Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Moraine Park Museum
MUSEUM
( 970-586-1206; Bear Lake Rd; 9am-4:30pm Jun-Oct)
Built by the Civilian Conservation Corps
in 1923 and once the park's proud visitors' lodge, this building has been renovated in re-
cent years to host exhibits on geology, glaciers and wildlife.
Holzwarth Historic Site
OFFLINE MAP
HISTORIC SITE
(Never Summer Ranch;
park headquarters 970-586-1206; Trail Ridge Rd/US 34;
10am-4pm Jun-Oct;
)
When Prohibition was enacted in 1916, John Holzwarth Sr, a Denver saloonkeeper, star-
ted a new life as a subsistence rancher. This site houses several buildings kept in their ori-
ginal condition, and hosts historical reenactments and ranger-led programs. The
Heritage
Days
celebration happens in late July.
The site lies at the end of a graded half-mile path, easily accessible with strollers.
SAFETY
If you're in easily accessible areas during high season, the biggest annoyance in Rocky Mountain National Park
will likely be the other visitors. Roads clog with RVs, garbage fills every can to the brim and screaming children
seem to multiply endlessly. Brace yourself, camper: it can be annoying. But it might be more than fellow travelers
giving you a headache: it could be the altitude. High elevation can play all kinds of nasty tricks here, from relat-
ively mild problems such as a pounding head and winded breathing to fairly serious symptoms of nausea, dehyd-
ration and fatigue. Stay hydrated, protect yourself from the sun, and if symptoms get really bad, head down to a
lower elevation.
If you intend to get off the heavily beaten trail, take precautions in the spring and summer to avoid bites from
wood ticks, which can transmit Colorado tick fever. Also be mindful of your food, which can attract wildlife. The
park is home to black bears and mountain lions. Although neither poses a serious threat to visitors, you'll need to
store your food in a bear box.
Weather
Weather in the park, as in all mountainous areas, is highly variable. Summer days often reach 70°F to 80°F (21°C
to 27°C), yet a sudden shift in the weather can bring snow to the peaks in July. Nevertheless, the climate follows
broadly predictable patterns based on season, elevation, exposure and location east or west of the Continental
Divide. Strong winds are common above the treeline. July thundershowers typically dump 2in of rain on the park,
while January is the driest month. Bear Lake (9400ft) normally has a January snow base of 25in. The Continental
Divide causes a pronounced rain-shadow effect: Grand Lake (west of the Divide) annually averages 20in of mois-
ture, while Estes Park receives only about 13in.
Activities
