Colorado’s Rocky Mountain National Park is a grand, expansive destination for travelers in search of a adventure. Throughout the park, there are opportunities to hike, swim, travel scenic mountain passes, observe native wildflowers, and observe wildlife in their natural setting. One of my favorite activities within the park is to observe alpine wildflowers or otherwise enjoy the scenic lookout points. Despite the park’s protections, RMNP is wild and open land subject to the ever increasing dangers of wildfires. In 2020, the massive Cameron Peak and East Troublesome wildfires swept through Rocky Mountain National Park and the surrounding region. Burning 208,663 acres over 112 days, these two fires were the largest in Colorado’s history.
Grand Lake, Colorado
Rocky Mountain National Park
Rocky Mountain National Park is home to some of the country’s most scenic, beautiful landscapes in the state. Established on January 26, 1915 by President Woodrow Wilson, Rocky Mountain National Park became the nation’s 10th national park.
Spanning both the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests, RMNP crosses the Continental Divide. The park is home to the headwaters of the Colorado River, in addition to an amazing 300+ miles of scenic hiking trails, high mountain lakes, abundant wildlife, wildflowers, and over 70 peaks over 12,000 feet in elevation.
Grand Lake, CO sits at the west end of Rocky Mountain National Park; Estes Park sits at the east end of the park. These two towns are connected by the famous Trail Ridge Road. Considered the highest elevation mountain pass in the United States, Trail Ridge Road rises to 12,183 feet in elevation. Trail Ridge Road passes through alpine tundra, where unique plant species can be found in the summer months. Due to early fall snowfall, Trail Ridge Road is open only during the summer and early fall months.
Topographic Map of Cameron Peak/East Troublesome Region
The map below from USGS.com includes the region where the Cameron Peak and East Troublesome Fires passed through. Note the thick red line indicating Trail Ridge Road passing through Rocky Mountain National Park, with Estes Park at the east end of the park and Grand Lake at the west end.
Elevation Map of Cameron Peak/East Troublesome Region
The map below from topographic-map.com highlights elevations throughout Rocky Mountain National Park and the surrounding forested region. Note the legend at right indicating elevation, which extends to over 12,000 feet in this region.
Cameron Peak Fire Timeline
In the early afternoon of August 13, 2020 in the early afternoon, numerous hikers within the Roosevelt National Forest reported a wildfire near the Chambers Lake recreation area. The fire slowly grew in size, fueled by dry conditions, high winds, and steep topography. An early season September snowstorm dropped temperatures from the 80s to the 20s. Although this storm dumped a foot of snow on the region, it also brought more high winds, which further spread the fire eastward.
The fire continued to burn through September, October, and November. After over 100 days, the Cameron Peak fire was contained on December 2nd, 2020. As mentioned above, the Cameron Peak fire one of two of the largest wildfires in Colorado history. Of the 208,663 total acres burned, over 30,000 of these acres were within the park boundary, accounting for nearly 10% of the park’s area.
East Troublesome Fire Timeline
The East Troublesome Fires began on October 14, 2020 near the town of Kremmling, Colorado within the Arapaho National Forest. At first the fire spread slowly with fair weather conditions. However, a week later on October 21, 2020, high winds moved through the area, causing the fire to explode in size. Thousands of acres of land were consumed in fire in a few short hours.
The image below is a photo taken from a paper map provided by the Rocky Mountain National Park Visitor Center in Grand Valley, showing the tremendous increase in acres burned in a short period on these dates. What is astounding here is that between 6:20pm on October 21st and 12:30am on October 22nd, 87,092 acres burned in just over six hours! A backdraft pushed the fire even further east, burning more acres after continuous efforts to contain it.
On November 30, after 48 days, the East Troublesome fire was contained after burning 193,812 total acres. The Cameron Peak and East Troublesome fires are believed to have started by a hunter or camper, but as I understand it, the precise cause(s) remain unknown.
Aftermath of East Troublesome Wildfire
The video below highlights my drive through Grand Lake, Colorado, at the western end of Rocky Mountain National Park in the summer of 2021, one year after the East Troublesome fire. The video speaks for itself.
Cameron Peak/East Troublesome Topographic Wildfire Maps
The images below are photos of paper maps provided by the Rocky Mountain National Park visitor center in Grand Lake. The visitor center maintains an abundance of educational materials about the Cameron Peak and East Troublesome fires, and knowledgeable staff to share the story of these fires.
Aftermath of the East Troublesome Fire
During a visit to Rocky Mountain National Park in the summer of 2021, I was fortunate to drive through the post-burn landscape. As I drove along Trail Ridge Road through the park from Estes Park to Grand Valley, the scars left behind were astounding. I’ve included some photos and videos of the tremendous destruction caused by the East Troublesome fire, one year later.
Grand Lake, Colorado
Trail Ridge Road Views
Wildflowers of Rocky Mountain National Park
Despite the tremendous damage done to the landscape, time and recovery plans can heal the land. One beautiful reminder of the resilience of nature were the wildflowers found throughout the post-burn area.
The wildflowers of Rocky Mountain National Park are too numerous to mention here! One of my favorite Colorado wildflowers is the native Indian Paintbrush pictured below. Most Indian Paintbrush I have observed is a vivid red; however, it is found in different shades of red and pink.
Along the higher elevations of Trail Ridge Road, you’ll enter the alpine tundra, where you may also find Arctic Paintbrush. This plant has a beautiful lemony yellow color, and is slightly shorter in stature.
Colorado Adventures
To experience an entirely different landscape in the beautiful state of Colorado, consider a visit to Great Sand Dunes National Park. My recent visit to the dunes left an impression on me. From the gentle swishing of sand beneath your feet to the rippling flow of Medano Creek, Great Sand Dunes National Park is an acoustic treat. Read more in my recent article: https://www.greatlakesmindset.com/digital-detox-explore-the-deafening-silence-of-great-sand-dunes-national-park/
Golden, Colorado
Additionally, consider a visit to beautiful Golden, Colorado and a hike along the Mount Galbraith Loop. Read more in my recent article linked below:
The Resilience of Nature
We can learn much about the resilience of nature from the Cameron Peak and East Troublesome fires. If you have the opportunity to visit Rocky Mountain National Park and observe this post-burn landscape for yourself, you will no doubt appreciate the enormous impact of wildfires even more.
Enjoy your visit to this beautiful national park!
-Erin