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64-623: Beaver Meadows Visitor Center , also known as Rocky Mountain National Park Administration Building , is the park headquarters and principal visitors center of Rocky Mountain National Park in central northern Colorado . Completed in 1967, it was designed by Taliesin Associated Architects , and was one of the most significant commissions for that firm in the years immediately following

128-547: A 360 degree view of eastern part of the park. The summit plateau of Deer Mountain offers expansive views of the Continental Divide. During the winter, the lower trail generally has little snow, though packed and drifted snow are to be expected on the switchbacks. Snow cover on the summit may be three to five feet deep, requiring the use of snowshoes or skis. The trail to Lake Estes in Estes Park meanders through

192-656: A 44% increase since 2012. The park has five visitor centers, with park headquarters located at the Beaver Meadows Visitor Center —a National Historic Landmark designed by the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture at Taliesin West . National Forest lands surround the park on all sides, including Roosevelt National Forest to the north and east, Routt National Forest to the north and west, and Arapaho National Forest to

256-564: A bird sanctuary, beside a golf course, along the Big Thompson River and Fish Creek, through the lakeside picnic area and along the lakeshore. The trail is used by birdwatchers, bikers and hikers. Lawn Lake Trail climbs to Lawn Lake and Crystal Lake, one of the parks deepest lakes, in the alpine ecosystem and along the course of the Roaring River. The river shows the massive damage caused by a dam failure in 1982 that claimed

320-561: A lobby, amphitheater, and shop, with an inside observation area and outside balcony providing views of the Rocky Mountains. The western end houses park offices in a modular design with movable partitions. Rocky Mountain National Park was founded in 1915. As part of the Park Service's Mission 66 program to revitalize the nation's park system, the Park Service hired the firm of Taliesin Associated Architects in 1964 to design

384-513: A new visitors center for the park. Construction began in 1965 and was completed in 1967. The building has been relatively little altered since then: the shop occupies a former lobby area that included benches and a fireplace, and changes in equipment for the theater necessitated the closure of a balcony entrance. Rocky Mountain National Park Rocky Mountain National Park is a national park of

448-416: A single-story structure, but is actually two stories owing to the sloping terrain on which it is built. It is a rectangular structure, built with a steel frame and cast concrete panels, into which slabs of sandstone have been embedded. The upper level framing has Cor-Ten steel set in a zigzag pattern inspired by Native American artworks. The building's eastern end is devoted to visitor facilities, including

512-487: Is 5a with an average annual extreme minimum temperature of -15.2 °F (-26.2 °C), and 5a with an average annual extreme minimum temperature of -16.1 °F (-26.7 °C) at Beaver Meadows Visitor Center (7825 ft / 2385 m). The complex interactions of elevation, slope, exposure and regional-scale air masses determine the climate within the park, which is noted for its extreme weather patterns. A "collision of air masses" from several directions produces some of

576-461: Is available. Other lakes are Jewel Lake, Mills Lake, Black Lake, Blue Lake, Lake of Glass, Sky Pond, and Spruce Lake. The Pool is a large turbulent water pocket formed below where Spruce and Fern Creeks join the Big Thompson River. The winter route is along a gravel road, which leads to a trail at the Fern Lake trailhead. Along the route are beaver-cut aspen, frozen waterfalls on the cliffs, and

640-402: Is named for the yellow lily, Nymphaea polysepala , on its surface. Lake Helene is at the head of Odessa Gorge, east of Notchtop Mountain. Two Rivers Lake is found along the hike to Odessa Lake from Bear Lake, and has one backcountry campsite. The Cub Lake trail passes Big Thompson River, flowery meadows, and stands of pine and aspen trees. Ice and deep snow are present during the winter, requiring

704-400: Is one of the highest national parks in the nation, with elevations from 7,860 to 14,259 feet (2,396 to 4,346 m), the highest point of which is Longs Peak . Trail Ridge Road is the highest paved through-road in the country, with a peak elevation of 12,183 feet (3,713 m). Sixty mountain peaks over 12,000 feet (3,658 m) high provide scenic vistas. On the north side of the park,

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768-403: Is one of the most-photographed lakes and is also noted for its winter snowshoeing. Emerald Lake is located directly below the saddle between Hallett Peak and Flattop Mountain, only a short hike beyond Dream Lake. The shore of Lake Haiyaha (a Native American word for "big rocks") is surrounded by boulders along with ancient, twisted and picturesque pine trees growing out of rock crevices. Nymph Lake

832-604: Is south of Estes Park and contains Longs Peak—the park's iconic fourteener —and the Wild Basin area. Other peaks and passes include Lily Mountain, Estes Cone, Twin Sisters, Boulder-Grand Pass, and Granite Pass. Eugenia Mine operated about the late-19th to early-20th century, with some old equipment and a log cabin remaining. Sites and trails include Boulder Field, Wild Basin Trail, and Homer Rouse Memorial Trail. Enos Mills ,

896-713: Is the site of an abandoned silver mining town of the early 1880s located along the Colorado River Trail. According to a 1985 report prepared for the NRHP , there were only three cabin ruins remaining along with remnants of six other buildings. Baker Pass crosses the Continental Divide through the Never Summer Mountains and into the Michigan River drainage to the west of Mount Nimbus —a drainage that feeds streams and rivers that drain into

960-580: The Big Thompson Canyon Road—a section of U.S. Route 34 from Loveland to Estes Park —was completed in 1904. The 1920s saw a boom in building lodges, including the Bear Lake Trail School , and roads in the park, culminating with the construction of Trail Ridge Road to Fall River Pass between 1929 and 1932, then to Grand Lake by 1938. Prominent individuals in the effort to create a national park included Enos Mills from

1024-479: The Mummy Range contains a number of thirteener peaks, including Hagues Peak , Mummy Mountain , Fairchild Mountain , Ypsilon Mountain , and Mount Chiquita . Several small glaciers and permanent snowfields are found in the high mountain cirques . There are five regions, or geographical zones, within the park. Region 1 is known for moose and big meadows and is located on the west, or Grand Lake, side of

1088-671: The Arch Rocks. The trail to Alberta Falls runs by Glacier Creek and Glacier Gorge. Wind River Trail leaves the East Portal and follows the Wind River to join with the Storm Pass trail. There are three backcountry campsites. Other sites in the area are The Loch, Loch Vale, Mill Creek Basin, Andrews Glacier, Sky Point, Timberline Falls, Upper Beaver Meadows , and Storm Pass. Region 5, known for waterfalls and backcountry,

1152-483: The Black Canyon trail. Region 4 is the heart of the park with easy road and trail access, great views, and lake hikes including the most popular trails. Flattop Mountain is a tundra hike and the easiest hike to the Continental Divide in the park. Crossing over Flattop Mountain, the hike to Hallett Peak passes through three climate zones, traversing the ridge that supports Tyndall Glacier and finally ascending to

1216-792: The Boulder Ranger District, with offices in Boulder. The Roosevelt National Forest began on May 22, 1902 as part of the Medicine Bow Forest Reserve. It was renamed the Colorado National Forest in 1910, and was renamed to honor President Theodore Roosevelt in 1932. The forest has a total area of 813,799 acres (1,271.56 sq mi, or 3,293.33 km ). Several volunteer groups work with the US Forest Service to help manage

1280-527: The Clouds, Haynach Lakes, Timber Lake, Lone Pine Lake, Lake Nanita, and Lake Nokoni. Region 2 is the alpine region of the park with accessible tundra trails at high elevations—an area known for its spectacular vistas. Within this region is Mount Ida, with tundra slopes and a wide-open view of the Continental Divide. Forest Canyon Pass is near the top of the Old Ute Trail that once linked villages across

1344-656: The Continental Divide. Chapin Pass trail traverses a dense forest to beautiful views of the Chapin Creek valley, proceeding onward above timberline to the western flank of Mount Chapin . Tundra Communities Trail, accessible from Trail Ridge Road, is a hike offering tundra views and alpine wildflowers. Other trails are Tombstone Ridge and Ute Trail, which starts at the tundra and is mostly downhill from Ute Crossing to Upper Beaver Meadows , with one backcountry camping site. Cache La Poudre River trail begins north of Poudre Lake on

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1408-885: The Continental Divide. Thirty miles of the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail loop through the park and pass through alpine tundra and scenery. The Big Meadows area with its grasses and wildflowers can be reached via the Onahu, Tonahutu, or Green Mountain trail. Other scenic areas include Long Meadows and the Kawuneeche Valley (Coyote Valley) of the upper Colorado River which is a good place for birdwatching, as well as snowshoeing and cross-country skiing in winter. The valley trail loops through Kawuneeche Valley which contained as many as 39 mines, though less than 20 of those have archived records and archeological remains. LuLu City

1472-402: The Estes Park area, James Grafton Rogers from Denver , and J. Horace McFarland of Pennsylvania . The national park was established on January 26, 1915. Rocky Mountain National Park encompasses 265,461 acres (414.78 sq mi; 1,074.28 km ) of federal land, with an additional 253,059 acres (395.40 sq mi; 1,024.09 km ) of U.S. Forest Service wilderness adjoining

1536-576: The Gulf of Mexico. Other mountain passes are La Poudre Pass and Thunder Pass, which was once used by stage coaches and is a route to Michigan Lakes. Little Yellowstone has geological features similar to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone . The Green Mountain trail once was a wagon road used to haul hay from Big Meadows. Flattop Mountain, which can be accessed from the eastern and western sides of

1600-782: The McGraw Ranch valley. Cow Creek Trail follows Cow Creek, with its many beaver ponds, extending past the Bridal Falls turnoff as the Dark Mountain trail, then joining the Black Canyon trail to intersect the Lawn Lake trail shortly below the lake. North Boundary Trail connects to the Lost Lake trail system. North Fork Trail begins outside of the park in the Comanche Peak Wilderness before reaching

1664-736: The Rockies via the Platte River . Settlers began arriving in the mid-1800s, displacing the Native Americans who mostly left the area voluntarily by 1860, while others were removed to reservations by 1878. Lulu City , Dutchtown , and Gaskill in the Never Summer Mountains were established in the 1870s when prospectors came in search of gold and silver. The boom ended by 1883 with miners deserting their claims. The railroad reached Lyons, Colorado in 1881 and

1728-786: The Roosevelt National Forest, including the Poudre Wilderness Volunteers . There are six officially designated wilderness areas lying within Roosevelt National Forest that are part of the National Wilderness Preservation System . Four of them extend into neighboring National Forests, and one of these also onto National Park Service land (as indicated). According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Hourglass Reservoir has

1792-739: The United States located approximately 55 mi (89 km) northwest of Denver in north-central Colorado , within the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains . The park is situated between the towns of Estes Park to the east and Grand Lake to the west. The eastern and western slopes of the Continental Divide run directly through the center of the park with the headwaters of the Colorado River located in

1856-591: The academic scientific community in cooperation with the National Park Service and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The stated objective: "develop and apply decision support tools that use NASA and other data and models to assess vulnerability of ecosystems and species to climate and land use change and evaluate management options." As of 2010 , the preceding one hundred years of records indicated an increase in

1920-492: The average annual temperature of approximately 3 °F (1.7 °C). The average low temperature has increased more than the average high temperature during the same time period. As a result of the temperature increase, snow is melting from the mountains earlier in the year, leading to drier summers and probably to an earlier, longer fire season. Since the 1990s, mountain pine beetles have reproduced more rapidly and have not died off at their previous mortality rate during

1984-493: The death of founder Frank Lloyd Wright . It was also one of the last major projects completed under the Park Service Mission 66 project. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 2001. The Beaver Meadows Visitor Center is located on the south side of United States Route 36 near the principal eastern entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park. As seen from visitor (north) side, the building presents as

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2048-521: The early 1900s. Glacial Basin was the site of a resort run by Abner and Alberta Sprague , after whom Sprague Lake is named. The lake is a shallow body of water that was created when the Spragues dammed Boulder Brook to create a fish pond . Sprague Lake is a popular place for birdwatching, hiking and viewing the mountain peaks, along with camping at the Glacier Basin campground. Dream Lake

2112-614: The elimination of surface hail, along with the higher likelihood of intense precipitation events are predicted by 2050. Droughts may be more likely due to increased temperatures, increased evaporation rates, and potential changes in precipitation. Precambrian metamorphic rock formed the core of the North American continent during the Precambrian eon 4.5–1 billion years ago. During the Paleozoic era, western North America

2176-480: The key weather events in the region. When cold arctic air from the north meets warm moist air from the Gulf of Mexico at the Front Range , "intense, very wet snowfalls with total snow depth measured in the feet" accumulate in the park. Higher elevation areas within the park receive twice as much precipitation as lower elevation areas, generally in the form of deep winter snowfall. Arctic conditions are prevalent during

2240-623: The lakes have backcountry campsites. Waterfalls include Ouzel Falls, Trio Falls, Copeland Falls, and Calypso Cascades. According to the Köppen climate classification system, Rocky Mountain National Park has a Subarctic climate with cool summers and year around precipitation ( Dfc ). According to the United States Department of Agriculture , the Plant Hardiness zone at Bear Lake Ranger Station (9492 ft / 2893 m)

2304-451: The lives of three campers. The trail is a strenuous snowshoe hike in the winter. Ypsilon Lake Trail leads to its namesake as well as Chipmunk Lake, with views of Longs Peak, while traversing pine forests with grouseberry and bearberry bushes. The trail also offers views of the canyon gouged out by rampaging water that broke loose from Lawn Lake Dam in 1982. Visible is the south face of Ypsilon Mountain, with its Y-shaped gash rising sharply from

2368-480: The main automobile route, Trail Ridge Road , in the 1930s. In 1976, UNESCO designated the park as one of the first World Biosphere Reserves . In 2023, 4.1 million recreational visitors entered the park. The park is one of the most visited in the National Park System, ranking as the third most visited national park in 2015. In 2019, the park saw record attendance yet again with 4,678,804 visitors,

2432-464: The main figure behind the creation of Rocky Mountain National Park, enjoyed walking to Lily Lake from his nearby cabin. Wildflowers are common in the spring and early summer. In the winter, the trail around the lake is often suitable for walking in boots, or as a short snowshoe or ski. Other lakes in the Wild Basin include Chasm Lake, Snowbank Lake, Lion Lakes 1 and 2, Thunder Lake, Ouzel Lake, Finch Lake, Bluebird Lake, Pear Lake, and Sandbeach Lake. Many of

2496-420: The montane area by early May, when wildflowers begin to bloom. Spring weather is subject to unpredictable changes in temperature and precipitation, with potential for snow along trails through May. In July and August, temperatures are generally in the 70s or 80s ° F during the day, and as low as the 40s °F at night. Lower elevations receive rain as most of their summer precipitation. Sudden dramatic changes in

2560-487: The next 150 million years, the mountains uplifted, continued to erode, and covered themselves in their own sediment. Wind, gravity, rainwater, snow, and glacial ice eroded the granite mountains over geologic time scales . The Ancestral Rockies were eventually buried under subsequent strata. The Pierre Shale formation was deposited during the Paleogene and Cretaceous periods about 70 million years ago. The region

2624-640: The other associated with the Grand Lake area on the park's west side. The west side of the park experiences more snow, less wind, and clear cold days during the winter months. Rocky Mountain National Park was selected to participate in a climate change study, along with two other National Park Service areas in the Rocky Mountain region and three in the Appalachian Mountain region. The study began in 2011, orchestrated by members of

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2688-635: The park boundaries. The Continental Divide runs generally north–south through the center of the park, with rivers and streams on the western side of the divide flowing toward the Pacific Ocean while those on the eastern side flow toward the Atlantic . A geographical anomaly is found along the slopes of the Never Summer Mountains where the Continental Divide forms a horseshoe –shaped bend for about 6 miles (9.7 km), heading from south–to–north but then curving sharply southward and westward out of

2752-601: The park boundary and ending at Lost Lake. Stormy Peaks Trail connects Colorado State University 's Pingree Park campus in the Comanche Peak Wilderness and the North Fork Trail inside the park. Beaver Mountain Loop, also used by horseback riders, passes through forests and meadows, crosses Beaver Brook and several aspen-filled drainages, and has a great view of Longs Peak. Deer Mountain Trail gives

2816-504: The park's northwestern region. The main features of the park include mountains, alpine lakes and a wide variety of wildlife within various climates and environments, from wooded forests to mountain tundra . The Rocky Mountain National Park Act was signed by President Woodrow Wilson on January 26, 1915, establishing the park boundaries and protecting the area for future generations. The Civilian Conservation Corps built

2880-565: The park, is near Green Mountain. Shadow Mountain Lookout —a wildfire observation tower—is on the National Register of Historic Places . Paradise Park Natural Area is an essentially hidden and protected wild area with no maintained trails penetrating it. Skeleton Gulch, Cascade Falls, North Inlet Falls, Granite Falls, and Adams Falls are found in the west side of the park. The west side lakes include Bowen Lake, Lake Verna, Lake of

2944-558: The park, though some slopes are rugged and heavily glaciated, particularly around Ypsilon Mountain and Mummy Mountain . Bridal Veil Falls is a scenic point and trail accessible from the Cow Creek trailhead, at the Continental Divide Research Center. West Creek Falls and Chasm Falls, near Old Fall River Road, are also in this region. The Alluvial Fan trail leads to a bridge over the river that had been

3008-742: The park. The sharp bend results in streams on the eastern slopes of the range joining the headwaters of the Colorado River that flow south and west, eventually reaching the Pacific. Meanwhile, streams on the western slopes join rivers that flow north and then east and south, eventually reaching the Atlantic. The headwaters of the Colorado River are located in the park's northwestern region. The park contains approximately 450 miles (724 km) of rivers and streams, 350 miles (563 km) of trails, and 150 lakes. Rocky Mountain National Park

3072-541: The park. Streams and glaciations during the Quaternary period cut through the older sediment, creating mesa tops and alluvial plains, and revealing the present Rocky Mountains. The glaciation removed as much as 5,000 feet (1,500 m) of sedimentary rocks from earlier inland sea deposits. This erosion exposed the basement rock of the Ancestral Rockies. Evidence of the uplifting and erosion can be found on

3136-589: The region began to sink while lime and mud sediments were deposited in the vacated space. Eroded granite produced sand particles that formed strata —layers of sediment—in the sinking basin. About 300 million years ago, the land was uplifted creating the ancestral Rocky Mountains. Fountain Formation was deposited during the Pennsylvanian period of the Paleozoic era, 290–296 million years ago. Over

3200-471: The shoreline. Gem Lake is high among the rounded granite domes of Lumpy Ridge. Untouched by glaciation, this outcrop of 1.8 billion-year-old granite has been sculpted by wind and chemical erosion into a backbone-like ridge. Pillars, potholes, and balanced rocks are found around the midpoint of the trail, along with views of the Estes Valley and Continental Divide. Potts Puddle trail is accessible from

3264-532: The site of the Lawn Lake Flood . Lumpy Ridge Trail leads to Paul Bunyan's Boot at about 1.5 mi (2.4 km) from the trailhead, then Gem Lake, and a further 2.2 mi (3.5 km) to Balanced Rock. Black Canyon Trail intersects Cow Creek Trail, forming part of the Gem Lake loop which goes through the old McGregor Ranch valley, passing Lumpy Ridge rock formations, with a loop hike that goes into

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3328-572: The summit of Hallett Peak. Bear Lake is a high-elevation lake in a spruce and fir forest at the base of Hallett Peak and Flattop Mountain. Bierstadt Lake sits atop a lateral moraine named Bierstadt Moraine, and drains into Mill Creek. There are several trails that lead to Bierstadt Lake through groves of aspens and lodgepole pines. North of Bierstadt Moraine is Hollowell Park, a large and marshy meadow along Mill Creek. The Hollowell Park trail runs along Steep Mountain's south side. Ranches, lumber and sawmill enterprises operated in Hollowell Park into

3392-458: The upper valleys of the Cache la Poudre and Big Thompson Rivers . It includes forested areas along both sides of the Poudre Canyon and along the north and east sides of Rocky Mountain National Park . Smaller parts of the forest also extend into northern Gilpin and extreme northwestern Jefferson counties. The Roosevelt National Forest is divided into two ranger districts, the Canyon Lakes Ranger District , with offices in Fort Collins, and

3456-449: The use of skis or snowshoes. The Fern Lake trail passes Arch Rock formations, The Pool, and the cascading water of Fern Falls. Two backcountry campsites are located near the lake, and two more are closer to the trailhead. Odessa Lake has two approaches: one is along the Flattop trail from Bear Lake while the other is from the Fern Lake trailhead, along which are Fern Creek, The Pool, Fern Falls, and Fern Lake itself. One backcountry campsite

3520-440: The way to Rocky Mountain National Park in the hogbacks of the Front Range foothills. Many sedimentary rocks from the Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras exist in the basins surrounding the park. Roosevelt National Forest The forest encompasses a mountainous area of the foothills on the eastern side of the Continental Divide of the Front Range in Larimer County and Boulder County . In Larimer County it includes

3584-428: The weather may occur during the summer, typically due to afternoon thunderstorms that can cause as much as a 20 °F drop in temperature and windy conditions. The park's climate is also affected by the Continental Divide, which runs northwest to southeast through the center of the park atop the high peaks. The Continental Divide creates two distinct climate patterns - one typical of the east side near Estes Park and

3648-419: The west and south, with the Indian Peaks Wilderness area located directly south of the park. The history of Rocky Mountain National Park began when Paleo-Indians traveled along what is now Trail Ridge Road to hunt and forage for food . Ute and Arapaho people subsequently hunted and camped in the area. In 1820, the Long Expedition, led by Stephen H. Long for whom Longs Peak was named, approached

3712-411: The west side of the valley near Milner Pass and heads downward toward the Mummy Pass trail junction. Lake Irene is a recreation and picnic area. Region 3, known for wilderness escape, is in the northern part of the park and is accessed from the Estes Park area. The Mummy Range is a short mountain range in the north of the park. The Mummies tend to be gentler and more forested than the other peaks in

3776-441: The winter months. Consequently, the increased beetle population has led to an increased rate of tree mortality in the park. The climate change study projects further temperature increases, with greater warming in the summer and higher extreme temperatures by 2050. Due to the increased temperature, there is a projected moderate increase in the rate of water evaporation. Reduced snowfall—perhaps 15% to 30% less than current amounts—and

3840-443: The winter, with sudden blizzards, high winds, and deep snowpack. High country overnight trips require gear suitable for -35 °F or below. The subalpine region does not begin to experience spring-like conditions until June. Wildflowers bloom from late June to early August. Below 9,400 feet (2,865 m), temperatures are often moderate, although nighttime temperatures are cool, as is typical of mountain weather. Spring comes to

3904-440: Was also affected by deformation and erosion during that era. The uplift disrupted the older drainage patterns and created the present drainage patterns. Glacial geology in Rocky Mountain National Park can be seen from the mountain peaks to the valley floors. Ice is a powerful sculptor of this natural environment and large masses of moving ice are the most powerful tools. Telltale marks of giant glaciers can be seen all throughout

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3968-438: Was covered by a deep sea—the Cretaceous Western Interior Seaway —which deposited massive amounts of shale on the seabed. Both the thick stratum of shale and embedded marine life fossils—including ammonites and skeletons of fish and such marine reptiles as mosasaurs , plesiosaurs , and extinct species of sea turtles , along with rare dinosaur and bird remains—were created during this time period. The area now known as Colorado

4032-415: Was eventually transformed from being at the bottom of an ocean to dry land again, giving yield to another fossiliferous rock layer known as the Denver Formation . At about 68 million years ago, the Front Range began to rise again due to the Laramide orogeny in the west. During the Cenozoic era, block uplift formed the present Rocky Mountains. The geologic composition of Rocky Mountain National Park

4096-410: Was submerged beneath a shallow sea, with a seabed composed of limestone and dolomite deposits many kilometers thick. Pikes Peak granite formed during the late Precambrian eon, continuing well into the Paleozoic era, when mass quantities of molten rock flowed, amalgamated, and formed the continents about 1 billion–300 million years ago. Concurrently, in the period from 500 to 300 million years ago,

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