October 2, 2020 Rocky Mountain National park

 We went to Rocky Mountain National Park today. You need to make advance timed reservations because of Covid. The park is an hour away and we have not been there much. It was a beautiful sunny day. We drove out of the wildfire smoke that is blanketing the front range for most of the day.

They were sold out of the timed entry permits. I made the reservation 2 weeks ago, this was the soonest I could get then . The park sign.  You can never get those without a few people in front. We drove up the narrow, one way, steep switch backs Fall River road. It was the first road into the park that climbed up the 4,000 feet to the high ridge.  The visitors center has a masked elk with a sign that masks are mandatory. One of the two moose we saw in Poudre lake. A camp robber.  Redface is a tall sculpture carved by Peter Tosh. He made one for each of the 50 states. We see them around the country.  The Dam store, Welcome to Estes Park.  One the extremely annoying chipmunks at a view point, and aspen leaves on a small stream crossing the trail.

Golden aspen on the fall creek road. John on the trail to Chasm falls. 

John in front of Chasm Falls. The view back toward the thick layer of smoke over Estes Park. There are two very large forest fires just west and north of us. The smoke has been unpleasant. 

A small fall along Fall River road. This historic structure is wrapped in fire proof fabric to protect it if the fires come through. 

Alpine lake. View of the Cameron and Mullen fires. The smoke is on the horizon, the wind is blowing it north for a change. The dark shadows in the valley there are are burnt timber edge of the Cameron fire, you can see plumes of smoke on the edges and there is  a helicopter  pouring water on it. 

Aspen along the way. A doe and yearling cruised by. 

These are two of 4 bucks in this group grazing by the road. Long, slow line of cars alert you to any roadside wildlife. Elk in Moraine Park with fall colors and peaks in the background 

There were many large groups of cows and a single bull elk. Conveniently located by stopped traffic so you could take photos from you car because you had to wait for traffic to clear. 

Golden aspen on the Moraine park road. John on the Fern Lake trail. We walked for a few miles round trip along the river in beautiful foliage and scenery.

John on the Fern Lake trail. Looking west into Forest Canyon. Trail ridge road runs on the ridge above this canyon. 

This herd of elk wanted to cross the road to the meadow below, but could not cross the road because of the stopped traffic and people with cameras. The rangers were going to stop  traffic both ways after we came through. The bull was bugling. The elk have come down to lower meadows with more food for winter. In rutting season bulls bugle and the bulls sometimes get in fights. Very popular season in the park. 

Moraine Park meadow is filled was filled with elk. Sunset on the way home. The orange at the bottom is wildfire smoke.