Zebulon Pike led a U.S. military expedition that explored parts of the southern Rocky Mountains in the early 1800s.

Zebulon Pike, a U.S. Army officer, led an expedition through the southern Rocky Mountains in 1806-1807. Although he didn't reach the summit of the peak that now bears his name (Pikes Peak), his explorations provided valuable information about the region's geography and opened the area further to American exploration and settlement. His reports and maps were crucial for later expeditions and westward expansion.