Rocky's Forests: Stories of the Past and the Future

Join us for this exclusive chance to get to know the trees and forests of Rocky Mountain National Park!

With hands-on exploration, we'll learn about both the diverse tree species in each area and the wildlife that can be found in each. Climate change and wildfire bring challenges to all of these forests - we'll investigate the park's plans to manage these complex communities.

Who: Participants ages 16 and up.

Program level: Moderate – These programs are most appropriate for those with some hiking experience. Expect to travel 1-2 miles over the course of the program and to be on your feet for several hours at a time. Participants should be comfortable navigating both maintained trails and unmaintained meadows or grassy areas. Prior experience hiking or walking above 8,000 feet is recommended.

This program has a classroom session and a field session.

When: Wednesday, July 16, 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: Kathy Brazelton is recently retired from Rocky Mountain National Park, having been a National Park Service ranger for over 33 years at 6 NPS areas, holding positions in Interpretation, Law Enforcement, and Resource Management. She holds a B.S. in Forestry/Outdoor Recreation with a minor in Natural Resources Management from Colorado State University, and an M.S. from Southern Oregon State University in Outdoor Education with a minor in Plant Ecology.

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