Junction US 87—Boulder—Lyons—Estes Park Village; 63.2 miles, State 7. Oil-processed roadbed.

This route, used chiefly as a short cut from central Colorado to Estes Park Village, traverses rich farming lands in Boulder Valley to reach the foothill country where ranching is the principal occupation. Ascending through colorful South St. Vrain Canyon, the highway terminates at the entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park.

State 7 branches west from US 87 (see Tour 13), 0 miles, 25 miles north of Denver (see Denver).

The highway pursues a straight course across low rolling hills dotted with farms, the majority under irrigation. The principal crops are alfalfa and small grains.

BOULDER, 9.5 miles (5,350 alt., 11,223 pop.) (see Boulder), is at the junction with State 119 (see Tour 6).

North of Boulder the highway follows a rapidly rising grade. Much of the country is included in the Colorado Game Preserve, and glimpses of wild life are frequent. Chipmunks, gophers, and black squirrels scamper along the roadside; occasionally a porcupine wanders among the pines. Although this large rodent frequents the mountain country, it is somewhat of a gypsy and is often found on the plains. Many have been encountered on Denver streets. Deer, singly or in groups, approach the highway to stare at motorists as they stop to photograph them.

The route crosses LEFT HAND CREEK, 18.3 miles, named for the Arapaho chief, Niwot (Ind. left hand), killed at Sand Creek (see Tour 8a). The valley here was settled shortly after the gold rush of 1859 by men who had become discouraged in their search for "color." As the country had no established courts, settlers worked out their own code for establishing titles to lands.

ALTONA, 18.5 miles (5,360 alt., 10 pop.), is the ghost of an ambitious project. The town was planned in the early 1860's as a mountain metropolis. Toll roads were to radiate from here to the more important mining camps. But the plan collapsed when a toll road was constructed from Boulder to the camps, and the railroads avoided the settlement.

Left from Altona on a graded road through rugged LEFT HAND GAP, across the boundary of ROOSEVELT NATIONAL FOREST (see Tour 2), 3.3 miles, to JAMESTONE, 8 miles (6,920 alt., 69 pop.), the supply base for mines along Jim Creek. The route continues through a country of impressive beauty to the junction with State 160 (see Tour 6), 14.5 miles

The ascending route is lined with massive slabs of vividly colored stone. The dark red sandstone, prominent in many mountain formations of the West and known as the Lyons formation, was first studied by geologists in this area.

At 25.1 miles is the junction with State 66.

Right on this improved road is an alternative and shorter route to Estes Park Village, 20 miles (see Tour 3 and Rocky Mountain National Park).

LYONS, 26.5 miles (5,375 alt., 567 pop.), a mining center, lumber camp, and cow town, was named for Mrs. Carrie Lyons, pioneer editor of the Lyons News.

West of Lyons the highway along the canyon of the South St. Vrain is bordered with small farms and ranches. The country becomes more rugged and sparsely settled as the route crosses the eastern boundary of ROOSEVELT NATIONAL FOREST, 29.5 miles, embracing Rocky Mountain National Park on three sides and forming part of the great Colorado State Game Refuge (see Tour 2).

The road reaches South St. Vrain Canyon and enters THE NARROWS, 30.1 miles, winding three miles between jagged cliffs. Where The Narrows open suddenly, rock-torn slopes, dark with evergreens, fall back on both sides of the route. The bed of the stream is strewn with rock fragments of grotesque shape. Around the base of ELEPHANT ROCK, 34.3 miles, a mammoth boulder, the stream is a brawling white torrent. Indians believed that in these rapids lurked the Underwater People, demons who dragged the unwary to their death.

Here, and along other noisy mountain streams, the American dipper, also known as the water ouzel, dives recklessly into the torrent for its dinner. Although its feet are not webbed, the dipper is as much at home in the water as a gull, using its strong wings for swimming. Their nests, resembling dutch ovens, are built in damp rock crevices.

The bronze MORE MEMORIAL PLAQUE, set in a slab of rock (L), 37.1 miles, bears the legend: "Daddy More (1846-1930). A friend to man." This simple tribute was paid to an old prospector who bestowed place-names upon many points in the region. He loved to trace resemblances between rock formations and actual living creatures, and was adept at weaving tall tales about these curiosities. Many bus drivers used to stop at his cabin so that passengers might be amused and thrilled.

RIVERSIDE, 39.3 miles (7,364 alt., 4 pop.), and RAYMONDS, 41.5 miles (7,711 alt., 4 pop.), are resort villages.

At Raymonds is the junction with State 160 (see Tour 6).

Northwest of Raymonds the road ascends from the basin of the South St. Vrain to the crest of the ridge separating this stream from the headwaters of the North St. Vrain. Ahead is Longs Peak, with the Arapaho Peaks (L) to the west.

ALLEN'S FIREPLACE, 46.6 miles, an old landmark (R), is part of the chimney of a cabin built in 1864 by Alonzo Allen, an early settler and prospector. The highway follows a weaving course along piney slopes through the heart of a resort district bordering the eastern side of Rocky Mountain National Park. CHIEF'S HEAD MOUNTAIN, 51.5 miles, its serrated crest suggesting the profile of an Indian warrior, is outlined against the sky.

COPELAND LAKE, 48.8 miles (9,200 alt., 75 pop.), is a resort on North St. Vrain Creek at the eastern edge of the Wild Basin area, one of the most rugged sections of Rocky Mountain National Park.

Left from Copeland Lake on a dirt road to a PUBLIC CAMPGROUND, 22 miles, within the boundaries of the park; here marked foot trails lead west to OUZEL LAKE, 4.5 miles, and BLUE BIRD LAKE, 6 miles, both at the foot of OUZEL PEAK (12,600 alt.), and to THUNDER LAKE, 6.5 miles, at the foot of TANIMA PEAK (12,417 alt.).

LODGE ST. MALO (L), 52 miles, is a summer camp for youths of the Roman Catholic parishes of Denver. The fieldstone CHAPEL is built on an outcrop of rock overlooking the road.

At 52.9 miles is the junction with a dirt road.

Left on this road to the LONGS PEAK CAMPGROUND, 0.9 miles, official starting point for the climb to the summit of Longs Peak (see Rocky Mountain National Park).

At 53.8 miles is the junction with a foot trail.

Right on this trail across an open meadow and over a series of switchbacks to the summit of TWIN SISTERS MOUNTAIN, 3.8 miles; the trail ends at the RANGER STATION of the Twin Sisters Fire Lookout in the saddle between the peaks.

At 62.6 miles is the junction with US 34 (see Tour 3), which unites with State 7 to ESTES PARK VILLAGE, 63.2 miles (7,500 alt., 417 pop.), the principal entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park (see Rocky Mountain National Park).