Rocky Mountain National Park, a mountain playground in northern Colorado, is one of the most magnificent sections of the Rocky Mountains. The federal government made it a national park in 1915. Some of the highest and most rugged mountain country in the United States is in the park. It has more than 60 peaks over 12,000 feet (3,660 meters) high. The highest, Longs Peak, rises 14,255 feet (4,345 meters). Rocky Mountain National Park has two main entrances, Estes Park on the east, and Grand Lake on the west. For the park’s area, see National Park System (table: National parks) .
Naturalist Enos Mills has been called “the father of Rocky Mountain National Park.” It was through his efforts that the park was established. He built his log cabin in a valley that looked up to Longs Peak.
About 150 lakes lie within Rocky Mountain National Park. They reflect the snowy mountain peaks in summer, and become blocks of ice in winter. The park is noted for its wildlife, including Rocky Mountain sheep (bighorn), elk, deer, and coyotes. More than 280 varieties of birds and over 1,000 species of flowering plants have been seen in the park.
Rocky Mountain National Park once was a home for the Ute and Arapaho Indians. The area of the park was also a rich source of furs for trappers.
