In this episode we’re going to explore Estes Park’s indigenous history. The town as we know it may have been founded in the 1800s by Joel Estes, Griff Evans and others, but its roots go back far longer. For thousands of years the Ute, Arapaho, Cheyenne and other Native American tribes traversed this valley and the high country of Rocky Mountain National Park for seasonal hunting and plant gathering. For them, this land is more than just beautiful views, it is part of who they are.

In 1914, while lobbying for the formation of Rocky Mountain National Park, a group of Arapaho elders joined a very special pack trip in order to record the indigenous names of local landmarks – the mountains, rivers and valleys. 

Now, more than 100 years later, the spirit of that trip is being expanded with a new project, called indigenous connections, which seeks to improve visitor education about native history and present day uses of the area. And that project has far reaching implications for tribal peoples across the country as we reshape our understanding of what national parks are and should be.