On this date in hiking history: The most important camping trip ever

The following is an adaptation from Ramble On: A History of Hiking.

On this date in 1903, John Muir commenced a historic three-night camping trip with President Theodore Roosevelt in Yosemite. Most historians now regard this as the most important camping trip ever.

Thirty years prior, John Muir moved to Oakland, California, and began writing articles for several leading magazines that brought national attention to himself and his causes. In addition to writing about his wilderness travels, Muir lectured his readers about nature, conservation, and the preservation of wild places. He also brought attention to the damage being inflicted on wilderness as a result of the progress of man. Muir’s advocacy and influence helped to establish Yosemite, Sequoia and the General Grant Grove as national parks in 1890. In subsequent articles he promoted the creation of Petrified Forest, Grand Canyon and Mount Rainier as well, all of which eventually led to him becoming known as "The Father of our National Parks."

Muir’s writings eventually caught the attention of President Theodore Roosevelt. While touring the American West in 1903, Roosevelt arranged to meet with Muir in Yosemite. Traveling by horseback, the two men, along with two rangers and a packer guide, camped three nights in three different locations around the park.

On their first night, the party camped under the Grizzly Giant in Mariposa Grove. Roosevelt reportedly bedded down on a pile of 40 wool blankets that night.

On the second night, the party camped near Sentinel Dome. That evening, a surprise late-spring snowstorm dumped 5 inches of fresh snow on the campers. The next morning, Muir and Roosevelt posed for what would become their famous photo at Glacier Point. What happened to all that snow? Perhaps it was late in the morning when the photo was taken, and thus the snow had already melted.

American Heritage magazine claims that Roosevelt was overcome with emotion after witnessing the sublime beauty of the Yosemite Valley from this lofty perch. A passage in the article states:

Casting his eyes now on what many believed was the most spectacular panorama in the nation, the nation that he led, Roosevelt felt a welling of emotion. Not only was it a sight of awesome beauty and grandeur; it was an immense responsibility. Though, if tears streaked his face, as was reported, you would never know it from the photo. The photographer, who took two shots of the pair and two of Roosevelt alone, made sure of that.

The March 1959 edition of Yosemite Nature Notes also confirms this little known tidbit in American history: “It is said that he cried from sheer emotional joy as he viewed the floor of the Valley from Glacier Point.”

Perhaps sensing Roosevelt was now in the proper frame of mind, Muir felt confident that he could persuade the President on his preservation views and concerns later that evening.

On their third and final night in the park, the two towering figures camped along the edge of Bridalveil Meadow in the Yosemite Valley. Around the campfire that evening, Muir urged the President to return the California State grant lands of the Yosemite Valley and Mariposa Grove back to the federal government so that they could be incorporated into Yosemite National Park (established in 1890). He also spoke about the broader needs for more wilderness protections across the country. Muir later bragged to a friend that he had “stuffed [Roosevelt] pretty well regarding the timber thieves, and the destructive work of the lumbermen, and other spoilers of our forests." His lobbying efforts had their desired effect. In 1906, Roosevelt signed the Yosemite Recession Bill, which withdrew the Yosemite Valley and Mariposa Grove from the state of California and incorporated them into Yosemite National Park. Moreover, after that fateful camping trip, Roosevelt would proceed to establish 3 additional national parks, 143 national forests, 18 national monuments, 51 federal bird reserves and 4 national game preserves. In all, Roosevelt would place roughly 230 million acres of public land under federal protection during his presidency.



                *******************************************************************************

Virtually no one went hiking before the 19th century. What occurred that inspired ordinary people to take a walk through the woods for pleasure? Ramble On: A History of Hiking explores the rich history of hiking, and how it evolved into one of the most popular pastimes in the world.

The significance of the Industrial Revolution on hiking

The following is an adaptation from Ramble On: A History of Hiking.

While overcoming a fear of mountains and the gradual breakdown in the social stigmas associated with walking certainly enabled hiking to germinate, I would argue that the single most important event to spur the development of hiking was the Industrial Revolution. The social changes brought about by industrialization were profound. As explained in much more detail in Ramble On: A History of Hiking, industrialization triggered a massive backlash from certain segments of society, which inspired movements in art, philosophy and religion. These movements, in turn, would motivate people - in one way or another - to visit wilderness areas for recreational purposes. As industrialization progressed, especially in America, it gave rise to the labor movement, which eventually resulted in increased wages and significant reductions in the average number of hours worked each week. Thus, workers began to enjoy more free time, many of whom pursued recreation in the great outdoors. Industrialization also gave rise to railroads, automobiles and roads, which provided people with the ability to travel more easily to wilderness areas. As a result of these social transformations and movements, hiking emerged as a pastime. Though it was only a fringe activity in the early 1800s, the sport grew steadily through the Great Depression. After World War II, however, it exploded, and has now become one of the world's most popular outdoor activities.

Learn more about Ramble On: A History of Hiking on my author page.

                *******************************************************************************

Virtually no one went hiking before the 19th century. What occurred that inspired ordinary people to take a walk through the woods for pleasure? Ramble On: A History of Hiking explores the rich history of hiking, and how it evolved into one of the most popular pastimes in the world.

On this date in hiking history: Glacier becomes America’s 8th national park

On this date in 1910, Glacier became America’s 8th national park. Take a step back in time and check out this quick tour of the park from the 1920s:





                *******************************************************************************

Glacier National Park preserves more than a million acres of some of the most spectacular scenery on Earth. With more than 740 miles of trails meandering throughout this vast park, how will you find and choose the most scenic and rewarding hikes?

Exploring Glacier National Park takes all the guesswork out by focusing on the most amazing hikes, and provides you with handpicked recommendations that will allow you to make the most of your trip to Glacier:

CPW to implement out-of-state vehicle license plate daily parks pass

The Parks and Wildlife Commission (PWC) recently approved a parks pass specifically for vehicles with out-of-state license plates for $15 per day. This fee goes into effect on May 1, 2026. A similar fee structure is used on other CPW products and is in line with other states.

Vehicles with Colorado license plates can still purchase the annual Keep Colorado Wild pass with their vehicle registration for $29 per year, or purchase a daily park pass for $10 per day.

At Chatfield, Elkhead Reservoir, Golden Gate Canyon, Pearl Lake, Stagecoach, State Forest, and Steamboat Lake State Parks, there is an additional $2 fee for both resident and out-of-state plates.



              ************************************************************************************

Check out our online trail guides:

• Glacier National Park: HikinginGlacier.com

• Grand Teton National Park: TetonHikingTrails.com

• Rocky Mountain National Park: RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

• My new edition on hiking history is available on Amazon

A Young Granite Park Chalet

The two photos below of the Granite Park Chalet in Glacier National Park were taken by T. J. Hileman in 1925, just ten years after it was constructed by the Great Northern Railway. The rustic lodge was the last of the nine backcountry chalets built by the railroad, all of which were part of an interconnected system of trails, tent camps, backcountry chalets and frontcountry lodges [more details on this system here]. All were constructed to provide comfortable accommodations within Glacier during the era before automobile travel become an important mode of transportation. Both Sperry and Granite Park, the only chalets that survive to this day, still offer overnight accommodations for hikers. Both are National Historic Landmarks.

Compared to Sperry Chalet, the Granite Park Chalet is much more basic, and is essentially a simple hiker's hostel, with virtually no amenities. It has 12 guest rooms, each with 2 to 6 bunks. Although there's no electricity, the common-area kitchen does have a propane stove that you can use to cook a warm lunch or dinner. The chalet also sells packaged foods, beverages, snacks, and bottled water to day hikers.

Although accommodations are limited, the chalet is still a popular destination for hikers on the Highline Trail, as the upfront views of Heavens Peak are second to none:

Here's another photo of a "man playing with bear at Granite Chalet" in 1924. This photo was taken by John Morten:

                *******************************************************************************

Glacier National Park preserves more than a million acres of some of the most spectacular scenery on Earth. With more than 740 miles of trails meandering throughout this vast park, how will you find and choose the most scenic and rewarding hikes?

Exploring Glacier National Park takes all the guesswork out by focusing on the most amazing hikes, and provides you with handpicked recommendations that will allow you to make the most of your trip to Glacier: