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It is believed that accommodations for visitors on the north rim should take the form of camps rather than hotels. This area should be kept exclusively for the benefit of nature lovers and for those who are willing to forego such conveniences as room with bath in order to visit it.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK, COLO.

The year in Rocky Mountain National Park has been successful in many ways. The summer weather was unusually clear and free from rain. In spite of the dryness, no serious forest fires occurred. Travel through the gates showed an increase, but some of the hotel proprietors are of the opinion that people are not making as long stays as formerly, but seem more interested in touring from place to place. There was no fatal accident during the year.

Nature-guide service continues success

The nature-guide service, begun last year, was continued with a large measure of success. It met with favorable comment and requests that the service be continued and expanded. The objects include public education along the lines of protection and conservation, and a stimulation of the interest of visitors in the plant and animal life of the park.

Winter sports developing

The usual winter sports were carried on at Fern Lake. Some ski and toboggan courses were constructed near Estes Park and a tournament was held during March. There are great possibilities for the future development of winter sports in this region.

Record fish planting

The Estes Park fish hatchery, which is operated by the State of Colorado, received its usual supply of eggs from the State and, in addition, the United States Bureau of Fisheries furnished 200,000 Loch Leven eggs and 650,000 native (or blackspotted) trout eggs. The total number of eggs handled this year was 1,730,000, which is the largest number ever handled by this hatchery. This recordstocking of park waters assures excellent fishing for lovers of the sport.

Needs of the park

. It is hoped that before long all of the roads in the park will be widened to a safe passing width, that the present sharp turns may be widened, that the present steep grades may be reduced, and that permanent bridges of masonry construction may replace the present wooden structures.

There is need for the betterment of nearly all of the trails. This park is unusually well suited for development as a trail park, and will be used for this purpose by an increasing number of people if the more important trails are improved and a few additional trails are constructed.

The further development of camp ground is needed and it is planned to make some progress in this direction each year.

Quarters for road crews at various points in the park are greatly needed, as well as quarters for the clerical employees of the park. There is also need for a ranger station on the same site as the administration building, a stable at the utility site, and a community house at one of the camp grounds.

The educational work of the park would be greatly increased by the construction of a small museum, which could also serve as headquarters for the nature guide and information service.

The problem of snow removal from the Fall River road is still a serious one. It would be improved by the purchase of a steam shovel and by the construction of buildings near Fall River Pass, in which the workmen could be housed during the inclement weather that is encountered above timberline during the months of May and June.

You, yourself, Mr. Secretary, visited this park during the past season, and inspected some of its activities and noted its urgent need of development to safely accommodate the thousands of visitors who are resorting to it.

Some improvement of the Fall River Road accomplished

Last year the retaining walls collapsed at four points along the Fall River Road. This year the road has been widened at these places by excavation into rock. The retaining walls have been replaced with gravity slopes, and the road is now of adequate width at these points. During the winter two other retaining walls collapsed. One of these, 24 miles from Estes Park, was 17 feet high and 50 feet long. This wall has now been replaced with a masonry wall and the road also widened. At the other location, near Farview Point, the road has been widened but the wall has not as yet been replaced.

The Fall River Road is greatly in need of widening, in order that it may safely handle its heavy and increasing travel. A number of metal culverts have been placed this year and some surfacing has been done in the most necessary places.

Road to Bear Lake opens attractive region

Two years ago, sufficient work was done on the road to Bear Lake to make it barely passable for automobiles. This year additional work has been done, and the road is now being used very extensively by automobiles. A ranger station was built at this location last year. During the present year a trail from Bear Lake to Odessa Lake was constructed which is proving very popular. There is no question that the region around Bear Lake will receive an increasing number of visitors each year because of the many attractive trips that can be taken from that point. In order to keep pace with the demand the road must be further improved, a camp ground developed, more parking space provided, and additional trails constructed.

New administration building creditable addition

In October, 1923, the headquarters of Rocky Mountain National Park were transferred to the new administration building, which was constructed by the National Park Service on a lot presented to

the Government by the Estes Park Woman's Club. This building is a very creditable and useful addition to the park development.

A year-round utility site purchased

The appropriation for 1924 included a provision for the purchase of land. One tract obtained under this appropriation comprises 20 acres for a utility site, and is located 2 miles from Estes Park, less than half a mile inside the park boundary. Heretofore the nearest accessible Government land on which shops, warehouses, stables, and road camps could be located, was 6 or 7 miles distant from Estes Park and not accessible during the winter months. The new tract will be accessible every month in the year and will permit the grouping of shops and utility buildings at this central point.

During the year a machine shop was constructed, in which motor equipment may be overhauled during the winter months and kept in repair during the summer. A nine-stall shed garage has been constructed to shelter the motor equipment during the winter months. A warehouse is nearly completed and a mess house to be used by a road crew is under construction. This utility site will be an important factor in facilitating the efficient handling of construction and maintenance work in this park.

Additional camp grounds secured

The Rocky Mountain National Park has heretofore been handicapped by lack of public camp grounds. The 1924 appropriation also provided for the acquisition of private land for this purpose, and three tracts have been purchased, as follows:

Aspenglen camp ground, 41 acres, located 5 miles from Estes Park. A 19-acre tract, 81/2 miles from Estes Park, at the upper end of Horseshoe Park.

A 20-acre tract located 22 miles from Estes Park, south of the Highdrive and adjacent to the utility site.

During the present year, the Aspenglen camp site has been made accessible by a new road, and has been sufficiently developed to permit its use by the pubic. It is expected that one of the other camp grounds will be made available next season. These new camp sites will do much to add to the comfort and enjoyment of campers and will avoid the necessity of campers using private lands or camping along the roadside as they have heretofore done to a considerable

extent.

MOUNT RAINIER NATIONAL PARK, WASH.

The outstanding feature of the year's operations in Mount Rainier National Park was the opening of the Nisqually Road as far as Longmire during the winter months and the enthusiastic response to the service's first attempt at making the park a winter playground.

First winter season a success

As the result of a definite demand on the part of the public for entrance to the park during the winter months, the road from the entrance to Longmire was kept open by means of a snow-plow attachment operating ahead of a caterpillar tractor.

Accommodations were provided at National Park Inn by the park operator. A one-track toboggan slide, skis, snowshoes, and other equipment for snow sports were provided. Nearly 10,000 people visited the park attracted by the opportunity for winter sports. It was demonstrated that the Nisqually Road as far as Longmire can be kept open during the winter without great difficulty and with little expense. Situated as it is, within three or four hours" comfortable automobile drive from Puget Sound cities, Mount Rainier National Park is destined to become a famous winter resort. Toward the end of last season many visitors left their homes in the morning and driving in entire comfort to Longmire Springs, hiked to Paradise Valley, arriving in time for lunch and after several hours' enjoyment of snow sports, such as tobogganing, skiing, snowshoeing, etc., hiked back to Longmire and drove to their homes in time for dinner.

Nisqually Road finally opened to two-way traffic

For the first time in the history of the park the Nisqually road from park entrance to Paradise Valley was opened on June 25 to unrestricted traffic. With the elimination of the control system over the former one-way road, the time has been reduced from Puget Sound cities to Paradise Valley by fully one hour.

The popularity of Mount Rainier National Park is now firmly established and the right of visitors to adequate provisions for the enjoyment of its beauties can not be denied. The greatest need of the park is an extension of its highways. Paradise Valley, but one of a number of equally beautiful Alpine parks, is at present the only locality of its type accessible to the average visitor. Many guests leave the park with the impression that when they have visited Paradise they have seen all there is to see in the park. With only 351⁄2 miles of road offered the automobilist who comes from great distances to enjoy the park and but 20 miles of that in one continuous stretch, it is no wonder that the New York Times insisted that such mileage was not enough to induce the eastern visitor to put himself out to visit the park. The building of roads, the enlargement of camp ground facilities, and an increase in the ranger force in order to care for the park and give proper service and information to visitors are the greatest needs of the park.

Business depression undoubtedly affected eastern travel, although Ohio, New York, Massachusetts, and Illinois were within the 10 leading States in number of visitors. Bad weather conditions on a number of week-ends affected local travel. Despite these adversities, the travel increase continued.

Inadequate camp grounds

The tremendous increase in the number of persons using the public camp grounds has taxed facilities entirely beyond the park's ability to accommodate them. Fully 90 per cent of the park visitors desired to camp in the public camp grounds.

Visitors upon paying their entrance fee feel that they are entitled to adequate camping facilities and are disappointed, if not actually angry, at the paucity of accommodations offered them. Continued inadequacy can not help but react in a way unfavorable to the best interests of the service.

On week-end and holiday periods there has been a congestion in all camps to the extent that not over 40 per cent of the campers could be comfortably accommodated. The simple requirements of the camper-water, wood, and sanitary facilities-should by all means be provided. During these periods hundreds of visitors were not able to find space in Paradise large enough to pitch their tents and as a consequence many of these people left the park to camp at the roadside campgrounds outside the reservation. The camp grounds at White River, Carbon River, and at Longmire Springs are only to a slightly lesser extent inadequate. A community building with a large room and fireplace to provide shelter in stormy weather and at the same time serve as a meeting place for campers and others who use the camp grounds should be built at each camp ground. The building will serve as a camp headquarters and provide a place for camp-fire meetings, lectures, and other forms of entertainment by the nature-guide service.

Educational service

Beginning in 1922 the nature-guide service offered an opportunity to visitors for nature study. With only one man in charge of this educational work it has become the most appreciated of any service provided. Daily nature walks by the park naturalist and his assistant and illustrated lectures at night have proved popular both at Paradise and Longmire Springs. An average of from 40 to 60 people made the daily trips, accompanied by nature guides who explained the natural features of the park. This work has grown to à point where it should be recognized by adequate financial provisions for the purchase of lanterns and slides.

Road improvements

The widening work on the Nisqually Road progressed to the point where that road could be opened and operated for two-way traffic its entire length. Four bridges, numerous culverts and drainage ditches, further widening of narrow places, as well as surfacing are required before the road can be completed. The contractor completed his work on the Carbon River Road, 8 miles in length, from the entrance to a point a mile from the Carbon Glacier. The upper 3 miles of this road was constructed as a one-way road. Due to damage caused by floods of last February this road was not in good condition. Before repairs can be made it is necessary to construct considerable revetment work to protect the lower section of the road from encroachment by the river. This work will be done during the fall of 1924. Once protected, work may be continued on repairing the damage and surfacing of the entire road. About a mile of the county approach road has never been completed and it is hindering travel. It is hoped that before next season Pierce County can make the road passable, so that the Carbon River section will be accessible.

The White River Road suffered serious damage from the floods of last February, necessitating expenditure of over $3,000 emergency funds, in addition to the maintenance funds, in order to open it to automobile traffic. This road is located for part of its length along

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