Art & Stories of Rocky Mountain National Park: A Behind-the-Scenes Tour

Explore the variety of art found throughout Rocky Mountain National Park and learn some of the history and untold stories about the artists who created those pieces, and their connection to this special place. This all day program will include stops to see work from Rocky's "Artist in Residence" collection, the chance to learn about journalist and writer William Allen White, and a visit to the park's main visitor center with an eye towards art and architecture. This tour will include some behind the scenes aspects of art in the park!

Who: Participants ages 16 and up.

Program level: Easy – Appropriate for most participants. Expect frequent short walks with ample breaks. Participants will be walking on paved or hardened surfaces with moderate slopes and occasional stairs. Participants may travel in vehicles to elevations above 12,000 feet. Wheelchair accessible transportation is available upon request.

This program is entirely field based.

When: Thursday, September 18, 2025 from 9:00am to 3:00pm

Where: Meet at the Fall River Visitor Center, 3450 Fall River Road, Estes Park, CO 80517, and travel together to various locations within RMNP in Conservancy vehicles. All required fees and permits for park entry are included in your registration.

What to Bring:

• 10 Essentials for Field Institute Courses

About Your Instructor: Kim Swift is a retired National Park Service interpreter and educator with 32 years of experience. She worked for three years as the Division Manager for Interpretation and Education at Rocky Mountain National Park. Previously she served at Indiana Dunes National Park as the Director of Education. She began her career as a Peace Corps volunteer in Papua New Guinea; learned about the National Park Service as a Student Conservation Association intern at Shenandoah National Park; joined the team at Indiana Dunes in 1992 as an interpretive park ranger; hopscotched through the ranks of interpretation over the course of 25 years in a variety of roles, always focusing on visitor services and education as the path to saving the world. She has a master’s degree in Parks and Recreation Management and a bachelor’s degree in Photojournalism.

Refund Policy:

Cancellations made more than 30 days prior to the start of the course are eligible for a full refund. Cancellations made fewer than 30 days in advance are not eligible for a refund.

Our programs proceed rain or shine, and participants should be prepared for inclement weather. However, should we decide to cancel a program due to unsafe weather or emergency conditions, we will notify participants by email and automatically issue full refunds.

Conservancy members get 10% off individual registration when you use the discount code in your membership email! Limit 2 per membership.

Not a member of the Conservancy? Learn more and join here:

If you have questions about this course, please contact the Field Institute by email at [email protected] or by phone at 970-586-3262.

Host or Publisher Rocky Mountain Conservancy Education Team