Greetings from Rocky Mountain National Park

My experience with the National Parks spans nearly 70 years, from family vacations in the 1940’s and 50’s—starting with Mammoth Cave and eventually ranging through Rocky to Yellowstone to Mesa Verde. Later, as a biologist, I’ve done research in Canyonlands, Arches, Dinosaur, Devils Tower, and especially Rocky where I’ve led numerous workshops and fieldtrips over several decades. I think the research commitment has been payback (or pay-forward) for those early childhood experiences.

Sincerely,
Dave

Rocky Mountain National Park

This dramatic landscape of towering mountains and alpine lakes encompasses more than 265,000 acres - 95% of which are designated wilderness. With this intentional focus on protecting this unique landscape, there are few developed infrastructure areas in the park, which leads to traffic problems in areas including the Bear Lake Road Corridor and right off Trail Ridge Road. Alpine tundra also encompasses approximately 1/3 of the park. Alpine tundra is a fundamental and fragile resource, which requires park managers to give this ecosystem increased attention for protection.

State(s): Colorado

Established: 1915

National parks represent the best of America. Why do you care about protecting and preserving them? Tell us why parks matter to you!

{{ active ? "Cancel" : "Begin"}}

Success! Thanks for sharing your story with us.

You’ll be notified by email when your story is approved and added to the collection on the My Park Story homepage.

In the meantime, you can share your own story page with your family and friends — and help us spread the word about these priceless memories and priceless places!

Here’s your unique story page link:

{{ storyUrl }}

* indicates Required fields

Click to choose a file to upload

Submitting your story means that you agree to our Terms of Service

More Stories

  • Greetings from Rocky Mountain National Park

    "8 Facts About the Rocky Mountains The Guidebook Won't Tell You." The title caught my eye as I scrolled through the article online. "The Park is a wildlife paradise," it proclaimed, painting a picture of a world where nature reigned supreme, untamed and thriving. Eager to experience this wild haven,…

  • Greetings from Rocky Mountain National Park

    Quick story, ‘88 seasonal support at RMNP. Met (worked with) my wife of now 33 years. Tremendous memories of Estes Park, Trail Ridge Store, and my love.

  • Greetings from Rocky Mountain National Park

    My solo trip to RMNP in the fall of 1969 was an experience that lead me to write a bookend have it published by Koehler Books about how wilderness essentially saved my after me experience in the marine Corps in Vietnam. I saw my first ever Elk on Timber Creek…

Donate

Preserve Our Parks

Make a tax-deductible gift today to provide a brighter future for our national parks and the millions of Americans who enjoy them.

Donate Now