Welcome to Rocky Mountain National Park!

Park History

Rocky Mountain National Park's history is a story of human presence, conservation efforts, and eventual establishment as a national park. The area, now part of the park, has been inhabited by Paleo-Indians and later Ute and Arapaho peoples, who hunted and foraged in the region. In the 19th century, explorers, miners, and settlers arrived, eventually leading to a movement to protect the unique natural beauty.

Key Events and Figures:
Paleo-Indian and Native American Presence:

For thousands of years, the area was home to Clovis Paleoindian hunters and later Ute and Arapaho tribes, who used the land for hunting and foraging.

19th-Century Explorers and Settlers:
Explorers like the Long Expedition (1820), fur trappers, and miners arrived in the 19th century, drawn by the area's natural resources.

Mining Boom and Decline:
Lulu City, Dutchtown, and Gaskill were established in the 1870s during a gold and silver mining boom, but the boom ended by 1883, and prospectors left the area.

Advocacy for Protection:
Individuals like Enos Mills, James Grafton Rogers, and J. Horace McFarland played a crucial role in advocating for the creation of a national park to protect the natural beauty of the region.

Park Establishment:
In 1915, President Woodrow Wilson signed the Rocky Mountain National Park Act, formally establishing the park.

Early Development:

The park saw the development of roads, trails, and lodges in the 1920s, with the construction of Trail Ridge Road being a major project.