Rocky Mountain National Park and the Grand County Tourism Board Gear Up for 100 Year Anniversary Celebration

Festivities start September 3, 2014 and continue through September 4, 2015

GRAND COUNTY, Colo—Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) is celebrating its centennial anniversary in September of 2015, but the activities and programs that will commemorate this special birthday will begin a full year in advance. From Centennial Hikes to geo-caching adventures, it's the perfect time to visit one of Colorado's most beloved national treasures.

The Opening Ceremonies launch with the Picnic In the Park in Hidden Valley in RMNP on September 3 from 1 p.m. - 3 p.m. and continue with a Kick-Off Ice Cream Social on September 4 from 1 p.m. - 3 p.m. at Holzwarth Historic Site. Then, over the course of the next year, the schedule of events will consist of year-round activities that will continue until September 2015 as well as date-specific events that range from active to artistic. It's an exciting year of events for the Rocky Mountain National Park, so mark your calendars to be part of the festivities.

Active

The best way to explore RMNP is by experiencing it firsthand. The Colorado Mountain Club, which was instrumental in the formation of the RMNP 100 years ago, is celebrating the RMNP Centennial by offering member-led climbs of 100 of the 125 named peaks, hike packages that combined total 100 miles in the Park and wildflower hikes led by Colorado Native Plant Masters. The YMCA of the Rockies is also offering educational excursions into the backcountry starting in September.

Grand Lake will feature a self-guided walking tour entitled "Then and Now," which starts at the Grand Lake Chamber and Visitor Center and highlights many of the locations that RMNP visitors have enjoyed throughout the years. For the treasure hunters in the group, the Grand Lake Geo-cache Adventure lets guests explore through a GPS treasure hunt, with caches containing 100th Anniversary wooden coins hidden through the Grand Lake area.

Artistic

Rocky Mountain National Park has been inspiring artists of all disciplines for years, from oil painting to sculpture. Throughout the next year, there are a wide variety of artistic events and opportunities that showcase just how “picture perfect” this area can be.

Plein Air, which is a French expression that refers to painting in the outdoors, is one of the most popular ways to capture the beauty of nature. From September 21 -30, 2014, Grand Lake Village will host Paint Something Grand, where visitors can enjoy a week of observing plein air painters in the Village as well as art workshops. The Rocky Mountain Plein Air Paint Out and Show will take place September 17-28, 2014 with artists painting throughout the RMNP; visitors can view the finished works in the Fall River Visitor Center.

 For younger visitors, the 100th Anniversary Children's Coloring Map (complete with crayons) will help illustrate the west side of Rocky Mountain National Park and teach unique details of the park's history.

These are just a few of the many activities that will be occurring over the next year. In addition to these year-round and date specific events, RMNP will also be hosting Centennial Celebration Seminars, a Centennial Speakers series and culinary events. The Centennial Calendar of Events is still in the planning stages and all events are subject to change. Keep checking back for updated event information.

Check out Grand County's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/grandcountycolorado and follow @grandcountyco on Twitter or www.pinterest.com/grandcountyco/ on Pinterest.

About Grand County, Colo. (www.visitgrandcounty.com)

Located 67 miles west of Denver, Grand County is home to wide-open spaces, breathtaking mountain scenery and authentic old-west towns. Outdoor recreational activities include golf, boating, fishing, biking, hiking, fishing, hunting, horseback riding, skiing, cross country skiing, snowmobiling, ice fishing, sleigh rides and tubing. The area features more than 600 miles of mapped and marked trails, one national park, two national forests, two wilderness areas, two national scenic byways, two major ski resorts, five world-class dude ranches and four mountain golf courses. Grand County's extensive water network includes Colorado's largest natural lake, 1,000 miles of streams, 1,000 acres of high-mountain lakes and 11,000 acres of reservoirs.

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