Fall snow drifts across Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. By now, Dream Lake, Bear Lake and Emerald Lake are frozen, but the frosty beauty of these areas still draw hikers throughout the winter. Swirling clouds and cracked ice make gorgeous pictures, but please be safe and carry the proper gear. Photo by Carlton Fuqua (www.sharetheexperience.org).

A lavender sunrise reveals the marbled and cracked surface of Dream Lake at Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. If not for the chill, this would be the most beautiful floor in the world. Photo courtesy of Eric Schuette.

On this day in 1915, Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado officially became a national park. Even in cold weather, you can explore the park’s spectacular mountain environments by snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, sledding and wildlife watching. In fact, winter is an especially good time to look for elk, mule deer, moose and other large mammals. Sunrise photo of Dream Lake in 2014 by C. Brindle, National Park Service.

Happy 101st birthday, Rocky Mountain National Park. 🎊🎂🎉 On this day in 1915, this Colorado icon was established as a national park. Photo from Dream Lake by Malcolm Boshier (www.sharetheexperience.org).

A stunning ‪alpenglow ‎sunrise‬ over Dream Lake at Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. Photo by Malcolm Boshier (www.sharetheexerperience.org).