Estes Park, a Colorado town with fewer than 7,000 residents, sits along the Big Thompson River. As the headquarters for Rocky Mountain National Park, a 265,000-acre area with 359 miles of hiking trails, 150 lakes, and nearly 100 tall mountain peaks, Estes Park gets several million visitors each year. The trendy town is well-known for its abundance of restaurants, spas, golf courses, shops, and entertainment venues.
Rocky Mountain National Park
At 415 square miles, Rocky Mountain National Park contains some of the nation's most stunning mountain scenery. Hikers will feel right at home since the park includes more than 300 miles of trails. One of its most well-known areas, Trail Ridge Road, gives visitors a glimpse of the Rocky Mountains from 12,000 feet above sea level.
With its spacious campgrounds, Rocky Mountain National Park is a great destination for solo travelers and families alike. Aside from hiking and scenic drives, visitors enjoy wildlife watching, fishing, horseback riding, and learning about Rocky Mountain National Park at the visitor's center.
1000 US Highway 36, Estes Park, Colorado, 80517, Phone: 970-586-1206
Peak to Peak Scenic Byway
This 55-mile scenic drive treats travelers to spectacular views of the Continental Divide. Accessible from Boulder, Denver, and Fort Collins, the Peak to Peak Scenic Byway is lined with popular tourist attractions.
Rocky Mountain National Park, the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests, and the Indian Peaks Wilderness Area (Youtube) are just a few of the spots visitors can see during the drive. For travelers who have extra time, there are plenty of opportunities along the highway for hiking and camping. There are also isolated lakes and old ghost towns that make for intriguing road trip stops.
Lake Estes Marina
Lake Estes Marina is the place to be for aquatic fun on Lake Estes. The marina offers a variety of boat rentals, including kayaks and canoes and fishing, paddle, and pontoon boats. Fuel and life jackets are included with each boat rental.
The marina also has a store that sells fishing licenses, fishing supplies, and snacks. Boat rentals are available from approximately the beginning of May through October. Access to the Estes Lake Trail can be found by the marina. The trail circles the lake and can be accessed on foot or by bicycle. Bicycle rentals are available at the marina.
1770 Big Thompson Avenue, Estes Park, Colorado 80517, Phone: 970-586-2011
Open Air Adventure Park
Open Air Adventure Park is a one-of-a-kind outdoor experience in Estes Park. The park offers guests the chance to make their own adventure by participating in up to 32 different challenges in various levels of difficulty from easy to hard.
Tightrope walking, crossing rope bridges, swinging above ground, and crossing moving platforms are just some of the obstacles guests will tackle. Safety gear is always used, and staff members are always nearby to assist.
490 Prospect Village Drive, Estes Park, Colorado 80517, Phone: 970-586-3066
The Stanley Steamcar Museum
The magnificent Stanley Hotel is known world-wide for its outstanding architecture and for its supposed haunting. The hotel was instrumental in developing the tourist industry in Estes Park. Adjacent to the hotel is the Stanley Steamcar Museum. The museum features exhibits of historic Stanley steam cars, including 2-passenger models and an 8-passenger wagon.
There are even steam powered fire engines on display and fire engine rides for both children and adults. Guests can view the beautiful hotel grounds and town of Estes Park from aboard one of these historic red fire trucks. Regular hotel tours and ghost tours are also available.
The Stanley Steamcar Museum, 333 Wonderview Ave, Estes Park, CO 80517, Phone: 800-976-1377
Sombrero Ranch
At Sombrero Ranch visitors can choose from a variety of specialty horseback riding tours. The ranch currently offers trail rides, breakfast rides, steak dinner rides, sleigh rides, and wagon rides. Pack trips, fishing trips, and hunting trips are also available.
The tours depart from several areas in Colorado, including Estes Park. People with riding experience can rent horses from the ranch on a daily or monthly basis, and the ranch even allows renters to take the horses out-of-state for an additional fee. More information about horseback riding tours and horse rentals is available on the Sombrero Ranch website.
Estes Park Outfitters
Estes Park Outfitters is a local outdoor outfitter that offers seasonal adventure tours near Rocky Mountain National Park. The company dedicates summer months to horseback tours, which are either half-day cross-country rides or four-hour homestead rides. They also have a multi-day riding package that includes a delicious meal and an overnight stay in a backcountry cabin.
In the fall, the company takes guests on guided hunts for elk and mule deer. Winter tours include snowcat rides, cross-country skiing, backcountry skiing, and snowshoeing in Colorado's beautiful Rocky Mountain region.
Jackson Stables
Jackson Stables , tucked away in the idyllic Rocky Mountains, ispart of the Estes Park Center YMCA and provides visitors with fun and safe horseback riding experiences. The stable offers trail rides that last anywhere from one hour to all day longon their historic piece of property.
Jackson Stables also runs pony rides, hay rides, and wagon rides for visitors who aren't interested in hitting the trails. Guests can reserve all trail rides and other activities on the Jackson Stables website or by phone. Reservations are recommended since the tours tend to fill up fast.
Backbone Adventures
This local outfitter rents out a variety of adventure vehicles for guests who want to explore the Estes Park area in style. Visitors can choose from ATVs, Jeeps, snowmobiles, and Harley Davidson motorcycles. Each rental includes a free map, a helmet, and fuel. For people who don't want to rent a vehicle but still want a unique experience, Backbone Adventures offers a variety of tours.
With help from a guide, visitors can explore remote trails and distant mountaintops. More information about rentals and tours as well as pricing details are available on the Backbone Adventures website backbonecycles.com.
Rapid Transit Rafting
Adventure enthusiasts can sign up for half- and full-day rafting trips offered by Rapid Transit Rafting. With more than 30 years of experience on Colorado's best rivers, Rapid Transit Rafting guarantees guests a fun, memorable trip.
The company offers rafting adventures on the Colorado River as well as on the Cache La Poudre River. Prices and tour availability vary depending on the time of the year and the type of trip. Reservations can be made online or over-the-phone between Memorial and Labor Day.
161 Virginia Drive, Estes Park, Colorado, 80517, Phone: 970-577-7238
Rock Cut Brewing Company
Conveniently nestled at the foot of Prospect Mountain, in the heart of downtown Estes Park, Rock Cut Brewing Company is the perfect place to quench your thirst and discover some excellent Colorado craft beers. Founded in 2015 by college friends and home brewers Tracy Goodemote and Matt Heiser, the brewing company has quickly built a solid reputation for brewing some of the best craft beers in the Rocky Mountains area. When you visit their Tap Room you will find 12 beers on tap, ranging from IPA’s, pilsners and ambers to sours and porters. If you are undecided which to order you can try a tasting flight to find your favorite.
Rock Cut Brewing Company, 390 W. Riverside Drive, Estes Park, CO 80517, 970 586 7300
Mountain Blown Glass
At Mountain Blown Glass visitors have the opportunity to watch glass artists Dave and Cory Clifton transform lumps of molten sand into beautiful pieces of functional art. The glass-blowing studio is located right inside the gallery and demonstrations take place regularly throughout the day. The family-owned gallery specializes in producing unique, one-off pieces of colorful blown glass which can be purely ornamental or functional. After you have watched one of the fascinating (free) demonstrations you can find some perfect gifts to take back home in the large gallery area. The gallery also showcases glass art made by other local glass-blowing artists.
Mountain Blown Glass, 101 West Elkhorn Ave, Estes Park, CO 80517, 970 577 0880
MacGregor Ranch Museum
The MacGregor Ranch is an authentic, preserved ranch dating back to the 1870's. Visitors will see first hand how the early settlers to the Colorado area lived and worked. At the MacGregor Ranch, cattle and horses still graze on the property, and ranch hands still work in the hay meadow.
The main ranch house is now the MacGregor Museum and is furnished with period-specific antiques and personal belongings of the MacGregor family. The establishment puts on guided tours of the museum during the summer months. Guests can also wander the property and check out the other buildings, including a smokehouse, milk house, and blacksmith shop.
180 MacGregor Ln, Estes Park, Colorado 80517, Phone: 970-586-3749
Estes Park Museum
Explore the history of Estes Park at the Estes Park Museum. The museum covers the history of the area beginning with the ice age that formed the mountains. Native Americans originally settled the land,then fur-trappers and settlers inspired by the 1862 Homestead Act made their way to Colorado Territory.
The museum's exhibits cover both the founding of the town and of nearby Rocky Mountain National Park. Behind the museum are two additional buildings, the National Park Service Headquarters Building and the Cobb-Macdonald cabin, a historic settler's home dating back to 1908.
200 Fourth St., Estes Park, Colorado 80517, Phone: 970-586-6256
National Park Gateway Stables
National Park Gateway Stables, known colloquially as SK Horses, offers horseback riding tours in the Rocky Mountain National Park area. Guests can sign up for horseback riding tours that range in length from one hour to seven hours. The longer rides are designed for people in good health with riding experience and stamina.
SK Stables also offers several specialty rides that involve camping and fishing in backcountry areas, and every riding tour includes stunning mountain views and unique terrain. Guests can make tour reservations online or by phone skhorses.com.
Colorado Mountain School
Learn to navigate the mountains and survive in the wilderness at Colorado Mountain School, whichhas existed in various forms since 1877. At Colorado Mountain School, professional mountain guides combine expertise and training with unparalleled customer service. Courses offered include mountaineering, ski mountaineering, ice climbing, rock climbing, guide training, and avalanche education.
Half-day and full-day courses and expeditions are always available, and custom private guiding can be set up for guests who can't make it on the scheduled course dates. The school, located within easy walking distance of downtown Estes Park, also has a lodge that is available for students to use.
341 Moraine Ave, Estes Park, Colorado 80517, Phone: 800-836-4008
Park Theater
With its neon lights and stunning design, The Park Theater is a historic landmark in Estes Park. The theater was constructed in 1913 and is the oldest motion picture theater in the United States. Though the building is over 100 years old, the theater has been updated with state-of-the-art digital projection and Dolby surround sound.
Blockbuster films, documentaries, and independent films are shown regularly. Live theater events are also held at The Park. The building contains a small cafe for snacks and drinks, and the theater can also be rented out for weddings or events.
130 Moraine Ave, Estes Park, Colorado 80517, Phone: 970-586-8904
Hermit Park Open Space
Over 1300 acres of preserved park land make up Hermit Park Open Space in Larimer County, Colorado. The grounds are situated at an elevation of 7800 to nearly 9000 feet above sea level. Camping is available for tents and RV's.
There are also options for cabin rentals and a large group campground and reserveable pavilion with picnic benches and a fire pit, while the open areas consist of pine forest and wetlands. There are trails for hiking, horseback riding, and biking . Hermit Park is open from March through mid-December and requires entrance and camping permits for guests who wish to stay overnight.
Larimer, Colorado 80517, Phone: 970-577-2090
Estes Park Memorial Observatory
The open skies of Colorado provide some of the best star-gazing in the country, and the Estes Park Memorial Observatory is the perfect place to find breath-taking views of the stars. The observatory is staffed by volunteers and serves as an educational tool for both children and adults.
It is open to the public for both group and private viewing events. The staff also works with local K-12 schools and offers lectures for the public on such topics as astronomy, cosmology, and astrophotography. Admission to the observatory is free with a donation suggested.
1500 Manford Ave, Estes Park, Colorado 80517, Phone: 970-586-5668
Estes Park Ride-a-Kart
Since 1957 Estes Park Ride-a-Kart has been providing hours and hours of family fun for all ages. Conveniently located at the entrance to the Rocky Mountain National Park, this popular family entertainment center boasts fun rides and activities for the whole family. It all started with Go-Karts, but now the center also offers Bumper Boats, Batting Cages, Bumper Cars, Extreme Bungee Trampoline and Mini-Golf. There is also a gaming arcade, pinball and many other interactive games. The park is your go-to destination for a fun family day out or for birthday parties. The Munch Cart offers snacks and drinks and there is plenty of on-site parking.
Estes Park Ride-a-Kart, 2250 Big Thompson Ave, Estes Park, CO 80517, 970 586 6495
