10/12/2026
This image is ten years old and shows the side of the Bierstadt Moraine during the peak of autumn color. Currently, the bulk of the color is gone from this area in the park, although there are still pockets of gold aspens here and there.
In honor of Indigenous People's Day, I'd like to share some information about the mountain in the photo. At 12,720 ft. in elevation, it's one of the most photographed peaks in Rocky Mountain National Park. It towers over Dream Lake, Emerald Lake and Lake Haiyaha, and is visible from Bear, Nymph, Bierstadt and Sprague Lakes as well. We call it Hallett Peak, in honor of William Hallett. He was noted as one of the first residents in Estes Park to climb mountains not for surveying, nor hunting, nor travel- but simply for the love of hiking and climbing. William Hallett was also a founding member of the climbing group called the Rocky Mountain Club. This iconic peak was named by Frederic Chapin in 1887, with the name officially adopted by the United States Board on Geographic Names in 1932.
Generations before William Hallett came to Colorado, the Arapaho Tribe had a different name for this mountain. They called it Bonoh’oon-otoyoo’, which translates to Thunder Peak, in English. Thunder was believed to be created by the Thunderbird by the flapping of their wings, and is a powerful being present in not only Arapaho lore but in the stories from many indigenous tribes throughout North America. Based on the name being related to the mighty Thunderbird, I wonder if the Arapaho held this peak in the same high regard that we still do to this day?
For Indigenous People's Day, I'd strongly recommend that you look into the native history of your own area. What tribes lived there, and what tribes are still in the area? What street, county, city names in your area are based on indigenous words? What were geographic locations named before?
