The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-07-10
COLORADO PARK IS
 NOW IN L|ME[|GH1 Movement to Have It Made
 National Park IS IN ROCKY MOUNTAINS Located Fifty Miles From Denver Estes Park Is r:eariy In Geo. graphical Center of United
 States
IS IN ROCKY MOUNTAINS
BY ARyINE W. sOWERS


 uer rivaling the most famous sections of the Alps, Estes park in Colorado IS Just now very much In the national limelight by reason of the movement inaugurated In Denver to have 1t made national park and game preserve by Congress.
 Located 50 miles northwest of Denver in the Rocky mountains, Estes park Is nearly in the geographical center of the United States The park proper is 12 miles long and from one to three miles wide The proposed area of the new park is 42 miles east and west by "A miles north and south.
 The new area is principally mountain | jus Aside from the desire to include thls wonderful mountain scenery, an extensive area is necessary for the protection ol the animals and birds that move up ana down and across the mountains In wloe range of territory Such animals as the mountain sheep and mountain goat are becoming extinct and can be found now only in the highest and most inaccesslple attitudes where the foot of man rareiy treads. With proper protection these ahi- mals would undoubtedly become as num- erous as In the days when the western boundary of civilization was along the eastern edge Of the great plains.
 No part of this region Is below an alti- tude of 1000 feet, and many of the peaks are from Il 0OO to more than l4,0O0 feet above the level of the sea. Long's peak, one of the most famous mountains on the American continent, whose snow-covered crest rises to an altitude of l4,Z76 feet, is the commanding giant of all of the other peaks in the park
 Upward of 1000 varieties of wild flowers are found in the park, and birds or pril- liant plumage as well many species of sweet-throated songsters have their habitat in this wonderful region created by the artistic hand of nature. Wander or climb where you will the beautiful wild flowers greet you. Ihe orchid, tiger lily, blazing star, silver ana blue columbine, buttercup, mariposa lily and wild red rose are only few Of the vast number of floral beauties, At times the park Is a variable flower garden.
 Deer are seen frequently, but elk and bear are scarce. The coyote fox, beaver, mink. porcupine chipmunk. cotton tail and snowshoe rabbit are numerous. At present hunting is permitted under the regulation of state laws. Under gov ernment supervision hunting would be ao- solutely prohibited, and such animals as deer and elk would not be at the mercy of the hunter, even for short period as now, and would be given chance to null tply in great numbers Predatory anl- mals would be slaughtered by federal hunters as protection to the stock be- longing to settlers, whose lands are within or adjoining the park.
 The streams are alive with speckled and rainbow trout and they are kept well stocked from the fish hatchery which the state maintains In the park. More than 100000 small trout are placed in these streams annually.
 Lakes upon which ice floats in mas sive cakes in midsummer are among the unique attractions. but they are common compared with the immense glaciers. Great masses of ice and snow are these glaciers, some Of them mile long and 800 feet tall and more ancient than the relics of past ages In the old world. How many thousands of years they have been moving from their starting point at pace slower | than a snail, Is beyond the knowledge | of man. They are remnants of mammoth | ice fields upon which the traveller may | gaze and marvel
 l Estes Park Is easy of access. Two | railroads run to points within a few miles of the entrance. A ride of about twenty-two miles from either point l takes the traveller to Estes Park post office which Is situated well within the park. Both of these roads are Ideal 1 for automobiles.
 | What strange contrasts are present. ed on an automobile trip from Denver to Estes park The route out of Colo rado's capital city lies through the great Northern Colorado farming dis trict, one of the largest irrigated sec tons in the world, embracing more than nine hundred thousand acres. There are half 0 dozen prosperous cit
 ies in this district and the area Is un- | der a high state of cultivation. Nine | of the sixteen beat sugar factories of l Colorado are located in this section.
 The effort being made to have Estes l Park established as national pre-
 serve are in the interest of the entire nation Irrigation Is retaining the
 vast acreage of the plains, the valleys
 and the mesas. Huge reservoirs are
 being constructed to store the floof
 waters of the mountain streams. In the | midst of all this industrial activity Hes Estes Park and the surrounding noun
 tains-grand, sublime, inspiring. It i'
 truly Natures own playground
 After leaving the open country anc plunging into the foothills, the ap' | proach to the park is through deep rocky canyons and up steep, winding
 roadways Arriving at the entrance tt
 the park an irregular depression
 stretches away before the vision. Th'
 surrounding mountains are covered
 with pine and spruce trees while her'
 and there rocky points and cliffs pro
 trude upward in picturesque relief. Or
 the west the continental divide form:
 a foreground to the great snowy range the lofty peaks of which rise majesti cally into the clouds
 This is only vista and does not re
 veal the hidden canyons and gorges beautiful waterfalls, cold. sil ent lake! lying in the shadows of bleak preci pices in high altitudes-ice fields, col
 ored cliffs, wild cataracts and boulde
 fields that are found in this enchantc'
 region.
 Such is Estes Park. Weird, sublime
 picturesquie, beautiful-a composit
 picture that only a hand stretched ou | from limitless space could create. In establishing the new national parl no property is to be bought or sold bu considerable government land will en ter into the making. Mining and pros pecting may continue as at,present, tn cutting of timber may continue unde forest service regulations and grazin is to be permitted, but restricted { local stock. In other words the par Is to continue as it is today. but it primitive glory Is to be preserved flo the enjoyment of prosperity and II harmless animals and beautiful an
 strange birds protected from wanto
 destruction.
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