For day three of our National Parks Week celebration, we’re giving a special salute to Rocky Mountain National Park!
[nzs_heading heading=”5″] Enos Mills and Estes Park [/nzs_heading]
Enos Mills moved to Estes Park in 1884 when he was 14 years old. He explored the mountains of the area and wrote many books and articles describing the region. He later supported the creation of Rocky Mountain National Park, and he split his time between the mountains he loved and the cities of the eastern United States, where he lobbied for the legislation to create the park. The bill to establish the Rocky Mountain National Park Congress was signed by President Woodrow Wilson on January 26, 1915.
[nzs_heading heading=”5″] The Rocky Mountain Half Marathon [/nzs_heading]
We’re so excited about the inaugural Yellowstone Half Marathon this August! If you haven’t yet, be sure to check out our promo video which highlights some of the beautiful scenery you see in the Rockies. You can register here if you’re so inclined.
[nzs_heading heading=”5″] The Stanley Hotel [/nzs_heading]
A while back, we did a major blog post on the history of the Stanley Hotel, which is a famous Estes Park Landmark. In 1903, Freelan Oscar Stanley (of Stanley Steamer) suffered from tuberculosis and moved out West at his doctor’s suggestion. He and his wife stayed the summer in a cabin in Estes Park and they immediately fell in love with the area (naturally). Stanley’s health also dramatically improved (thanks to Colorado mountain air). So, Stanley did what anybody would do, he built a 140-room neo-georgian hotel! He designed it himself, too. In 1909 the hotel was built. It cost Stanley a half-million dollars, which he paid cash for. The hotel was very popular and attracted all kinds of famous people. In fact, during a two-month period in 1911, over 2,500 guests visited the hotel, including J.C. Penney, John Phillip Sousa, Harvey Firestone, etc.
To this day it attracts tourists, as well as writers and film makers. The Stanley Hotel was the inspiration for Stephen King’s “The Shining,” and it was a primary location for the movie “Dumb and Dumber.”
[nzs_heading heading=”5″] The sights of the Rocky Mountains [/nzs_heading]
If you need some good hike recommendations, look no further! Two of our absolute favorite hikes in the Rocky Mountains are Hallett Peak and Chasm Lake.
Hallett Peak
Hallett Peak just so happens to sit right on the Continental Divide. This is one the most classic hikes in the entire park, but it’s super challenging. This is a very challenging hike. It’s long and you gain a lot of elevation. But if you know how to keep putting one foot in front of the other all day, you can totally do it and you will be rewarded with some breath-taking views of the mountains.
Chasm Lake
Chasm Lake is a beautiful crater lake along the Longs Peak trail. The hike is 8.4 miles roundtrip with a total elevation gain of 2,450 feet.