Estes Park hoping RMNP milestone boosts flood-battered economy

ESTES PARK – Monday marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of Rocky Mountain National Park, but the tourist-dependent town of Estes Park at the preserve’s eastern gateway has planned centennial-themed events throughout 2015 to aid its businesses’ economic recovery from the catastrophic flood of September 2013.

“Some of the events will be directly related to the centennial,” said Brooke Burnham, communications director for Visit Estes Park, “but we also are incorporating centennial-related elements into our existing annual events.” The town hosts a voluminous schedule of annual events, including one of the largest “Highland Games” events in North America, the Longs…