Jewel of the Rockies: Estes Park, Colorado
By Jonathan Berohn
Aside from being a common answer in crossword puzzles, Estes Park, Colorado is one of the grand destinations in the US that somehow gets overlooked by many people outside of the Rocky Mountain region.
Estes Park, if you don’t know lies at the entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park, one of the true crown jewels of the park system. But Estes Park also has a heritage and character of its own that makes a visit there much more than simply a staging ground for a trip into the park.
Rocky Mountain National Park
Lying, as it does, just outside the entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park, Estes Park certainly has quite a bit of that tourist town feel. Considering the splendor and amazing varieties of attractions the park has to offer, though, that is neither surprising nor entirely unwelcome—anything that gets people to appreciate this kind of nature can’t be all bad.
The main feature—and the must see attraction—at Rocky Mountain National Park is Trail Ridge Road. Trail Ridge Road runs some 60 miles from Estes Park on the east side of the continental divide through some of the best alpine terrain in the country to reach Granby on the west side of the divide. Traffic is naturally slow on the road—what with the numerous hairpin turns and all—but that’s hardly a tragedy since you will want to pull over at the numerous overlooks and just absorb the wonder of the mountains and the thrill of being above tree line. Note that the road is usually open only from Memorial Day through early September because of the huge amounts of snow that falls in the area. If you visit the park in winter, don’t expect to get beyond the first couple hairpins.
Rocky Mountain National Park is so much more than just Trail Ridge Road, though, it’s impossible to list more than the highlights. If you like a more adventuresome ride, Old Fall River Road offers an unpaved one-way trip to the divide that's both less traveled and less comfortable. The scenery is unmatched, but you really know you are in the mountains.
If you like hiking, there are excellent trails everywhere, including an non-technical, but quite arduous assent of Long’s Peak—one of Colorado’s 14’ers (14,000 foot mountains).
If your pleasure turns more to wildlife viewing, the park has everything from elk and bighorn sheep to moose and an abundance of birds. Any visit to the park is certain to include plenty of wildlife.
The Town
Like I said, Estes Park definitely has the tourist thing going on. If you head for Main Street, you can easily get lost among cheesy souvenir shops, Indian art galleries, and fudge shops. The fudge shops are worth taking a moment to visit, though—they offer some great homemade fudge. The other food on the main drag, though, is strictly tourist trap dreck. In fact, the main problem I’ve had with Estes Park is the difficulty in finding someplace decent to eat.
Never fear, though, for I have found a couple very respectable establishments that will more than refuel you after your day in the park. The first of these is, the Beverly Hills Diner. Unfortunately, the diner is only open in the summer, but when it’s open, it’s a must. They go for Elvis décor and cheap plastic booths, but the burgers, fries, and shakes are perfect, and the homemade pies are worth the trip in themselves. A year-round establishment that is worth seeking out is the Estes Park Brewery. You know you’re onto something when the first thing that greets you here is a free sampling bar. The beer here is pretty good—certainly living up to the high Colorado micro-brew tradition—and the food also holds its own. It’s nothing fancy, mind you—strictly a burger/fish & chips type place—but it’s all well done.
The Stanley
No trip to Estes Park is complete with a stop at the Stanley Hotel. Oddly enough, this tourist destination actually helps you escape the tourist trap feel of Main Street. As all you Stephen King fans know, the Stanley was the inspiration for “The Shining.” King actually wrote it while living there—you can go visit his room. The Stanley is classic early 20th century elegance that really lets you feel like you’re getting away. One thing to note, though, is that the Stanley is not up to date with 21st century upgrades, meaning there is no air conditioning. In July and August, this can make for some very uncomfortable nights.
