Rocky Mountain National Park

 

Keyhole Longs Peak

Alberta Falls

Rocky Mountain National Park is more than 415 square miles and 114 named peaks over 10,000 feet. One of the more popular hiking trails is Keyhole Route on Longs' Peak. At 14,255, Longs' Peak is the highest peak in the Rocky Mountains National Park and the fifteenth tallest in Colorado

The park contains three distinct ecosystems which correspond to elevations: the montane, which is 7,000 to 9,000 feet above sea level; the subalpine ecosystem which is 9,000 to 11,500 feet and spans the tree line; and the alpine tundra, at the top, which is over 11,500 feet.

Birds and animals add color and interest to the landscape. The park contains 65 species of mammals, 260 species of birds, and 900 species of plants. Black bears, mountains lions, and bobcats live in the park, but seldom are seen. Moose and mule deer are more visible. In autumn, herds of American elk roam the park and freequently are visible, even at the lower elevations.

Rocky Mountain Elk

The park is open 24 hours a day year round.

Park Service Information Office:
Rocky Mountain National Park
1000 Highway 36
Estes Park, CO 80517-8397

E-mail: Rocky Mountain National Park