Rowe Glacier, Alpine glacier in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, US
Rowe Glacier sits roughly 300 yards north of Hagues Peak and serves as the birthplace of the North Fork Big Thompson River. This ice formation occupies a high alpine zone within Rocky Mountain National Park where steep terrain surrounds it.
Israel Rowe discovered this glacier in 1880 while guiding hunting parties through the mountains for Lord Dunraven. This period marked an important time for mapping and documenting the park's remote alpine features.
This glacier ranks among five officially recognized glaciers in the park and holds importance for scientific study of climate change. Visitors who reach this remote spot experience how nature shapes mountain landscapes over centuries.
Reaching this glacier demands advanced hiking skills and proper mountaineering equipment for the difficult terrain. Visit during warmer months when snow melt makes routes more passable and conditions safer for the climb.
In 1880, millions of grasshoppers from Utah arrived and settled on the snowfields near the glacier, creating an unusual natural event. This influx attracted bears to the area, which in turn drew hunters to document this rare occurrence.
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