Specimen Mountain facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Specimen Mountain |
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Specimen Mountain viewed from the Alpine Visitor Center
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 12,494 ft (3,808 m) |
| Prominence | 1,731 ft (528 m) |
| Isolation | 4.70 mi (7.56 km) |
| Listing | Colorado prominent summits |
| Geography | |
 Specimen Mountain
Location in Colorado
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| Location | Rocky Mountain National Park, Continental Divide between Grand and Larimer counties, Colorado, United States |
| Parent range | Front Range |
| Topo map | USGS 7.5' topographic map Fall River Pass, Colorado |
Specimen Mountain is a cool mountain peak located in northern Colorado. It stands tall at 12,494 ft (3,808 m)! This mountain is part of the Front Range and can be found inside Rocky Mountain National Park. It sits just north of Milner Pass, right on the Continental Divide. This means it's a spot where water flows either to the Atlantic or Pacific Ocean!
Past Names of Specimen Mountain
Mountains often get different names over time. Specimen Mountain is no different! Before it was officially called Specimen Mountain in 1932, people knew it by a couple of other names:
- Geode Mountain
- Mountain Smokes
The Story of a Volcano
Specimen Mountain isn't just any mountain; it's an extinct volcano! This means it was once active, but it hasn't erupted for a very, very long time. Its last eruption happened around 27 million years ago. Imagine that!
Back then, Specimen Mountain probably looked quite different. It was likely much taller and shaped more like a cone, just like many volcanoes you see pictures of today. Over millions of years, wind, water, and ice have worn it down to its current shape.
If you visit the area near Poudre Lake, you might even see some yellowish ash. This ash is a leftover from the huge eruptions that happened millions of years ago when Specimen Mountain was an active volcano. It's like a clue from Earth's ancient past!
