Rocky Mountain National Park

Bear Lake


Trail Ridge Road


Animals in the Park


What a beautiful park! Have I said that before? The mountains are spectacular, the colors outstanding and we are seeing lots of wildlife. On our way into the park a black Abert’s squirrel (the kind with ear tufts) was in the road in front of us. And he was BLACK. Bear was feeling a little under the weather today so we did shorter, flatter hikes than we might have otherwise. We drove on the Trail Ridge Road which goes across the park from east to west along the top of the ridgeline. The road is over 12,000 feet high for the middle section. I guess that takes the punch out of me saying I hiked to the top of a 12,400 foot ridge. (That is higher than Mt. Adams) We saw three separate groups of elk.


Park mammal count: 11 – deer, chipmunk, big horn sheep, mountain goat, red squirrel, prairie dog, rabbit, buffalo, elk, red squirrel aka chickaree, pika, golden-mantled ground squirrel, least chipmunk
Trip mammal count: 16 - deer, moose, chipmunk, big horn sheep, mountain goat, antelope, rabbit, mule deer, red squirrel aka chickaree, prairie dog, buffalo, ground squirrel, Abert’s squirrel, elk, pika, golden-mantled ground squirrel, least chipmunk
Dollars saved on this trip with Park Pass: $82.00