By Rebecca Schlofner
The History of the Rocky Mountain National Park
Glaciers formed much of what would become Rocky Mountain National Park. Prehistoric man roamed the region, while archaeological evidence shows mammoths did as well. The Ute were previous homesteaders, although not year round and remained there until the late 18th century. The Arapahoe also frequented the area. The U.S. Government, through the Louisiana Purchase of 1803, acquired the land that would become the Park. Expeditions would travel through and trappers would work here. The Pikes Peak Gold Rush brought many new settlers to the area in the 19th century.
The Ancients
Ute Trail (NPS, Public Domain)
The Clovis Paleo-Indian hunters came to the Park as the glaciers receded in 10,000 BC, The Uto-Aztecan peoples followed in 6000 BC to 150 AD. The Ute, Apache, and Arapaho are descendants living in the region until the 19th century.
Expeditions
Longs Peak, Rocky Mountain National Park (NPS, Public Domain)
The 19th century brought Zebulon Pike to the southern part of Colorado. The Stephen A. Long Expedition travels the plains and is the first non-native to see Longs Peak. Kit Carson and fur trappers come up the Colorado River and Rufus B. Sage explores the eastern end of the park.
Adventures
A group including John Wesley Powell in 1868 performs the first ascent of Longs Peak. Game drives continue, starting as far back as 6000 years ago.
Settlers
Flattop Mountain Trail in the winter (Public Domain)
Joel Estes starts a ranch in 1858 that will become Estes Park and Philip Crawshaw settles at Grand Lake. Windham Thomas Wyndham-Quin, the Fourth Earl of Dunraven in 1872, built Estes Park Hotel. Most homesteads were in the more fertile lower valley. F. O. Stanley, inventor of the Stanley Steamer, opened Stanley Hotel in the early 20th century.
Roads and Trails
Bear Lake, Rocky Mountain National Park (Public Domain)
Fall River Road was the first constructed from 1913 to 1920. Trail Ridge Road was completed in 1932 and was safer. Country and private roads included those to Bear Lake, Moraine Park and Wild Basin. It can take over a month to clear Trail Ridge of snow from the winter.
Becoming a State Park
Lawn Lake, Ypsilong and Chiquita Mountains, Rocky Mountain National Park (NPS, Public Domain)
Enos Mills and Horace McFarland of the American Civic Association took a survey of the land in 1913 and began rallying for a National Park. President Woodrow Wilson signed the bill in 1915, with the Never Summer Range being added in 1929. After WW II Mission 66 added comfort stations, overlooks, housing and campgrounds to the area.
Resources
About the Author:
Rebecca Schlofner has been writing and editing for over three decades and was educated at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona. Published worldwide on the Internet through articles and blogs, you may find more work at helium.com. An English and Design major, Schlofner offers poetry, blogs, articles, and short stories for her audience. Being well-versed and accurate, she has won high acclaim.
Photo Credits:
Never Summer Mountains (NPS, Public Domain)
