Rocky Mountain National Park, in north-central Colorado’s Front Range, spans high mountain landscapes from montane forests to alpine tundra along the Continental Divide, with the headwaters of the Colorado River in its northwest. Long before its creation, Paleo-Indians traveled nearby and Ute and Arapaho people hunted and camped here. Mining towns briefly appeared in the 19th century, then faded. Established in 1915 through efforts led by Enos Mills, James Grafton Rogers, and J. Horace McFarland, the park grew more accessible through roads, lodges, and Trail Ridge Road. Today it is known for its lofty peaks, lakes, streams, wildlife, and heavy visitation.