Park, with buttes in the background

The next morning, we were off again, traveling the next 200-plus miles to our destination in Estes Park, Colorado, a quaint town right at the east entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park. 
Interstate Route 25 took us through Cheyenne, in the southeast corner of Wyoming. We passed more vast open grassland devoted to ranches, primarily cattle. In the distance, we could see buttes and other rock formations.

We crossed into Colorado, passed Fort Collins and turned west on Route 34 through Loveland. We were heading straight for the Rocky Mountains that suddenly loomed ahead.

Rocky Mountain foothills ahead

The unexpected surprise was suddenly finding ourselves winding our way through the 25-mile Big Thompson Canyon along the Big Thompson River. 
The towering granite walls loomed above us as Alpine slowly turned and twisted along the gradual constant climb towards Estes Park, elevation 7,522 feet.

We arrived at Elk Meadow RV Park, checked in, set up, and went off to the Beaver Meadows Visitor Center which is literally around the corner from the RV Park. And just as we were approaching the Visitor Center, a well-endowed bull elk and his harem began crossing the road right in front of us. 
This is elk rutting season and there are several herds that frequent the park. Elk sightings are quite regular here.

Maps in hand, next we headed into the quaint and busy town of Estes Park in search of a grocery store. 
The weather as we arrived was quite windy with rain squalls galloping through. The next several days promise to be sunny and much warmer. We will be here for the next four days to tour and scout out the park attractions in these imposing and immense Rocky Mountains. 

Devils Tower National Monument

Along our travels, on occasion we happen upon a place that resonates particularly well with us. Devils Tower, America's first national monument created in 1906, is one of those places.

We stayed at the campground along the Belle Fourche River ($10/night). It was a great setting, the enormous tower visible from the camp sites. There are no amenities, not even a dump, but it's peaceful and pretty. We felt relaxed and at peace. Perhaps it's due to the karma that enfolds this sacred landmark and spot visited by the native Indians for thousands of years. 
It continues to be a sacred place even today, with annual gatherings and ceremonies held every June during the summer solstice. Over twenty American Indian tribes are associated with the Tower. Six of the nations, the Arapaho, Cheyenne, Crow, Kiowa, Lakota, and Shoshone, have lived in the area at some point in their history. American Indians use the Tower as a  place of worship.  Most of the ceremonies are private rituals for small groups or individuals, such as prayer, pipe ceremonies, and vision quests. 
The indigenous names for the Tower are as varied as the tribes connected with the place. Names such as Bear's Tipi, Grizzly Bear's Lodge, and Bear Lodge are common. 
So why Devils Tower? Col. Richard Dodge named it Devils Tower in 1875. He led the military expedition sent to confirm reports of gold in the Black Hills and to survey the area. In the book he wrote about his expedition, Dodge explained that the Indians called this shaft The Bad God's Tower, which he modified to Devils Tower.

The afternoon we arrived, we set up camp, then went off to the visitor center to learn more about the tower and what else there is to see.  We arrived in overcast weather with occasional rain, though the weather improved during our two-day stay and we enjoyed warm, sunny, blue-sky days.
We hiked all the marked trails over the course of our 2-day stay.  We started with the 1.5-mile Joyner Ridge Trail on the north side of the Tower which led into the Ponderosa Pine forest along a bluff, down into a ravine, and across a meadow.

views of the valley from the bluff along Joyner Ridge Trail

We then followed with the 1.3-mile paved Tower Trail around the base, and stopped at various spots to look up at about a dozen climbers making their way up the columns.  


In the late afternoon we walked the 1.5-mile trail around Prairie Dog Town, and watched lots of them pop up out of their burrows and squeal their warnings as we walked closer.  Originally, prairie dogs inhabited most of the central plains area of the US. Today, their habitat has been reduced to roughly 2% of their original expanse.

the soil is perfect to dig burrows

this little guy eyed me suspiciously while I took a photo

On the second day we did a 4-mile hike from the campground around the Red Beds Trail that traces a larger circuit around the Tower, past cliffs of red-colored sedimentary rock and through the Ponderosa Pine forest.

view of the valley with the Belle Fourche River

checking out the climbers

Devils Tower's summit is 867 feet above the base at the visitor center, 1,267 feet above the Belle Fourche River in the valley, and 5,112 feet above sea level.  
Its geologic origin began about 50 million years ago when molten magma was forced through the sedimentary layers overlying it. Whether the magma broke through the ground-level surface, at that time about 1.5 miles above the current level, thereby becoming a volcano, is disputed.  But the plug of magma cooled deep below the surface, and as it cooled, cracks formed into the familiar hexagonal columns.  Over millions of years the softer sedimentary layers above it were eroded away by wind and water, rather than glacial action as elsewhere, eventually exposing the Tower as it stands today.  Erosion continues, and over future eons more of the Tower will be exposed.

We were able to see different aspects to the tower as we walked around it. Some areas look smoother, and in others, the columns have crumbled and lie in enormous chunks piled at the base.
We were entertained watching the progress of several climbers scaling the vertical face of the tower. It can take 4 to 6 hours to reach the football-field-size top.  Later the same afternoon we saw the climbers walking at the top, then repelling down to the bottom. Records of Tower climbs have been kept since 1937. Some 5,000 climbers come every year from all over the world to climb the massive columns. And to entertain the onlookers on safe ground below! 

In the campground, there is an interesting sculpture that depicts the Sacred Circle of Smoke. 

Muto's sculpture

Created by Japanese artist Junkyu Muto in 2008, this sculpture is one of three sculptures created for his International Peace Project. According to Indian lore, this is the location where White Buffalo Calf Woman delivered the first sacred pipe to the Lakota. The Circle of Sacred Smoke represents a puff of smoke from a ceremonial pipe used by the Native American people.

Tomorrow we leave this sacred place to continue south to our final National Park destination on this tour, Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. Once again, we will divide the trip into two days' drive, with an overnight stop in Glendo, Wyoming.