October 11, 2011 - Rocky Mountain National Park

We drove up to Rocky Mountain National Park today.

First we stopped at the Fall River Visitor Center.

They had nice displays like this one inside.

Fall colors were visible from the back deck of the visitor center.

A telephoto of the aspens in fall colors.

Then up into the park where the weather wasn't cooperating.  But we did see some nice views like this.

Everyone was stopped and looking at this meadow.  What were they seeing?

On the far left was this elk.

To that elk's right were these two other elk.

But over to the right was this group, which looked like a harem for the big buck in the middle.

A close-up crop of the big male.

Then we drove around and were looking down at the same meadow.

A telephoto shows the "harem" again from the other side.

A crop of the above photo showing the buck towards the left.

While at this viewpoint we talked to a nice man from Australia that has now visited all 50 states and also 48 countries.  When he heard we were from Washington he picked our brain since that will be the last state he will be in during this trip.

We got sleeted on so we moved on.  Here is a view showing something coming down, maybe more sleet.

Then we exited the national park and had a very nice Indian/Nepalese lunch at Nepal Cafe in Estes Park. 

Seen in a store window in Estes Park:

Estes Park has some interesting sights like this sculpture close to the Nepal Cafe:

After lunch we took the advice of Larry and Karen Miller and headed for Glen Haven for cinnamon rolls.  Looking back on the road to Glen Haven we could make out Estes Park and see storms over the national park.

A telephoto of the storm over the park.

We picked up two cinnamon rolls, one for Juanita and Gordon and one for ourselves here in Glen Haven:

Afterwards we headed back to the campground.

The weather is supposed to be better later in the week so we will come back to the national park.

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