Colorado is a place I’ve visited often, and I keep going back because there always seems to be something new and exciting to discover in the Rocky Mountains. One place I had never been until recently was Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park.
This charming little mountain town sits right next to one of the most popular national parks in the country especially in the summer. The sound of water rolling through the middle of town is so refreshing, and you can stroll along the Riverwalk, which is lined with shops, restaurants, bars, and probably the cutest bookstore I’ve ever seen.
One of my favorite things about mountain towns like Estes is how dog-friendly they are. We brought our dog Rocco along, and he had the best time especially when he got to cool off with a dip in the river.
The main goal of our trip was simple: make it to Estes Park and hike some of the highlights in RMNP Bear Lake Corridor, Trail Ridge Road, and Grand Lake, with its gorgeous alpine lakes. Not only did we check off all of those… we did even more! I’ll share all the fun hikes we did and the restaurants we loved along the way.
If you’re visiting during peak summer months, expect some crowds but honestly, they weren’t too bad. Almost everyone there is a tourist, since the park draws a ton of visitors between May and July. One thing to know: you need a timed entry permit to access certain areas of the park during busy windows. But don’t worry I’ll share some tips on how to get around that in a future post.
We love road-tripping to places like this because you get to soak in so much more of the landscape than you would by flying. We started in southern Colorado and drove five hours through winding roads and mountain passes until we reached Estes. As you descend into town, you’re greeted by Lake Estes, with snow-capped peaks in the distance. It’s breathtaking.
Elk are a regular part of the scenery in Estes you’ll see them lounging in the water or just walking along the sidewalks. It’s important to keep your distance, but it’s also part of the magic of the place. One thing I loved spotting was the Stanley Hotel, with its white walls and red roof tucked into the mountain backdrop. It’s iconic and yes, it’s where Stephen King was inspired to write The Shining.
We found our hotel, which was dog-friendly and walkable to downtown a huge win after a long day of driving. All we wanted that evening was a good meal and a casual stroll before bed.
We ended up at The Hive at Estes Park Brewery, and it was just the right vibe cozy inside and a great patio outside. Since we had Rocco with us, patios were our go-to. No complaints there we got to soak up the cool mountain breeze and views of the tram starting off in the distance.
We had a delicious cold libation and shared a sausage sampler with elk, venison, and beef, paired with fig jam and stone ground mustard. The waffle fries were seasoned perfectly, and we also split a sous vide chicken breast served on mashed potatoes with green beans.
As the sun went down, the crowds faded and the town quieted. We took a walk along the peacefully lit Riverwalk, which felt almost like we had it to ourselves. There was a beautiful gazebo glowing with lights, and seeing the Park Theatre lit up at night gave us a totally different feel for the town one that was cozy and calm.
That was our first impression of Estes Park, and it was everything I’d hoped for charming, peaceful, and full of beauty at every turn.