August Centennial Events

Year-round Activities

RMNP Centennial Ranger Programs
These FREE talks, walks, and evening programs with a ranger are offered throughout the year and celebrate the wilderness, wildlife, and wonder of our Centennial. Please consult your park newspaper or the ranger program page to find out what is being offered during your visit.

Rocky Mountain Conservancy Centennial Seminar Series
Beginning in the Fall of 2014 and running through the end of 2015, the non-profit partner of RMNP, the Rocky Mountain Conservancy, will be offering full, half, and multi-day field classes through the RMC-Field Institute program to celebrate the Centennial. Visit www.rmconservancy.org and click on the "learn with us" tab to find out more about these classes.

Celebrate our Centennial with the Colorado Mountain Club (Starting September 2014)
The Colorado Mountain Club was instrumental in the formation of Rocky Mountain National Park 100 years ago. Original members participated in a 1914 pack trip organized to give Arapaho names to area peaks and features in an effort to help persuade Congree to establish Rocky Mountain National Park. James Grafton Rodgers, who began lobbying for designation as a national park in 1907, became the first president of the Colorado Mountain Club in 1912. Click here for details.

• Climbs, Hikes, and Snowshoes of 100 of the 125 Named Peaks in the Park
• 100 Mile Hike Combo
• Wildflower Hikes led by Colorado Native Plant Masters

YMCA of the Rockies Centennial Hikes (Starting September 2014)
The YMCA of the Rockies has been leading educational excursions into Rocky Mountain National Park since the park's creation in 1915. Come enjoy the beauty and backcountry of the park with one of their talented hike-leaders. Fees: Free for YMCA guests, $20 day pass required for non-YMCA guests. Click here for details.

Climb On! - an exhibit (September 26, 2014 - October 4, 2015)
Join us at the Estes Park Museum (200 Fourth Street, Estes Park) and experience the vertical side of Estes Park, home to some of the most spectacular rock climbing in the nation. Granite boulders, sub-alpine crags, and high mountain walls make the Estes valley and surrounding high peaks a world class training ground for elite and amateur climbers alike. Learn about ascending rocky terrain and how individuals pioneered local routes that pushed the limits of gravity. 10am - 5pm daily. Free admission.

Grand Lake Chamber and Visitor Center 100th Anniversary Activities (Starting September 2014)
Starting in September 2014 and continuing through September 2015, the Grand Lake Chamber and Visitor Center will be offering activities for all ages.

• 100th Anniversary Children's Coloring Map (with Crayon Pack): Young visitors will enjoy this way to explore the west side of Rocky Mountain National Park and learn unique details of the park's history.
• Grand Lake "Then and Now" Walking Tour: This self-guided walking tour starts at the Grand Lake Chamber and Visitor Center and highlights many of the locations that RMNP visitors have enjoyed throughout the years. Visitors will find, in storefronts, photographic examples of Grand Lake's tourist destinations - then and now.

Across the Divide Geo-Tour, a Centennial GeoAdventure
Looking for a new, fun way to spend the day in Estes Park, Grand Lake, and Rocky Mountain National Park? Starting March 1, come experience this FREE Family Fun GPS treasure hunt! 50 Geocaches (EarthCaches, virtual caches, and traditional caches) in Estes Park, Grand Lake, and RMNP relating to the Wilderness, Wildlife, Wonder and RMNP's Centennial history take you from town to town and across the Continental Divide (when Trail Ridge Road is open). Whether you are new to geo-caching or are a geo-caching expert, this tour is a fun and challenging adventure for the whole family. Find 10, 35, or 50 geocaches and earn different souvenir commemorative coins. Find out more at the Grand Lake or Estes Park Visitor Centers, the Across the Divide GeoTour Facebook page, or cut and past the following website into your browser: www.geocaching.com/play/geotours/across-the-divide.

Wilderness, Wildlife, and Wonder Art Show and Centennial and RMNP Information at The Old Gallery
Visitors traveling into the RMNP area of the Peak to Peak Highway (Rt. 7) can stop at The Old Gallery (14862 Peak to Peak Highway, Allenspark, CO) for park information and promotional materials. Art created by local artists will feature the area's Wilderness, Wildlife, and Wonder and will be on display for the Celebration year.

 

	August 2015 Events
Today - September 1, 2015	Registration for Vacation Races' 100th Anniversary Virtual Race - 5K, 10K, or Half Marathon Location: ANYWHERE! Details: Register with Vacation Races for this run virtual race. What is a virtual race? A virtual race sets the distance and the day, and you get to pick the location. Pick your distance (5K, 10K, or Half Marathon), register, run that distance between September 1-7, log your time and race conditions on the website, and receive a race t-shirt, race medal, and fun prizes. Celebrate our Centennial whereever you are by running with us! For more details or to register, visit www.therockymountainhalf.com/rocky-mountain-100th-anniversary-virtual-race/
May 23, 2015 - September 4, 2015	Kauffman House Museum Centennial Exhibit Location: Kauffman House Museum, 407 Pitkin St., Grand Lake, CO This exhibit highlights the history of the development of the west side of Rocky Mountain National Park and related changes in Grand Lake. Come browse historic narratives, memoirs, photographs, and artifacts that will take you back 100 years!
June 1, 2015 - October 31, 2015	Hot Sulphur Creative Arts Council Celebration of RMNP Location: Hot Sulphur Springs Town Hall, 513 Aspen St, Hot Sulphur Springs, CO The Creative Arts Council celebrates the 100th Anniversary of RMNP by hosting a Historic Arts Show featuring photography of RMNP from local artists.
July 25 - August 30, 2015	People in the Park Exhibit Location: Loveland Museum, Loveland, CO Details: This exhibition will explore ways in which artists perceive visitor use of Rocky Mountain National Park. Goals of this exhibit are to artistically define the extent of human impact upon natural resources, record the positive value of a wilderness experience, and survey ways in which the Artist-in-Residence program provides artists with a unique, inner perspective on potential use and long term intent of park access. Artists in this exhibit will have participated in the park as Artists-in-Residence and the work will be on loan from the RMNP collection, including painting, photography, video, poetry, and performance.
July 25 - November 28, 2015	Jim Disney: Rocky Mountain Vision Location: Loveland Museum, Loveland, CO Details: Jim Disney is a Loveland resident and also an avid outdoorsman who spends much of his time in Rocky Mountain National Park. His love for wildlife, the outdoors, and the Colorado mountains are evident in his paintings and artwork. Jim was commissioned to design the commemorative poster for the RMNP Centennial Celebration. This exhibit will feature Jim's art work, as well as a lecture/talk/tour by the artist.
August 1, 2015	Vacation Races presents the Rocky Mountain Half Marathon Location: Estes Park, CO Details: Register with Vacation Races for this beautiful half marathon in the town of Estes Park. Even though the course is entirely outside the park, the entire run has spectacular views of Longs Peak and the Continental Divide to inspire you. To find out more information or to register visit www.therockymountainhalf.com.
August 1, 2015	Saturday Night in the Park - Celebrating the Centennial Time: 7pm Location: Kawuneeche Visitor Center Details: Join a special speaker in the auditorium every Saturday night to hear a new perspective on the 100th Anniversary of Rocky Mountain National Park. This week features Pierre Glynn of the USGS presenting "A Hundred Years in Nature".
August 1, 2015	Wild Light Time: 7:30pm Location: Beaver Meadows Visitor Center, RMNP Details: Join photographer and author Erik Stensland for a journey through Rocky Mountain National Park as he tells stories from his 10 year project of exploring all of Rocky Mountain National Park.
August 1-2, 2015	The Wonder of Local Crafts: A 100th Anniversary of Rocky Mountain National Park Craft Fair Series Location: Town Square Park, Grand Lake, CO Details: Join us for the Grand Lake Chamber's Arts and Crafts Festivals throughout the summer of 2015! Browse various local and national wares in the scenic beauty of Grand Lake's Town Square Park on Grand Avenue.
August 5, 2015	Centennial Artist in Residence Program Presents: Through an Artist's Eyes Time: 7:30pm Location: Beaver Meadows Visitor Center Auditorium Details: Discover the many ways that nature inspires art in these weekly presentations by one of the park's Artists in Residence. See the artist's work and discover how their residency in the park is influencing their art. During the Centennial year, Artist in Residence participants will represent the past, present, and future of the program. This week will feature the photography of Ben Panter.
August 6, 2015	Centennial Speaker Series: Dr. Patty Limerick Time: 7pm, doors open at 6pm Location: History Colorado, 1200 Broadway, Denver, CO Details: Patty Limerick is the Faculty Director and Chair of the Board of the Center of the American West at the University of Colorado, where she is also a Professor of History. Limerick has dedicated her career to bridging the gap between academics and the general public and to demonstrating the benefits of applying historical perspective to contemporary dilemmas and conflicts. In celebration of RMNP's 100th Anniversary, Dr. Limerick will apply her unique perspective to the celebration of 100 years of history and the implications this history has for the future. This event is FREE and open to the public. No tickets required. Seating is limited to 350 and first come, first served. Arrive early for your seats and check out the RMNP Exhibit upstairs!
August 6, 2015	Centennial Science Behind the Scenery Time: 7:30pm Location: Beaver Meadows Visitor Center Auditorium Details: This series highlights scientific activity and learning in the park as it relates to the 100th Anniversary. Each week a different scientist conducting research in the park will share their experiences and discoveries. Here are each week's topics.
August 6-8, 2015	Rocky Mountain Conservancy Seminar: Centennial Celebration Series Photographing the "Small Wonders" of RMNP Details: $250, Limited to 12 participants. For the past 100 years, the park has provided majestic mountain vistas, stunning reflective lakes, iconic elk, and myriad wildlife in their natural habitat. The park also offers "small wonders" for its millions of annual visitors. Learn to look for and find and photograph the many, often overlooked, "small wonders" in Rocky Mountain National Park. For more details or to register, visit http://rmconservancy.org/event_cat/centennial-celebration-series/page/2/
August 7, 2015	Images of RMNP Gallery presents Happy 100th! Time: 4-8pm Location: Images of RMNP Gallery, 203 Park Lane, Estes Park, CO Details: Help celebrate the 100th Anniversary of RMNP. Visit the gallery for music, cake, and great art celebrating our national treasure!
August 7, 2015	Wild Inspirations Time: 5-8pm Location: Aspen and Evergreen Gallery, 356 E. Elkhorn Ave, Estes Park, CO Details: Art and artists throughout American history have discovered inspiration from wild places and played important roles informing the public about the wonders of lands now forever protected by law. Come meet local artists at this event and hear one or more speak briefly about how Rocky Mountain National Park inspires their art. Enjoy appetizers, drinks, and live music! A percentage of all sales will go to benefit the park. See you there!
August 8, 2015	Bob Flame: Rocky Mountain Ranger Time:7:30pm Location: Beaver Meadows Visitor Center Auditorium Details: In the early 1930s, RMNP's first Ranger Naturalist was also an author. Many of his true adventures were creatively captured through a mythical character in book, "Bob Flame - Rocky Mountain Ranger." Come relive these tales of adventure in a lively presentation by his daughter and, who knows, maybe Bob Flame himself will make an appearance.
August 8, 2015	Saturday Night in the Park - Celebrating the Centennial Time: 7pm Location: Kawuneeche Visitor Center Details: Join a special speaker in the auditorium every Saturday night to hear a new perspective on the 100th Anniversary of Rocky Mountain National Park. This week features Jeromy Huntington presenting Bears, Bears, Bears! Bear sightings are becoming increasingly common in the Colorado River District of Rocky Mountain National Park. Join a district wildlife manager from Colorado Parks and Wildlife to discuss bear biology and learn to be bear aware.
August 10-11, 2015	Rocky Mountain Conservancy Seminar: Centennial Celebration Series Sketchbook Journaling: Wilderness, Wildlife, and Wonder in Watercolor Details: $140, Limited to 14 participants. Toss your sketchbook and some simple tools into your daypack, and explore RMNP! Through guided exercises and free exploration, create a record of personal, authentic interaction. Learn (or sharpen) some basic sketching and observation skills, then go to various locations in the park to put these skills to work. Approaches will include simple sketches with pencil, ink, and colored pencil or watercolor. Guided activities for observing, sketching, and (brief) writing will help participants discover the many ways they interact with their environments. (Beginners are welcome and encouraged!) For more details or to register visit http://rmconservancy.org/event_cat/centennial-celebration-series/page/2/
August 12, 2015	Centennial Artist in Residence Program Presents: Through an Artist's Eyes Time: 7:30pm Location: Beaver Meadows Visitor Center Auditorium Details: Discover the many ways that nature inspires art in these weekly presentations by one of the park's Artists in Residence. See the artist's work and discover how their residency in the park is influencing their art. During the Centennial year, Artist in Residence participants will represent the past, present, and future of the program. This week features the visual arts of Kristen Gjerdset.
August 13, 2015	Rocky Mountain Plein Air Painters Reception Time: 6:00-8pm Location: The Stanley Hotel, Estes Park, CO Details: Come view and purchase the paintings that were created this week by the Rocky Mountain Plein Air Painters. Meet the artists and enjoy refreshments and live music.
August 13, 2015	Centennial Science Behind the Scenery Time: 7:30pm Location: Beaver Meadows Visitor Center Auditorium Details: This series highlights scientific activity and learning in the park as it relates to the 100th Anniversary. Each week a different scientist conducting research in the park will share their experiences and discoveries. Here are each week's topics.
August 13, 2015	Music of the Mountains: Centennial "After the Show" Cabaret Time: 10:00 pm Location: Rocky Mountain Repertory Theater Details: Rocky Mountain Repertory Theater performs songs about wilderness, wildlife, and wonder.
August 14-16, 2015	Rocky Mountain Plein Air Painters Show and Sale Time: Friday - Saturday 10am-6pm, Sunday 10-3 Location: The Stanley Hotel, Estes Park, CO Details: Drop by the Stanley Hotel to see and purchase art painted in the "plein air" style just for our Centennial Celebration. Artist Demonstrations: Saturday, 9:30am - 12pm at Fall River Visitor Center, 4-6pm at the Stanley Hotel
August 14, 2015	Kids Centennial Paint Out with Rocky Mountain Plein Air Painters Time: 9 - 11am, Limited to 20 children age 12-16. Location: Sprague Lake, RMNP Details: This special program, hosted by the Rocky Mountain Plein Air Painters, will provide one on one painting instruction and mentoring for young artists ages 12-16. This program is limited to 20 participants. Participants must register in person at the Fall River Visitor Center Monday, August 10 through Thursday, August 13 from 9am - 5pm.
August 15, 2015	Saturday Night in the Park - Celebrating the Centennial Time: 7pm Location: Kawuneeche Visitor Center Details: Join a special speaker in the auditorium every Saturday night to hear a new perspective on the 100th Anniversary of Rocky Mountain National Park. This week features historian Dave Lively presenting "Kawuneeche Valley Heritage".
August 17, 2015	Rocky Mountain Conservancy Seminar: Centennial Seminar Series There's More to This Place than Meets the Eye: 100 Years of Environmental Change in RMNP Details: $70, Limited to 14 participants. This course provides an overview of the history of environmental change in the park, emphasizing human-caused change. The course will discuss the history of mining, water engineering, recreational development and tourism, atmospheric inputs of dust and nitrates, wildlife management, and climate change in the context of protecting and restoring natural environments within the park. The objective is to understand how past human activities influence contemporary and options for management of natural resources within the park. For more details or to register visit http://rmconservancy.org/event_cat/centennial-celebration-series/page/2/
August 18, 2015	The Civilian Conservation Corps: Legend and Legacy in Rocky Mountain National Park Time: 7:30pm Location: Beaver Meadows Visitor Center Auditorium Details: The CCC has a legacy that goes beyond what work projects they performed. What they accomplished in RMNP in the 1930s advanced the development of the park by 20 years. Come find out more about the lasting legacy of the Civilian Conservation Corps in RMNP.
August 19, 2015	Centennial Artist in Residence Program Presents: Through an Artist's Eyes Time: 7:30pm Location: Beaver Meadows Visitor Center Auditorium Details: Discover the many ways that nature inspires art in these weekly presentations by one of the park's Artists in Residence. See the artist's work and discover how their residency in the park is influencing their art. During the Centennial year, Artist in Residence participants will represent the past, present, and future of the program. This week features the visual arts of Kristen Gjerdset.
August 20, 2015	Centennial Science Behind the Scenery Time: 7:30pm Location: Beaver Meadows Visitor Center Auditorium Details: This series highlights scientific activity and learning in the park as it relates to the 100th Anniversary. Each week a different scientist conducting research in the park will share their experiences and discoveries. Here are each week's topics.
August 22 2015	Code of the West Time: TBD Location: Polhamus Park, Granby, CO This event brings to life the "code" of western heritage in the Kawuneeche Valley and celebrates 100 years of RMNP.
August 22, 2015	Saturday Night in the Park - Celebrating the Centennial Time: 7pm Location: Kawuneeche Visitor Center Details: Join a special speaker in the auditorium every Saturday night to hear a new perspective on the 100th Anniversary of Rocky Mountain National Park. This week features the inspiring music of Grand County's premier Men's Chorus, the Grand Chorale. Come hear this a cappella group sing your old favorites and barbershop quartets, too!
August 24, 2015	Vintage Time Travelers Celebration at the Smith Eslick Cottage Camp Time: 5:30-9pm, dinner beginning at 5:30, campfire at 7:30 Location: Smith Eslick Cottage Camp, 729 Lake Avenue, Grand Lake, CO Details: It's a party, and everyone is invited! Delicious chicken dinner, tours of Model Ts, campfire music and stories, and lots of fun! A Model T Club from Buena Vista will camp out overnight on August 24th at the Smith Eslick Cottage Camp as they begin their re-enactment of the amazing 1920 Park to Park Trek, and we'll celebrate the RMNP Centennial and send them on their adventure with a great community event! There will be other vintage autos with them as well, so bring your own and compare notes. Campfire and entertainment are free, small fee for dinner and beverages. Find out more about their trip on www.vintagetimetravelers.com. For more information about the event, call the Grand Lake Area Historical Society at 970-627-8324.
August 25, 2015	Vintage Time Travelers Historic Model T Campout and Evening Program about the Historic Park to Park Highway Time: Daytime Activity times 1-4pm, Evening Slide Program 8:30pm Location: Moraine Park Campground, RMNP Details: Do you wonder what camping was like in the 1920s and 30s? Come out to Moraine Park Campground to experience it for yourselves! The Vintage Time Travelers, a Model T group from Buena Vista, Colorado, will set up a historic car camp with their Model Ts and historic campers. Compare these historic beauties to cars of today. Stick around for an evening campfire slide show by author and historian Lee Whiteley that will explore the National Park to Park Highway - the historic Model T touring route through the national parks!
August 26, 2015	Centennial Artist in Residence Program Presents: Through an Artist's Eyes Time: 7:30pm Location: Beaver Meadows Visitor Center Auditorium Details: Discover the many ways that nature inspires art in these weekly presentations by one of the park's Artists in Residence. See the artist's work and discover how their residency in the park is influencing their art. During the Centennial year, Artist in Residence participants will represent the past, present, and future of the program. This week features the writing of Ellen Orleans.
August 27, 2015	Centennial Science Behind the Scenery Time: 7:30pm Location: Beaver Meadows Visitor Center Auditorium Details: This series highlights scientific activity and learning in the park as it relates to the 100th Anniversary. Each week a different scientist conducting research in the park will share their experiences and discoveries. Here are each week's topics.
August 29, 2015	Sisters of Courage Time: 7:30pm Location: Beaver Meadows Visitor Center Auditorium Details: In 1896, Annie and Kittie Harbison homesteaded in the Kawuneeche Valley near Grand Lake, and the Harbison Ranch eventually became the west entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park. Enjoy a fascinating journey into the past as you hear the extraordinary pioneer experiences of the Harbison sisters and their family during this hour-long program.
August 29, 2015	Saturday Night in the Park - Celebrating the Centennial Time: 7pm Location: Kawuneeche Visitor Center Details: Join a special speaker in the auditorium every Saturday night to hear a new perspective on the 100th Anniversary of Rocky Mountain National Park. This week will feature Robert Canon presenting "Preserving and Restoring Structures in the National Parks".
August 30, 2015	Wilderness, Wildlife, Wonder: God's Glorious Creation, a non-denominational church service The church has cancelled this event. We apologize for the inconvenience.
August 30 - September 5	100 Images for 100 Years Instagram Photography Exhibit Time: Daily 9am - 5pm Location: Fall River Visitor Center Details: For an entire year, RMNP collected images submitted to Instagram with the #RMNP with the hopes of collecting 100,000 photos for our Centennial Celebration. This exhibit is the culmination of that project, with 100 photos chosen from those that were submitted. Come experience these amazing images taken by photographers just like you.
August 31, 2015	RMNP Centennial Celebration Concert Time: 7:30pm Location: Stanley Hotel Concert Hall Details: The Estes Park Music Festival presents a free public concert in celebration of the 100th Anniversary of RMNP. It will be performed by the Denver Brass, an elite ensemble recognized throughout the U.S. and the world as one of the premier ensembles of its kind - setting itself apart through its sound, original repertoire, and concert performances. Denver Brass features a musical palate as diverse as the culture of the western US to present a sound experience that makes an impression long past the final chord of the concert, much as RMNP leaves indelible memories in the minds of its many visitors.
August 31, 2015	Rocky Mountain Conservancy Seminar: Centennial Celebration Series History of Stewardship in RMNP Details: $70, Limited to 14 participants The landscapes of RMNP have been visited and used by people for thousands of years. Whether it was ancient peoples hunting on the tundra, early settlers homesteading the mountain valleys, ski resorts developing the slopes, or conservation corps workers building camps, each of these uses has affected the landscape and modified the way in which the NPS manages the cultural and natural resources. Explore these areas and the ways in which each of these uses has shaped the philosophy and management plan of the National Park Service in RMNP. For more details and to register visit http://rmconservancy.org/event_cat/centennial-celebration-series/page/2/