About this property
The Fern Lake Trail in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, runs 4.8 miles (7.7 km) from Moraine Park in the eastern part of the park westward to Fern Lake, the first portion of the trail following the course of the Big Thompson River. The trail was first informally established in the late 1880s as a way to get to "The Pool," a wide spot in the Big Thompson where a small lodge predated the 1915 establishment of the park. The trail was improved by the Estes Park Protective and Improvement Association between 1907 and 1912, with a new bridge at The Pool. Two years later the trail was rebuilt to maintain no more than a 10% grade and to provide better access to Fern and Marguerite Falls. In the 1920s Fern Lake became a popular winter destination for skiing, complete with a lodge. From 1933 the trail was rebuilt over three years with Civilian Conservation Corps labor, building retaining walls and adjusting the trail's alignment. The Forest Inn at The Pool closed in 1951, and Fern Lake Lodge closed in 1960. Folksinger Judy Collins and her then-husband Peter Taylor ran the lodge in the summer of 1958, welcoming hikers a respite from the trail. It was demolished by the Park Service in 1968 as they eliminated concessions within the park. The trail is notable for its association with early tourism development in the park and for its Civilian Conservation Corps-executed construction. The Fern Lake Trail was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 28, 2005.
Location
Categories
Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).
Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Everything a full report reveals about Fern Lake Trail
This page lists Fern Lake Trail. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Questions about this property
When was Fern Lake Trail listed on the National Register?
Fern Lake Trail was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 28, 2005.
What type of historic resource is Fern Lake Trail?
Fern Lake Trail is classified as a structure in the National Register of Historic Places.
What is the period of significance for Fern Lake Trail?
The period of significance for Fern Lake Trail is recorded as the civil_war era.
Can I research the history near Fern Lake Trail?
Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Fern Lake Trail will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
More in Larimer County
Historic places, battles, and census history across Larimer County.
Explore LarimerCounty ›More historic places in Colorado
Browse all historic places in Colorado.
View Coloradohistoric sites ›Research the history near this site
An Aubrey US report for an address near Fern Lake Trail will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.