Estes Park Review

Estes Park, Colorado is one of those small mountain towns where all the marketing slogans about a ''quaint village snuggled in the mountains" happen to be true!  Estes Park, located about 65 miles northeast of Denver, sits in a scenic valley at 7,522 feet, surrounded by mountains, a lake, a mountain stream, and spectacular scenery in all directions. I think it looks like Switzerland!

Estes Park has a large shopping district filled with art galleries, coffee shops, clothing stores, jewelry, furriers, woodcrafts, ice cream shoppes, and restaurants of all types. I even found a Starbucks. I'm not much of a shopper but I still had fun just gazing up at the mountain scenery all around or strolling along the Big Thompson River that flows right through the downtown area. I found lots of shaded outdoor seating too.

One famous landmark in Estes Park is The Stanley Hotel, which is the setting of Stephen King's legendary horror novel The Shining. The hotel sits on a hill on the north side of town and is very easy to find. I checked it out and was surprised to find it was rather rundown looking on the outside. Maybe the ghosts scared off the work crew?

The biggest draw card for Estes Park is not the shopping or walking-friendly downtown, but Rocky Mountain National Park. This massive 265,000 acre park offers a mind-boggling amount of outdoor activities, such as hiking, horseback riding, picnicking, wildlife viewing, fishing, camping, and scenic drives up to an elevation of 12,000 feet. There are numerous scenic overviews throughout the park that beg to be photographed.

I've never stayed overnight in Estes Park but there are plenty of places to pick from. Besides some of the familiar chain motels, Estes Park has numerous cabins, lodges, and small, rustic motels scattered amongst the hills. Some are located in very scenic spots, such as along a mountain stream with views of the mountains in all directions.  I've heard prices can be steep here, especially in the fall when the nearby elk herds have their "Bugling Season".

Estes Park, Colorado is a very popular destination to visit. It's best to arrive early in the day and stake-out a parking spot. You can walk almost anywhere throughout the town on the numerous sidewalks or walking trails. And the entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park is right there – you'll have enough to keep you busy for days on end. It's one of those places you need to visit at least once in your lifetime.

http://www.estesparkcvb.com/