Attractions

Although people believed to be the ancestors of today's American Indians lived in what is now Rocky Mountain National Park at least 12,000 years ago, they left little behind for present-day visitors to see. Lucky hikers with sharp eyes might see potsherds, pieces of ancient stone tools, and other archaeological objects. Near the tree line, watch for fire rings and the remains of rock game drives that are difficult to spot because they are simply lines of rocks. Park officials ask that you not touch any artifacts (skin oils can damage them), but report their location to rangers.

Most of these early peoples were hunters and gatherers who spent summers in the park but wisely went to lower climes during the harsh winters. Arrowheads have been found from the Paleo-Indians, who hunted the woolly mammoth and other now-extinct animals between 9,500 and 7,000 B.C. There are also sites in the park attributed to the Archaic peoples, who occupied the area from 7,000 B.C. until about A.D. 100. They were followed by the Woodland peoples, believed to have lived in the area until about 1250, a view supported by pieces of pottery and other artifacts found in the park. In more modern times, members of the Ute and Arapaho tribes are known to have hunted in the park, and their oral history tells of a number of conflicts between the tribes, presumably over hunting rights.

Remnants from the area's mining and ranching days of the late 1800s and early 1900s, as well as the beginnings of tourism, can be seen throughout the park. Hikers will encounter abandoned mines and the ruins of historic cabins on the Lulu City and Eugenia Mine trails.

Lulu City, supposedly named after the daughter of Benjamin Burnett, one of its founders, is one of the many Western mining towns that sprang to life after the discovery of silver. After a brief heyday, the town collapsed into obscurity; today we might say that Lulu City had its 15 minutes of fame. The town was plotted in 1880 by miners Burnett and William Baker, and town lots measuring over 100 square blocks sold quickly, from $20 to $50 dollars each. Soon there were about 500 residents, regular mail and stage service, a fine hotel, a variety of stores, two sawmills, and a two-cabin red-light district.

But the town's ore was low-grade and there was no nearby smelter; by the fall of 1883, the town was practically deserted. As one of the regional newspapers said of Lulu City in early 1884, "The bears and mountain lions have taken possession . . . and are running a municipal government of their own." Today all that is left are several mines, tailings piles, cabin ruins, rusted pieces of mining equipment, and some wagon-wheel ruts -- most of the town site has reverted to a delightful meadow that becomes a sea of wildflowers each summer.

The Eugenia Mine had an even less successful history. It was worked by Carl Norwall and his family in the early 1900s, and although Norwall enthusiastically dug more than 1,000 feet into Battle Mountain, no ore of any value was found. Curiously, though, Norwall was able to maintain a relatively elegant log home, complete with a piano, for himself, his wife, and their two daughters. Today, the remains of the cabin and discarded mining machines can be seen along the banks of a shallow brook, and the mine and tailings can be found several hundred feet upstream.

The Moraine Park Museum, on Bear Lake Road, contains exhibits mainly on natural history, but the handsome log building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Constructed in 1923 from local ponderosa pine and glacial rocks, it was used as a social center, with a tearoom downstairs and dance hall upstairs. Nearby are several historic buildings -- one dating from 1898 -- that are not open to the public.

A section of the Fall River Store, located next to the Alpine Visitor Center at Fall River Pass, was built in 1936 and provided an exhibit area, store, and restrooms for Trail Ridge Road travelers. Two years later the building was enlarged to increase the size of the store and provide lodging for seasonal park employees. The original 1936 part of the building now houses the store's American Indian arts and crafts. Park employees no longer live in the building; those facilities have been converted to stockrooms, and the 1938 addition serves as the main gift shop. Another addition, done in 1965, contains a snack bar and dining area.

The Holzwarth Trout Lodge Historic Site, a preserved dude ranch dating back to the 1920s, is an easy half-mile walk from Trail Ridge Road on the west side of the park. It was started as a cattle ranch by Denver saloon owner John Holzwarth after Prohibition forced him to find a new line of work. But Holzwarth soon discovered that it was easier, and more profitable, to take in paying guests (at $2 per day or $11 per week, including room, meals, and a horse) than to do the hard work of actual ranching. Although the accommodations were rustic, even for that day, Sophie (Mama) Holzwarth's cooking -- featuring local trout, deer, and grouse, along with traditional German dishes -- made up for the primitive facilities. The ranch buildings contain many of their original furnishings, and visitors can see the bunkhouses, kitchens, a taxidermy shop, wagons, and sleds. Check at park visitor centers for times of guided tours and talks, which are offered during the summer.

Those looking for a historic or perhaps nostalgic experience should consider driving up Old Fall River Road, which is little changed from the day construction was completed in September 1920.