Historic Sites in Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park

Ever wonder what it was like to visit the Estes Valley in the early 1900s? Curious about the entrepreneurs who established guest lodges and businesses within what is now Rocky Mountain National Park? This tour is for you!

During this 4-hour program, we will visit a series of sites that are connected with the development of both the Estes Valley and the area which became Rocky Mountain National Park. To illuminate our understanding of past and present we will make use of historic photographs and participants might wish to bring their own cameras.

Who: Participants ages 16 and up.

Program level: Easy – Appropriate for most participants. Expect frequent short walks with ample breaks. Participants will be walking on paved or hardened surfaces with moderate slopes and occasional stairs. Participants may travel in vehicles to elevations above 12,000 feet. Wheelchair accessible transportation is available upon request.

This program is entirely field based.

When: Friday, June 20, 2025 from 1:00pm to 5:00pm

Where: Meet at the Estes Park Visitor Center and travel together to various locations within RMNP in Conservancy vehicles. All required fees and permits for park entry are included in your registration.

What to Bring:

• 10 Essentials for Field Institute Courses,
• camera (optional).

About Your Instructor: Jim Pickering is a retired Professor of English and administrator, who served as director of the Honors College at Michigan State University and as dean, provost and president at the University of Houston. The author/editor of more than thirty books on Estes Park, Rocky Mountain National Park, and the American West, in 2006 Jim was appointed Historian Laureate of the Town of Estes Park. Jim is a member of Rocky Mountain Conservancy’s Board of Directors, as well as several local and regional civic organizations. His relationship with Rocky Mountain National Park began when, as a boy of 11 from suburban New York, he spent two weeks in a rustic 1917 log cabin on the slopes of the Twin Sisters looking out at the East Face of Longs Peak. A graduate of Williams College, he received his graduate degrees from Northwestern University.

Refund Policy:

Cancellations made more than 30 days prior to the start of the course are eligible for a full refund. Cancellations made fewer than 30 days in advance are not eligible for a refund.

Our programs proceed rain or shine, and participants should be prepared for inclement weather. However, should we decide to cancel a program due to unsafe weather or emergency conditions, we will notify participants by email and automatically issue full refunds.

Conservancy members get 10% off individual registration when you use the discount code in your membership email! Limit 2 per membership.

Not a member of the Conservancy? Learn more and join here: Conservancy Membership

If you have questions about this course, please contact the Field Institute by email at education@RMConservancy.org or by phone at 970-586-3262.