#otd in 1915, Rocky Mountain National Park was established. Protecting the Front Range of the Rockie
#otd in 1915, Rocky Mountain National Park was established. Protecting the Front Range of the Rockies, this National Park is known for Trail Ridge Road, the highest paved thoroughfare in the National Park Service. Four distinct regions and ecosystems can be found along the road: The Montane, Subalpine, Alpine Tundra, and Riparian. The Continental Divide also defines the land and runs along several “thirteener” peaks- mountains reaching 13,000 or more feet.Enos Mills is seen as one of the key figures behind the preservation of this iconic landscape and came to love the land after an inspirational meeting with John Muir. Mills lived by Lily Lake and often extolled upon the wilderness with those that came to visit the region. After Muir’s death in 1915, congress authorized the creation of Rocky Mountain in honor of him and under Mills incessant lobbying.Today, Rocky is the third most visited National Park in the system thanks to its proximity to Denver. For me, seeing Rocky in the middle of winter was a surreal dream come to fruition. Rocky brought me my first real snowfall. My first real experience with biting and beautiful cold. Rocky also brought me the experience of seeing a park under shutdown conditions. Most of the roads were closed. With that in mind, my time in Rocky feels unfinished. There’s still more to see. I can’t wait to complete my journey to this amazing place. (at Rocky Mountain National Park)https://www.instagram.com/p/BtGx0sVHqRS/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=t34d2za86e8o -- source link