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Beatrice Willard

Dr. Beatrice Willard (1925–2003) was an internationally recognized tundra ecologist who made significant contributions to environmental policy in Colorado and the nation. Her research in the Colorado mountains established her as a well-known ecologist,…

Beatrice Willard Alpine Tundra Research Plots

The Beatrice Willard Alpine Tundra Research Plots were established in 1959 by Beatrice Willard at two high-altitude locations along Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP). Willard’s studies at the plots and elsewhere in the park were…

Elk Culling

Culling is a wildlife management practice involving the lethal reduction of a species. It has historically been used as a means to control ungulate (hoofed animal) populations in Colorado and throughout the United States. As recently as 2009, it has been…

Enos Mills

As a boy and as a man, Enos Mills (1870–1922) lived a remarkable life. His bond with nature and wildlife inspired him to overcome personal hardship and become a successful speaker, author, naturalist, businessman, and driving force behind the creation of…

Grand County

Established in 1874, Grand County lies in the north central Rocky Mountains some sixty-seven miles west of Denver. It is named for the Grand River, an early name for the Colorado River. Encompassing 1,868 square miles, Grand County is bordered to the…

Longs Peak

Longs Peak is an icon of the Rocky Mountain landscape. At 14,259 feet, it is one of Colorado’s tallest mountains, the only Fourteener in Rocky Mountain National Park. For more than a century, the mountain has inspired adventuresome men and women to test…

Rocky Mountain National Park

Established on January 26, 1915, Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) has for more than a century been one of the country’s most visited national parks. Mountain vistas and wilderness solitude draw millions of people every year. The park lies between…

Rocky Mountain National Park Administration Building

The Rocky Mountain National Park Administration Building, also known as the Beaver Meadows Visitor Center, is one of the most historically and architecturally significant National Park Service buildings in the country. It was listed as a National…

Stanley Hotel

Designed and funded by Freelan Oscar Stanley, the Stanley Hotel opened in 1909 in Estes Park. The first-class resort helped make Estes Park into a tourist destination, especially after the establishment of Rocky Mountain National Park in 1915. In the…

Trail Ridge Road

Trail Ridge Road snakes roughly fifty miles across Rocky Mountain National Park, from Estes Park to Grand Lake. Planned and built from about 1929 to 1938, the road provided a safer route across the Continental Divide for the park’s growing number of…