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Sample Rocky Mountain National
Park
Information From
"A
Guide to Colorado's Best Photography Locations"
Rocky Mountain National Park
is enormous and takes considerable time to travel. This guide will help
you locate its most photogenic sites. It's ideal for someone on a
limited
schedule.
Sprague Lake is easy to find and requires only a
stroll across level
ground to photograph. Many published images of RMNP are taken here. The
image most often captured positions the lake in the foreground with a
background
of majestic, snow-capped mountains; many also include a small rock
poking
out of the water on the east side of the lake. Dawn is usually the best
time to shoot here. As the sun rises over the eastern plains, the
towering
mountains of the park seize the day's first light and display a pinkish
glow called "alpen glow". Directions: To find Sprague Lake from
Estes Park, enter RMNP at the Beaver Meadows Entrance, take the first
left
turn, Bear Lake Road, and drive approximately 6 miles. At the sign to
Sprague
Lake, turn left and follow this road about 1/3 mile to the parking lot.
Follow the trail approximately 70 yards to the lake; proceed in either
direction around the lake to the opposite side (about a 10-minute
walk),
where you'll find a small bridge crossing the stream that flows out of
the lake.
Time and again, I've set up to photograph at Sprague Lake only to turn around and find an astonishing shot in the opposite direction. The lesson: Try to anticipate your shot, but continuously absorb the surroundings for other possibilities, especially at sunrise and sunset.
It's very common to see wildlife in Rocky Mountain National Park. One June day a friend and I were photographing sunset at Sprague Lake and were amazed to see an elk standing in the water; they don't normally wade waist deep into lakes. We happened to be walking along a trail which led us near its position. Since elk are common in the park, close encounters are frequent so we paid little attention to our proximity. When we reached the point where there was no vegetation between us and the animal, our new, uncomfortably close viewing revealed it was in fact a bull moose. He stopped chewing and stared at us in a manner that suggested we keep moving. We were eager to oblige. You do not want to crowd a moose; they are unpredictable and can be very aggressive. When annoyed, they may kick, stomp, and trample you. We were extremely surprised to see a moose here as they typically inhabit the Kawuneeche Valley on the western side of the park.
Time and again, I've set up to photograph at Sprague Lake only to turn around and find an astonishing shot in the opposite direction. The lesson: Try to anticipate your shot, but continuously absorb the surroundings for other possibilities, especially at sunrise and sunset.
It's very common to see wildlife in Rocky Mountain National Park. One June day a friend and I were photographing sunset at Sprague Lake and were amazed to see an elk standing in the water; they don't normally wade waist deep into lakes. We happened to be walking along a trail which led us near its position. Since elk are common in the park, close encounters are frequent so we paid little attention to our proximity. When we reached the point where there was no vegetation between us and the animal, our new, uncomfortably close viewing revealed it was in fact a bull moose. He stopped chewing and stared at us in a manner that suggested we keep moving. We were eager to oblige. You do not want to crowd a moose; they are unpredictable and can be very aggressive. When annoyed, they may kick, stomp, and trample you. We were extremely surprised to see a moose here as they typically inhabit the Kawuneeche Valley on the western side of the park.
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