Rocky Mtn Natl Park
Gross Area Acres - 265,769
Total Recreation Visits FY 2001 - 3,213,029
BUDGET
FY 2003 Annual Budget is $10,093,000 *
FY 2002 Annual Budget is $10,093,000
FY 2001 Annual Budget is $9,647,000
FY 2000 Annual Budget is $9,167,000
* The park's appropriated operating budget for fiscal year 2003, under
the current Continuing Resolution, authorized by Congress to keep the
federal government operating at fiscal year 2002 funding levels until a
budget is passed. Additional information about the park's budget will
be provided as soon as possible.
Established by Congress on January 26, 1915, the park exhibits the
massive grandeur of the Rocky Mountains. Trail Ridge Road crosses the
Continental Divide and looks out over dozens of peaks that tower more
than 13,000 feet high. Longs Peak, the highest peak in the park, is
14,259' in elevation. The high point on Trail Ridge Road is 12,183'.
The road is closed from late fall, to the Memorial Day weekend. Because
of the high elevation of the park (8,000' to over 14,000') visitors
need to take time to acclimatize. People with various medical problems
should check with their physician before coming to the park. Elk, mule
deer, big horn sheep, moose, coyotes and a great variety of smaller
animals call the 416 square miles (265,769 acres)of the National Park
home. During the winter months snowshoeing and cross country skiing are
very popular. Hiking is available on 355 miles of trails. Many trails
can be hiked any time of the year. June and July are the best months
for seeing the wild flowers. Weather conditions determine when and
where flowers bloom; call 970-586-1206 for up to date information. In
the fall, viewing the elk rut (mating season) is a wonderful
opportunity to see and learn about these magnificent large animals.
Almost 90% of the park is managed as wilderness, making it a great
place to enjoy solitude and the natural beauty of the Rocky Mountains.
History and Culture
Rocky Mountain National Park has great natural resources, but did you
know that it has great cultural resources, too? Cultural resources
include historic structures (such as roads and bridges), cultural
landscapes, archaeological sites, museum artifacts, and historic
buildings.
Holzwarth-Never Summer Ranch, in the Kawuneeche Valley, is open to the
public during the summer season. Visit this former trout lodge and
guest ranch during your visit to the park.
Historic Buildings
There are more than 100 historic buildings in Rocky Mountain National
Park, a fraction of the buildings once found within park boundaries.
For much of the twentieth century, the National Park Service considered
Rocky Mountain a natural park, and therefore management decisions aimed
to return the landscape to pre-human conditions. Though some buildings
were protected, not until 1988 was the "natural" designation lifted and
a new mandate towards historic preservation embraced. Since then,
numerous park buildings have been restored or rehabilitated. The Beaver
Meadows Visitor Center received the highest designation possible for
historic sites in the nation; it became a National Historic Landmark in
January 2001. In September 2001, Rocky Mountain National Park completed
its Historic Building Treatment Plan, which assessed the physical
condition and historic integrity of each historic building and
prioritized them according to condition, use, available funding, and
estimated cost.