Why Is Rocky Mountain National Park so Extraordinary?
Rocky Mountain National Park in October ©Huston 2022 Introduction In the 1800s people started noticing a piece of land found in Wyoming and the borders of Montana and Idaho that was unlike anything previously seen in the United States. This land was so indescribable that people in Washington D.C. did not believe it existed. After an expedition took place, people brought proof back to President Grant and he established Yellowstone National Park –the first National Park–in 1872. While Grant set this aside originally, congress is the one who set aside the land for national parks now. Since 1872 there have been 62 other National Parks established in the United States. Colorado is home to four national parks; Mesa Verde, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Great Sand Dunes, and Rocky Mountai n National Park. In an interview with Dr. Leslie Mikesell, she describes what a national park is. “Property and land that has been set aside by the people. Set aside for inspirational, educational, and