Year: 1878

OAApscc VI 4dlTy Aanu.


BEAUTIFUL PHENOMENA IN ESTES PARK. col.


Emerging from the labarynth of pine,
we find ourselves upon level stretch of
country, some three-quarters of a mile
long by a half mile in width, and studded
with small trees and slender piles of rock
that form wonderfully picturesque group
ings. A little farther, and we come upon
a scene quite remarkable in its grander
etects-lines of spruce trees running in
all directions, and so amazingly uniform
as to make it appear scarcely possible that
the hand of man had naught TO do with
the landscape. These trees are the cone
shaped spruce, their branches commenc-
ing within six inches of the earth, and
tapering in absolutely perfect symmetry
to the topmost spear. They run almost
altogether in lines of single trees, and
each row graded on marvelously even
incline, from height of three or four feet
to forty or fifty. The ground all around
and about is literally carpeted with flow
ers of the rarest beauty and fragrance.
A hundred yards to the left is Emma
Lake covering some FIVE acres, the water
very clear and deep, and constantly added
to by the volume of a sparkling cascade
at the head, and which suddenly springs
forth from among the trees. The trail
runs on through three diminutive parks.
circumventing great walls of rock, aud
over grass of luxuriant depth. A half
mile from Emma Lake is Clara Lake, and,
to get glimpses of its gorgeous wealth and
purity, one has to climb a perpendicular
wall of boulders forty feet or more, and is
so surprised upon reaching the summit to
find the water on level with the eve as
to almost fall over backward. On the one
side is a sharp ledge and wall of rock, and
upon the other long lines Of graceful trees.
Scrambling over the stones, we soon come
upon a sight rivalling the most bewilder-
ingly beautiful Of dream-land pictures, or
the most bewitehing fancies of fairy tales.
An immense bank or drift of snow as seen
from above; a grotto as seen from the level
Of the water, four or five feet in height, a
hundred and fifty feet or more in depth,
and twenty to thirty feet in width. From
the roof hang long, slender icicles, glitter
ing like so many diamonds; between them
are pendent fringes of incrusted snow, and
most wonderful of all is the bed of this
exquisitely appointed grotto, one ravish-
ingly beautiful mass of white flowers in
full bloom, summer smiling upon winter.
Clara Lake contains from twelve to fifteen
acres, and passing on a few rods we are
at the head of the divide, on a level with
the timber line, and IL 800 feet above the
sea. Going out upon a rocky ledge, we
look back over the tree tops and down
upon Estes Park, with Longs Peak now
appearing grand beyond expression on the
right, and Mount Olympus in front.
Down a gentle slope of 500 feet to Roar
ing river, and crossing it we go up the op-
pOsite side, over bridges of snow, and un-
derneath wh'1n the waters rush and roar
in tremendous fury. Three quarters of
mile, aad Lawn Lake is reached, a charm
ing body of water at the head of broad,
sweeping lawn, the lake covering an area
a mile and a-half long by three-quarters
of mile wide. To the north half-mile
is MacGregor Park, its precipitous crest
full 5000 feet above us. From its high
est crag we command a magnificent view
of North Park and the illimitable plains,
and with our field glasses we can distin-
guish Laramie City, untold miles away.
The Rocky Mountain Tourist.