|
|
You don't have to go to ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK to
appreciate the full splendor of the Rockies; it is simply one small
section of the mighty range, measuring roughly twenty-fie by
fifteen miles. A tenth of the size of Yellowstone, it attracts the
same number of visitors - around three-and-a-half million per year -
and with the bulk of those coming in high summer, the one main road
through the mountains can get incredibly congested. However, it is
undeniably beautiful, straddling the Continental Divide at
elevations often well in excess of ten thousand feet. A full third
of the park is above the tree line, and large areas of snow never
melt; the name of the Never Summer Mountains speaks volumes
about the long, empty expanses of arctic-style tundra. Lower down,
among the rich forests, are patches of lush greenery; you never know
when you may stumble upon a sheltered mountain meadow flecked with
flowers. Parallels with the European Alps spring readily to mind -
helped, of course, by the heavy-handed Swiss and Bavarian themes of
the region's motels and restaurants.
This
is not an area that humans have ever made their home, though it lies
on the route of old Indian trails, and the Ute would come here to
hunt in summer. Early white mining ventures came to nothing, and the
region was dedicated as a national park in 1915. The original
proposal was for it to be much bigger, extending from Wyoming to
Pikes Peak; the existing boundaries were drawn up as a compromise,
after long negotiations with Colorado's powerful logging and mining
interests
Approaching the Park
Approaching the park from the east, you barely penetrate the
foothills of the Rockies before you arrive at the gateway town of
ESTES PARK, 65 miles northwest of Denver and 90 miles southwest
of Cheyenne. At the end of the nineteenth century, Estes Park was
the private hunting preserve of the Irish Earl of Dunraen; once he
was squeezed out, the town took on the more democratic function it
still serves, of providing visitors with food, lodging and other
services. In itself, it's not an attractive place, but its presence
does at least ensure that all the necessary evils of mass tourism
are confined into one neat alley. The park headquarters and
main visitor center (daily: June-Aug 8am-9pm; Sept-May
8am-5pm,
information phone 970/586-1206; weather phone 970/586-1333) is a couple
of miles north, on US-36.
|
To
reach the western entrance, 85 miles from Denver, turn north
off I-70 onto US-40, a small detour beyond the junction takes you to
the former mining community of GEORGETOWN, one of the best
preserved Victorian mining towns in Colorado. The town is however
most known as the starting point of the Georgetown Loop Railroad, 1106 Rose St (summer daily every 80min 10am-3.20pm; phone
303/569-2403 or 1-800/691-4386). On the line, 1920s steam trains run
a tortuous six-mile round-trip to Siler Plume, on a route that
loops in big arcs - added to enable the engines to overcome the six
percent climb - and includes a trip across a precarious trestle
above Clear Creek.
Back
on US-40. the highway negotiates Berthoud Pass en route to
GRAND LAKE, a more low-key version of Estes Park. This unlikely
yachting center, high in the mountains, consists of one main
boardwalk-lined street beside the lake, lined with family
amusements, lodgings and restaurants. The Kawuneeche visitor
Center of Rocky Mountain National Park is a mile north of town
(daily: May-Sept 8am-6pm, Oct-April 8am-5pm;phone 970/627-3471).
Colorado
guide, hotels
|
Colorado
guide, hotels
Colorado
Getting
around
Denver
The
City
Arrival
& info
Transportation
Eating
Nightlife & entertainment
Northern Colorado
Explore Northern
Colorado
Aspen
Town
and mountains
Arrival,
info
Cafés
and restaurants
Nightlife, entertainment
Boulder
Practicalities
Glenwood Springs
Practicalities
Grand
Junction
Practicalities
Colorado
Nat'l Monument
Grand
Mesa
Leadville
Skiing, mountain
biking
Practicalities
Rocky Mountain National Park
Exploring Rocky Mountain
Steamboat Springs
Practicalities
Summit County
Arrival
and information
Skiing, outdoor activities
Eating
Bars, pubs
Vail
Practicalities
Winter Park
Practicalities, nightlife
|
|