The Luciano Family Web Site - Travel Adventures with travelogues, photos, and slide shows in Colorado, Rocky Mountains, Southwest USA, Italy, etc.

Rocky Mountain National Park

Joe had three days off at the end of September and we decided this would be a good time to take a trip and get away.  It was the first time in many years that it would be just the two of us.  We decided to go to Estes Park, CO and Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP). Aspen trees were at their peak fall color.  Estes Park is a very small quaint town nestled in the mountains.  Nearby RMNP was established as our 10th National Park in 1915, and with 71 peaks reaching over 12,000 feet, and almost 40 miles of the continental divide running through it, RMNP is truly the "top of the continent".

This town and this National Park have been among our favorite places since the early 70's.   Of course, the days before we left, the weather was sunny and warm.  We arrived on a Monday afternoon to cool temperatures.  That night, it got into the 20's and we awoke to 6 inches of snow on the ground!  Parts of Rocky Mountain National Park had at least a foot of snow or more!  However, it was a beautiful winter wonderland.  The elk were bountiful and it was the mating season.  So, we got to hear the bulls bugling.  This was a first for us.

We stayed at the Silver Saddle Hotel located just outside Estes Park.  We had an incredible hotel room.  One of the cleanest we've had in a very long time.  It had a TV with cable, microwave, refridgerator, 2 oversized stuffed chairs and a gas fireplace.  The latter was wonderful to use since the nights were so cold.  So, overall it was a great get away vacation.

To our delight, again in mid October, we had another opportunity to visit this area.  We went up to Denver to meet with Cathy's cousin Linda and her husband Chris.  We decided to get them out of the city and up into the mountains.  So, we planned a day at Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park.  Neither of them had ever been to Colorado or up into the Rocky Mountains before.  We really were fortunate with a beautiful sunny clear day.

We hope that through these photos you get a feel for how special and beautiful this area truly is. However, no matter how good the pictures may be, they can not come close to doing justice to the awsome beauty and majesty that one can only fully appreciate by being there.

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     Complete Pictures Index                                                     Map of the Estes Park Area

Slide Shows:                                                                                   Map of Rocky Mountain National Park
     Complete Slide Show (48 Slides)
     Elk Slide Show (11 Slides)
     Bear Lake Slide Show (6 Slides)
      Sprague Lake Slide Show (6 Slides)
      Longs Peak  Slide Show (5 Slides)
      Aspen Trees Slide Show (8 Slides)
      Panoramas Slide Show (2 Slides)
      Rocky Mountain Vistas Slide Show (18 Slides)


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