Crews in Rocky Mountain National Park have completed construction of a new trail and the renovation of an amphitheater and campsite, funded almost entirely by private donations.
After two years of struggling in the rugged, high-altitude park, crews completed a trail from Trail Ridge Road up to Lake Irene. The trail had never been completed, and so many people were starting to hike to the lake that rangers decided to accommodate them with a proper trail. The work included a bridge, stone walls, fences and erosion-control logs.
The project also included renovating eight picnic sites, making three of them accessible to disabled visitors.
Crews also reconstructed the 41-year-old amphitheater at Timber Creek campground on the west side of the park above Grand Lake. The old amphitheater was torn down and some of the material was reused in the new construction.
The project included a parking area and a trail accessible to disabled visitors. A vault toilet also was added.
Both projects cost a total of $750,000, of which $670,000 was donated by the Rocky Mountain Nature Association, a nonprofit group formed in 1931 to assist with maintenance and improvements in the park. Another $80,000 came from park-visitor fees and other sources.
Fall foliage is reaching its peak in the park and should be in full color for another 10 days. The mating season for the park’s elk herds also is nearing its peak, with bugling elk seen and heard from many of the park’s roadside stops.
Staff writer Mike McPhee can be reached at mmcphee@denverpost.com or by calling 303-954-1409.
