On our last day in Estes Park, we decided to tour the historical Stanley Home, where the family had lived that established the Stanley Hotel. The tour was a historical treat, fascinating, and informative. We thought nothing further that day would be able to top that experience.
Then as we started towards the car, we noticed an elk grazing not far away. Soon it was joined by a second one and then a third. We watched in amazement as they casually grazed, paying us little attention.
Across from the parking lot, three fawns rested or grazed beneath a pine tree. Not far away, the large, bull elk pictured above peacefully surveyed the situation. We were happy to keep our distance, however, since we certainly didn’t want to test the limits of his tolerance.
Curiously, this splendid creature and all the others we saw descended from elk transport to the Estes Park basin in the early 20th century in modified Stanley Mountain Wagons which were steam powered. By the 1880’s the native elk herds had been hunted to extinction. Elk refuges were established, and thanks to the efforts of the Stanley family and many others, a population of around 3,000 elk now thrive around Estes Park and in Rocky Mountain National Park.
#elk #stanleyhomemuseum #stanleymountainwagon #rockymountainnationalpark
Eskildoodle Photos and Feelings 