Images of RMNP

09/02/2026

In late spring, summer, and early autumn, Rocky Mountain National Park is home to hummingbirds! Observed species in the area include the Broad-tailed Hummingbird, the Ruby-throated Hummingbird, the Rufus Hummingbird, and the Calliope Hummingbird. They often stop by the gallery flowerpots for a quick snack. It's always delightful to hear the hum of their wings, watch their speedy aerial acrobatics, and listen to the hummingbirds chitter at each other as they argue over who gets access to the tastiest flowers.

Can anyone identify what type of hummingbird this is?

08/30/2026

It's National Park Week! Join us in celebrating the National Park Service and their mission to preserve and protect wild spaces like Rocky Mountain National Park, to educate the public on the importance of doing so, and to provide recreational opportunities for visitors! This year, the theme for National Park Week is "Celebrate America's Story." Today's theme is Junior Ranger Day!

Today is all about the future generation of park rangers! Junior Ranger programs help connect young nature enthusiasts and their families to the nature, geology, history, and stories of the national park. Junior Rangers complete activity booklets, attend programs, and after doing so are awarded their Junior Park Ranger badges. The program is a wonderful way to get kids excited, although visitors of all ages can participate!

08/29/2026

It's National Park Week! Join us in celebrating the National Park Service and their mission to preserve and protect wild spaces like Rocky Mountain National Park, to educate the public on the importance of doing so, and to provide recreational opportunities for visitors! This year, the theme for National Park Week is "Celebrate America's Story." Today's theme is Staff Saturday!

Rocky Mountain National Park has a fantastic team of year-round employees, seasonal employees, and dedicated volunteers who keep the park running smoothly and safely. Below is a loose summary of the different ways rangers work in the park.

📋Administrative- these rangers help with planning long term projects, and handle budgets, staffing, supervision, and planning.

🗺 Interpretation- these rangers are most often found in visitor centers answering questions, recommending trails to hike and sights to see, and helping visitors with their planning. They also lead educational programs.

🚓Law Enforcement- these rangers enforce safety regulations, respond to emergencies, and help manage traffic around animal jams or accidents.

🔧Maintenance & Custodial- these rangers are responsible for the cleanliness and repairs of the park. They clean out the trash cans, stock and clean the restrooms- both the flush facilities at the visitor centers and the vault toilets around the park.

🍃Resource Management- these rangers are the scientists! They study the biology, archaeology, and geology of the park.

🥾Trails- these rangers plan for, design, build, and maintain over 350 miles of trail in the national park.

🏞️ Wilderness- these rangers patrol trails, manage backcountry campsites, and are often found deep in the wilderness monitoring the trails for visitor safety.

A big thank you to all NPS Rangers for the work you do!

08/28/2026

It's National Park Week! Join us in celebrating the National Park Service and their mission to preserve and protect wild spaces like Rocky Mountain National Park, to educate the public on the importance of doing so, and to provide recreational opportunities for visitors! This year, the theme for National Park Week is "Celebrate America's Story." Today's theme is Freedom Friday.

Freedom Friday is the perfect day to showcase the Grit Freedom Chair. It was donated by The Sam Schneider Legacy Foundation, and is just what it sounds like- a wheelchair with a bit of extra grit to help folks who use mobility aids access and enjoy nature! This all-terrain wheelchair can be reserved free of charge through the Estes Park Mountain Shop. Contact them at 970-586-6548 to reserve.

Image courtesy Rocky Mountain Conservancy

08/27/2026

It's National Park Week! Join us in celebrating the National Park Service and their mission to preserve and protect wild spaces like Rocky Mountain National Park, to educate the public on the importance of doing so, and to provide recreational opportunities for visitors! This year, the theme for National Park Week is "Celebrate America's Story." Today's theme is Thankful Thursday.

There's so much to be thankful for in Rocky Mountain National Park. I'm thankful for the relatively low light pollution in this area because the darkness that allows us to see the Milky Way, meteor showers, and the Northern Lights. Anyway, I've yapped enough in the National Park Week posts so far and have a lot more to say as the celebration continues over the next few days- so now it's your turn! What are you thankful for?

08/26/2026

It's National Park Week! Join us in celebrating the National Park Service and their mission to preserve and protect wild spaces like Rocky Mountain National Park, to educate the public on the importance of doing so, and to provide recreational opportunities for visitors! This year, the theme for National Park Week is "Celebrate America's Story." Today's theme is Watch Wildlife Wednesday!

Rocky Mountain National Park is home to an abundance of wildlife. Some mammals include elk, deer, bighorn sheep, mountain lions, black bears, yellow-bellied marmots, pikas, chipmunks, squirrels, rabbits, beavers, bats, and moose. Some birds include hawks, eagles, grouse, ptarmigans, jays, owls, ducks, hummingbirds, and turkeys. Rocky is also home to trout, salamanders, lizards, toads, and snakes! We're so lucky to be able to see the wildlife going about their natural lives within the borders of the national park's protection.

Remember to keep a safe distance between yourself and the wildlife. When observing wildlife, remember the Rule of Thumb- extend your arm and give the wildlife a thumbs up. If your thumb completely covers the animal, you are a safe distance away. If you can see the animal behind your thumb, you are too close! Back up and enjoy from a distance. This is also why you'll see photographers use those huge, long lenses for wildlife!

08/25/2026

It's National Park Week! Join us in celebrating the National Park Service and their mission to preserve and protect wild spaces like Rocky Mountain National Park, to educate the public on the importance of doing so, and to provide recreational opportunities for visitors! This year, the theme for National Park Week is "Celebrate America's Story." Today's theme is that it's the National Park Service's 110th Birthday! In celebration, it is also a fee-free day for U.S. citizens (timed entry reservations are still required).

Did you know that out of 63 national parks, 11 were established before the National Park Service existed? Rocky Mountain National Park is one of them! Below is a list of the national parks that were established before NPS existed and managed them-
1. Yellowstone (WY)- March 1, 1872
2. Sequoia (CA)- September 25, 1890
3. Yosemite (CA)- October 1, 1890
4. Mount Rainier (WA)- March 2, 1899
5. Crater Lake (OR)- May 22, 1902
6. Wind Cave (SD)- January 9, 1903
7. Mesa Verde (CO)- June 29, 1906
8. Glacier (MT)- May 11, 1910
9. 💚💙Rocky Mountain (CO)💙💚- January 26, 1915
10. Hawai'i Volcanoes (HI)- August 1, 1916
11. Lassen Volcanic (CA)- August 9, 1916

NPS manages not just the parks, but national monuments and historic sites too- over 400 in total! What are some of your favorite NPS-managed sites to visit?

08/24/2026

It's National Park Week! Join us in celebrating the National Park Service and their mission to preserve and protect wild spaces like Rocky Mountain National Park, to educate the public on the importance of doing so, and to provide recreational opportunities for visitors! This year, the theme for National Park Week is "Celebrate America's Story." Today's theme is America in Motion Monday.

It doesn't matter if you're fast or slow, as long as you go! Rocky Mountain National Park is home to over 350 miles of trails enjoyed yearly by millions of hikers, campers and runners; dozens and dozens of rock-climbing routes for those looking to get off the beaten paths; and several miles of both dirt and paved roads for those wanting to explore the park through the comfort of their vehicles. In the winter, visitors can explore the park on snowshoes and skis. Several stables in the area offer guided horse-back riding trips; several tour companies will drive you in open-top jeeps and give you all sorts of great information on the park; and there is no shortage of companies with expert guides more than happy to head into the mountains with you. In this image, hikers carefully navigate The Ledges portion of their Longs Peak ascent.

What is your favorite way to get in motion in the national park?

08/23/2026

It's National Park Week! Join us in celebrating the National Park Service and their mission to preserve and protect wild spaces like Rocky Mountain National Park, to educate the public on the importance of doing so, and to provide recreational opportunities for visitors! This year, the theme for National Park Week is "Celebrate America's Story." Today's theme is Safety Sunday.

"Safety" means many things in the park. It can mean taking responsibility for yourself and your party members when you hike, rock climb, and camp in nature by educating yourself on where you are going and what equipment to bring. It can mean checking the weather and deciding to stay home if you think the weather may put you in danger. It can mean acknowledging the hard-working employees of NPS whose priority is your safety- the law enforcement park rangers who make sure folks drive the speed limit and respond to crimes and accidents; the search-and-rescue teams who work tirelessly in difficult terrains to rescue injured and lost hikers; the trail maintenance team who keep the trails in good condition so you don't fall and twist an ankle on the trail; the road maintenance team who patches potholes, re-grades dirt roads like Old Fall River Road, Wild Basin Road, and Upper Beaver Meadows Road and clears snow in the wintertime and off of Trail Ridge Road in the spring. (Whew- that was a long sentence!) In this May 2023 photo, a team from NPS (and Erik!) braved the freezing and foggy conditions to clear snow from the Alpine Visitor Center ahead of its summer opening.

What does safety in Rocky Mountain National Park look like to you?

08/22/2026

I'm sure you've heard of Fat Bear Week- get ready for Fat Marmot Week!

Over the past decade, Fat Bear Week has been a viral sensation ー a bracket-style competition in which people vote for the burliest of bears photographed at Katmai National Park and Preserve in Alaska.

Now it's time for Colorado's own Fat Marmot Week.