100 Years of the Rocky Mountains National Park

From September 4, 2014, through September 4, 2015, Rocky Mountain National Park, along with local and national communities, will be celebrating the park's 100th Anniversary.

Guest speakers, special events and community activities have been organised to commemorate the Centennial.

Events in 2015:

Centennial Ranger Programs

Join up with the free talks and walks with park rangers throughout each week, the talks are all suited to the season you are visiting, including topics on birds, bears, arts, road-building, antlers, waterfalls, historic sites and much more. There's also a regular Saturday-evening program exploring the “wilderness, wildlife and wonder of the park.” More information can be found here:

nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/ranger_led_activities.htm

Celebrate our Centennial with the Colorado Mountain Club

The Colorado Mountain Club was instrumental in the formation of Rocky Mountain National Park 100 years ago. Original members participated in a 1914 pack trip organised to give Arapaho names to area peaks and features in an effort to help persuade Congress to establish Rocky Mountain National Park. James Grafton Rodgers, who began lobbying for designation as a national park in 1907, became the first president of the Colorado Mountain Club in 1912. Find out more:

cmc.org/About/YearoftheMountaineer/RMNPCentennial.aspx

Get out and about and take part in the climbs, hikes, and snowshoe walks of 100 of the 125 named peaks in the National Park, or for the plant lovers why not join the Wildflower Hikes let by Colorado Native Plant Masters, an insightful experience for you to learn about the flora and fauna of the Rocky Mountains.

Estes Park Events

The village of Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park are celebrating all year long with special events including commemorative ceremonies, wildlife celebrations, beer & wine festivals, holiday events and cultural festivals. For a full list of the special events see here:

visitestespark.com/events-calendar/special-events/

Beyond the Park

It's not just in the Rocky Mountains where celebrations are occurring well beyond the park's borders, other Colorado organisations are also getting involved. Notably an RMNP Centennial Exhibit at the History Colorado Centre in Denver, art and historical exhibits relating to the park at the Loveland Museum, and a Historic Arts Show RMNP photography exhibit in Hot Sulphur Springs.

For more information, visit historycoloradocenter.org, cityofloveland.org and grandcountyhistory.org/museums/pioneer-village-museum/