ingly bad. Very few visitors enter the park at this point except with saddle horse. This road could be repaired within the park at small expense, but unless the road outside the park were put in proper condition there would be no object in expending any money on the road within the park at this point. Most of the traffic over this road is by local residents removing firewood which is obtained in the vicinity of the Mill Creek Ranger Cabin and known as the "Pole Patch." Beaver Creek Road. There is a roadway which starts from the High Drive" in Horseshoe Park, outside the National Park, and crosses the National Park boundary line in sec. 19, T. 5 N., R. 74 W. and extends for a distance of approximately 1 miles. This roadway was built to remove timber some time in 1910 and is in fair condition, but would require considerable expense to put in proper shape for automobiles. Grand Lake County Road.-A roadway extending approximately 13 miles within the park boundary, which is a part of the Grand Lake-Fall River Road, has just been completed under the supervision of the county commissioners of Grand County. The expense of the construction of this road was defrayed with State and county funds. The road runs through timber where a 40-foot right of way was cut. It is designated a 16-foot roadway but is considerably wider in numerous places. The grade is less than 1 per cent. It will eventually connect with the Fall River Road which is now under construction. The roadway at the present time ends in sec. 24, T. 4 N., R. 76 W. The work was performed by day labor. Corrugated iron culverts were used in the construction. There is considerable timber along the right of way which should be disposed of in the same manner as was done with the timber on the Fall River Road. TRAILS. Most of the interesting parts of the national park can be reached by trail only, which are in fairly good condition, and if the spring opens sufficiently early in 1916 they can be put in good condition for use of tourists during the summer season. There are approximately 128.5 miles of trails in the Rocky Mountain National Park, as follows: Grand Lake Trail (via Flat Top Mountain). The principal and most widely known trail within the national park is the one leading from Estes Park to Grand Lake. This trail enters the national park 6 miles from Estes Park and crosses the western park boundary one-fourth mile from Grand Lake, 18 miles within the national park. This trail has been cleared of all timber, and with some repair work done above timberline will be considered a good trail. Grand Lake Trail (via Milner Pass).-This trail leaves the Fall River Road 12 miles from Estes Park, and crosses the western park boundary 12 miles north of Grand Lake, where it joins the county road. Length of trail 11 miles. Bierstadt Lake Trail.-Leaves Flat Top Trail near Mill Creek Ranger Station, follows old sawmill road full distance. Some of trail is in bad shape and in need of repair. Distance from ranger cabin to lake 1 mile. Bierstadt Lake Trail (from Glacier Creek).-From Glacier Creek to Bierstadt Lake, starting at the junction of Storm Pass Trail. Distance 1 miles. Built by the Forest Service in 1914. Trail in good condition. Bear Lake Trail.-Joins the Flat Top Trail 1 miles from Bear Lake. Trail in fair condition. Bear Lake Trail.-From "Miners Cabin " to Bear Lake. Distance 1 mile. Trail in good condition. Loch Vale Trail.-From "Miners Cabin" to Loch Vale, distance 3 miles. Trail needs repair. Built in 1913 by the Estes Park Improvement Association. Storm Pass Trail.-Leads from Glacier Creek to Storm Pass, distance 4 miles. Built by the Forest Service in 1914. Trail in good condition. Trail to summit of Longs Peak. Trail enters national park 1 mile above Longs Peak Inn, and leads to the summit of Longs Peak, 14,255 feet high. Distance 6 miles, 2 miles by foot trail only. Trail needs some repair from Mill Creek Ranger Station to "The Pool." Trail passes over "Steep Mountain" from the Ranger Station to the "Pool," a distance of 2 miles. Trail in fair condition. Trail to Fern, Odessa, and Helene Lakes.-From Moraine Park past Fern and Odessa Lakes, terminating at Helene Lake. Distance 6 miles. A new trail from Fern Lake to Lake Odessa was constructed in the fall of 1914. This trail should be repaired and extended so as to join the Flat Top trail, passing Lake Helene and Two River Lake. Lawn Lake trail.-Leads from Horseshoe Park to Lawn Lake. Distance 6 miles. Needs repair. Ypsilon Lake trail.-Branches from the Lawn Lake trail one-half mile from Horseshoe Park and extends 4 miles to the lake. In good condition. Crystal Lake trail. From Lawn Lake to Crystal Lake. Distance about 1 mile. Trail poorly built and needs construction. Tombstone Ridge trail. From Moraine Park through "Windy Gulch" to Poudre Lakes. A scenic trail, but is in poor condition. Distance 15 miles. Lost Lake trail.-Trail follows North Fork of Big Thompson River to Lost Lake. Distance about 9 miles from Park boundary line. Specimen Mountain trail.-From Poudre Lakes to "The Crater," on Specimen Mountain. Trail poorly constructed. Needs considerable repair work. Distance 1 miles. Poudre River trail.-From Pingree Park to the South Fork of the Poudre River and then up the river to its source at Poudre Lakes. Distance about 15 miles. Little work, other than "blazing," has been done on this trail. Sand Beach Lake trail.-From Copeland Lodge to Sand Beach Lake. Distance 6 miles. Trail in good condition. Thunder Lake trail.-From Copeland Lake to Thunder Lake, in "Wild Basin." Distance 9 miles. Trail in fair condition. Ouzel Lake trail.-From Copeland Lake to Ouzel Lake and Ouzel Falls. Distance 7 miles. Built by the Forest Service. In good condition. LAKES. Within the boundaries of the national park are over 100 lakes. The following is a list of the largest and most important, showing the approximate altitude and area of each. Those marked with an asterisk (*) have been stocked with fish. Lakes in Rocky Mountain National Park. The Rocky Mountain National Park is composed of an area of mountain peaks, 43 peaks being over 10,000 feet above sea level, the highest point being Longs Peak, which reaches an altitude of 14,255. There are 14 peaks over 13,000, 17 over 12,000, and 7 over 11,000. The following is a list of peaks and their altitudes: GLACIERS. Halletts Glacier.-Altitude 13,000 feet. Distance from Estes Park 17 miles 7 by roadway, 6 by horse trail, then 3 miles by foot. Sprague's Glacier.-Altitude 12,000 feet. Distance 33 miles from Fern Lake-14 miles from Estes Park. Tyndall Glacier.-Altitude 12,000 feet. divide. Can be reached with saddle horse miles from Estes Park. Located at summit of over Flat Top trail-13 Andrews Glacier.-Altitude 11,750 feet. Located 2 miles from Loch Vale. Trail to Loch Vale only. Distance from Estes Park 15 miles. Taylor Glacier.-Altitude 12,500 feet. Distance from Loch Vale 2 miles. Trail to Loch Vale only-15 miles from Estes Park. FISH. It has been the custom of the State game and fish commissioner to stock certain lakes and streams in this locality with trout, and this has been continued since the national park has been created. Since January, 1915, 165,000 trout have been placed as follows: Head waters of the Big Thompson River (Brook trout). Upper Fall River (Rainbow). Lower Crystal Lake (Rainbow). Two River Lake (Rainbow). Fern Lake (Rainbow). Total___. 25,000 30,000 30, 000 20,000 30,000 10, 000 5,000 5,000 10, 000 165,000 There are two fish preserves in the park stocked by private parties, one by A. E. Sprague, consisting of two lakes covering an area of 20 acres, stocked with Eastern Brook, and Arrowhead Lake sometimes known as Heinricy Lake, which was stocked in 1914 with 30,000 "Native trout." ANIMAL LIFE. Deer. Owing to the protection under the game law of the State deer have been increasing rapidly, there being about 600 in the park and surrounding the boundary. They are rarely seen on account of the heavily timbered country. Elk-In 1912, 20 head of elk were shipped from Wyoming and put into the forest, a part of which is now the national park. In 1913, 25 more were shipped from the same place. A portion of these animals died, and at present there are approximately 30 elk in the national park and vicinity. Bear. There are only a few bear in the park, and these are specimens of the common black bear. Sheep.-The Big Horn sheep are found in considerable numbers, and some of them are exceptionally tame, tourists having approached within a few yards of them. From what information I have been able to obtain the increase for the last year has been exceptionally large. Wild birds and fowls.-Game birds are scarce within the park. The ptarmigan may be found in small numbers on the range above timber line. Owing to the open season on grouse in the State of Colorado, they have become nearly extinct in this locality, but under the protection afforded by the park rules these birds will increase rapidly. Fur-bearing animals.-To a person wishing to see beaver at work an exceptional opportunity is afforded to visitors, owing to the fact that the beaver are plentiful in various localities in the park. Other fur-bearing animals are few, owing to the fact that they have been trapped in past years prior to the establishment of the national park. Predatory animals.-There are coyotes and mountain lions roaming within the park, and if they increase to any extent will become a detriment to the preservation of other animals, when action will be necessary looking toward their destruction. FOREST FIRES. Owing to the fact that there has been a great deal of rain during the summer very few fires have occurred. Several fires were caused by careless campers, but were extinguished by passers-by. There are six tool boxes located in different parts of the park which will be supplied with the necessary paraphernalia for fighting forest fires, in addition to installing tools in the ranger cabins. RANGERS. There are only three rangers provided for this park, at a salary of $900 per annum, which salary I do not consider sufficient to attract the right kind of men for this class of labor. This is an expensive locality to live in, and by the time a ranger has subsisted himself and his horse he has little left for his efforts. In my opinion the salaries should be increased to $1,200 per annum. A chief ranger is not required for this park until the number of rangers has been increased to five or more. RANGER STATIONS. There are four ranger cabins within the park and located as follows: Mill Creek Ranger Station.-Located on Mill Creek, one-half mile from boundary line and about 7 miles from Estes Park village. Partly furnished. Connected with telephone. Fall River Ranger Cabin.-Located on the Fall River Road, 5 miles from park boundary line and about 14 miles from Estes Park village, about one-half mile from terminus of present contract of Fall River Road. Partly furnished. Shelter cabin, Flat Top trail.-Located on Flat Top trail, 11 miles from Grand Lake and 15 miles from Estes Park. Not furnished. |