Rocky Mountain National Park
Rocky Mountain National Park spans a total area of about 265,000 acres in three counties in Colorado including Grand County, Larimer County, and Boulder County. The closest urban areas to the park are Grand Lake which is a statutory town in Grand County and Estes Park which is a town in northern Colorado.
If you want to get to the park, be prepared for an approximately two-hour road trip from Denver using US 34 from the west or using CO 7, US 36, and US 34 from the east. The park was set-up on January 26, 1915, and after that designated as wilderness on December 22, 1980, and later as a Biosphere Reserve in 1976.
The park today protects a rich ecosystem of plants, animal, and geography including alpine lakes, wooded forests, mountain tundra, and a lot of other features that are specific to distinctly different climates and environments within the park.
Besides the beauty and magnificent splendor of all the spectacular mountain environments, you could also get to enjoy a lot of other recreational activities including horseback riding, mountain climbing, camping, hiking, fishing, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, ranger-led programs, wildlife viewing, and auto touring.
A few of the facilities within the park include a picnic area, restrooms, campgrounds, restaurant/snacks, self-guided tour/trail, visitor centers, and a museum/exhibit. You are permitted to bring your dog into the park as long as you abide by the parks strict rules.
Some of the regulations that you must abide by are the standard National Park regulations like ensuring that you keep your dog on a leash that is at least six-feet long. Ensuring that you maintain immediate control of your dog and that you are always aware of the areas of the park that you can and cannot visit when you are with your dog.
Areas that you are not allowed to visit with your dog include all Rocky Mountain National Park trails, meadows, tundra, and visitor centers. Areas that you can visit with your dog include established picnic areas and campgrounds as well as along established roads and parking areas.
