The majestic Rocky Mountains are a major tourist location in the western United States. The Rocky Mountain are a major mountain range in western North America. The mountains stretch more than 3,000 miles from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States. within the North American Cordillera, the Rockies are somewhat distinct from the Pacific Coast Ranges and The Cascada Range and Sierra Nevada which all lie further to the west.
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| Hiking vacation in Rocky Mountain National Park By Dennis Flood |
History
The Rocky Mountains were initially formed from 80 million to 55 million years ago during the Laramide orogeny, in which a number of plates began to slide underneath the North American Plate. The angle of subduction was shallow, resulting in a broad belt of mountains running down western North America. Since then, futher tectonic activity and erosion by glaciers have sculpted the Rockies into dramatic peaks and valleys. At the end of the last ice age, humans started to inhabit the mountain range. After europeans, such as Sir Alexander Mackenzie and Americans, such as the Lewis and Clark expedition, started to explore the range, minerals and furs drove the initial economic exploitation of the mountains, although the range itself never became densely populated.
Indigenous People
Since the last great ice age, the Rocky Mountains were home first to indigenous peoples including the Apache, Arapaho, Bannock, Blackfoot, Cheyenne, Crow Nation, Flathead, Shoshone, Sioux, Ute, Kutenai, Dunne-za, Sekani and others.
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| A photo of wickiups, conical shape dwellings used by the Ute mountain Ute Tribes. |
Paleo indians hunted the now extinct mammoth and ancient bison in the foothills and valleys of the mountains. Like the modern tribes that followed them, Paleo-indians probably migrated to the plains in fall and winter for bison and to the mountains in spring and summer for fish, deer, elk, roots, and berries.
Tourism in Rocky Mountains.
Currently, much of the mountain range is protected by public parks and forest lands, and is a popular tourist destination. Visitor can participate in a quantity of activities, including hiking, skiing, snowboarding, mountain biking, and plenty of more.
The rockies are home to several campgrounds, ghost towns, gold prospecting sites and national parks. A quantity of the biggest tourist attractions in the rockies are Pike´s Peak and Royal Gorge. There are several world famous national parks in the rockies, including
Yellowstone, Rockie Mountain, Grand Teton and Glacier.
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| Rocky Mountain National Park |
About everyone will find something to enjoy on a Rocky Mountain holiday. Aside from all of the great outdoor activities, the rockies have a quantity of other attractions as well. The
Telluride Film Festival is a prestigious yearly event that attracts a quantity of the biggest stars in Hollywood to a small Colorado town. Plenty of
Smoky Mountain resorts offer spa treatments and other relaxing diversions.
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| Hiker at Longs Peak. Photo by Jon Dorn |
The Rockies are a tourist attraction all year round. The summer months are warn, with the average temperature reaching 82 degrees Fahrenheit. January is the coldest month, with an average temperature 7 of degrees Fahrenheit. The year- round average temperature is a brisk 43 degrees, a perfect temperature for plenty of outdoor activities. There is a plethora of lodging options in the Rocky Mountains. Travelers can camp, visit RV park, stay in hotels or ski resorts, or lodge in distinctive cabins and chalets. Vacationers on any type of budget will be able to find an affordable place to stay.
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| Rocky Moutain lion |
Every year the scenic areas and recreational opportunities of the Rocky Mountains draw millions of tourists. The main language of the Rocky Mountains is English. But there are also linguistic pockets of Spanish and indigenous languages. French is another official language in Canada´s National Parks.
Examples of tourist attractions are:
- Pikes Peak (USA)
- Royal Gorge (USA)
- Rocky Mountain National Park (USA)
- Yellowstone National Park (USA)
- Grand Teton National Park (USA)
- Banff National Park (Canada)
- Jasper National Park (Canada)
- Kootnay National Park (Canada)
- Waterton Lakes National Park (Canada)
- Yoho National Park (Canada)
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