Today we left early for Estes Park and the east entrance to the Rocky Mountain National Park. Just had to snap this picture going down into Estes Park. It is a lovely, though touristy, town at the base of the Rocky Mountains.
Trail Ridge Road to Grand Lake is only open in the summer. It is the highest paved byway in North America. Rocky Mountain National Park is located in the north central region of Colorado. This road reaches an elevation of 12,183 feet and is closed by snow in the winter.
The park features a variety of climates and environments from wooded forests to mountain tundra. This is a picture of the Horseshoe Park area. The park contains 265,770 acres.
It was so sad to see the destruction that the Pine Beetle is doing in the park. There is no effective means of controlling a large beetle outbreak in such a vast area as the park's backcountry. You can see some of the infested trees in this picture. The destruction is much worse on the western side of the park with entire mountain sides covered with dead trees.
That's Longs Peak in the background, one of the many 14ers in the Park. Longs Peak is 14,259 feet high. The surrounding peaks are "only" 13ers.
After climbing to around 12,000 feet we entered the Tundra area. Tundra means land of no trees.
While it was quite chilly up here, there were still many small mountain flowers blooming.
Split by the Continental Divide, it gives the eastern and western portions a different character.
After a stop in the town of Grand Lake, complete with wooden sidewalks, we snapped this picture of Grand Lake with the Rockies in the background. Grand Lake (town) is a quaint tourist town, much different from the more upscale Estes Park at the other end of the Trail Ridge Road.
"I see skies of blue and clouds of white
Trail Ridge Road to Grand Lake is only open in the summer. It is the highest paved byway in North America. Rocky Mountain National Park is located in the north central region of Colorado. This road reaches an elevation of 12,183 feet and is closed by snow in the winter.
The park features a variety of climates and environments from wooded forests to mountain tundra. This is a picture of the Horseshoe Park area. The park contains 265,770 acres.
It was so sad to see the destruction that the Pine Beetle is doing in the park. There is no effective means of controlling a large beetle outbreak in such a vast area as the park's backcountry. You can see some of the infested trees in this picture. The destruction is much worse on the western side of the park with entire mountain sides covered with dead trees.
That's Longs Peak in the background, one of the many 14ers in the Park. Longs Peak is 14,259 feet high. The surrounding peaks are "only" 13ers.
After climbing to around 12,000 feet we entered the Tundra area. Tundra means land of no trees.
While it was quite chilly up here, there were still many small mountain flowers blooming.
We found this herd of elk in the Tundra area. I guess they find enough to eat as they are resting and seem contented. What beautiful creatures they are!
Split by the Continental Divide, it gives the eastern and western portions a different character.
The eastern side of the park tends to be drier with heavily glaciated peaks.
Here's a view of the glacial landscape.
Here's a view of the glacial landscape.
Here I am sitting in front of the "Never Summer Mountains" located on the west side of the park. The mountains themselves, the result of volcanic activity, are very craggy and more often than not, covered in deep snow. This area saw the most extensive mining activity and trails lead past old mines and ghost towns.
After a stop in the town of Grand Lake, complete with wooden sidewalks, we snapped this picture of Grand Lake with the Rockies in the background. Grand Lake (town) is a quaint tourist town, much different from the more upscale Estes Park at the other end of the Trail Ridge Road.
"I see skies of blue and clouds of white
The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night
And I say to myself, what a wonderful world."
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