onal park was created;
Estes Park and Allen's Park on the east side, and Grand Lake on the west
side lie just outside the park boundaries, purposely excluded because of
their considerable areas of privately owned land. Estes Park, the
principal village and the distributing centre of all incoming routes
from the east, is the Eastern Gateway; Grand Lake is the Western
Gateway.

And still there is another distinction, one which will probably always
hold for Rocky Mountain its present great lead in popularity. That is
its position nearer to the middle of the country than other great
national parks, and its accessibility from large centres of population.
Denver, which claims with some justice the title of Gateway to the
National Parks, meaning of course the eastern gateway to the western
parks, is within thirty hours by rail from Chicago and St. Louis,
through one or other of which most travellers from the east find it
convenient to reach the west. It is similarly conveniently located for
touring motorists, with whom all the national parks are becoming ever
more popular. From Denver several railroads lead to east-side towns,
from which the park is reached by motor stages through the foothills,
and a motor stage line runs directly from Denver to Estes Park,
paralleling the range. The west side is reached through Granby.

III

Entry to the park by any route is dramatic. If the visitor comes the
all-motor way through Ward he picks up the range at Arapaho Peak, and
follows it closely for miles. If he comes by any of the rail routes, his
motor stage emerges from the foothills upon a sudden spectacle of
magnificence--the snowy range, its highest summits crowned with cloud,
looming upon the horizon across the peaceful plateau. By any route the
appearance of the range begins a panorama of ever-changing beauty and
inspiration, whose progress will outlive many a summer's stay.

Having settled himself in one of the hotels or camps of the east-side
plateau, the visitor faces the choice between two practical ways of
enjoying himself. He may, as the majority seem to prefer, spend his
weeks in the simple recreations familiar in our eastern hill and country
resorts; he may motor a little, walk a little, fish a little in the Big
Thompson and its tributaries, read and botanize a little in the meadows
and groves, golf a little on the excellent courses, climb a little on
the lesser mountains, and dance or play bridge in hotel parlors at