Estes Park Vacation: What should we “not miss”?

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  • bmbutch

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    Aug 20, 2010
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    Southern Indiana
    After years of the beach, we’re finally doing something different! Estes park 9/25 ~ 10/8!

    Lots of research & making list of things to do, see, & trails to hike. Quick search shows some INGO peeps are for those parts, & others have vacationed there.

    So INGO, what are some must see areas, trails, etc?
     

    Indyhd

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    Jan 12, 2010
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    Noblesville
    I just came back from working near there for 2.5 years. Absolutely wonderful.

    In the evening herds of elk wander down into the east end of town near the lake just across from the stables.
    you can actually park there, get out of the car and watch them and they will walk by within 20 yards of you.

    Rocky Mountain Park is gorgeous. Try to take the old original road up to the top (it’s marked on the map you get when you enter)

    Not too far west on 70 is Idaho Springs.
    This has Mount Evans. When you drive to the top. You will be as the highest paved location in North America.
     

    Indyhd

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    Jan 12, 2010
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    Noblesville
    The motorcycling in the area is fantastic, too bad you’re not taking advantage of that.

    There are two distilleries in Estes Park.
    The Stanley Hotel where The Shining was filmed/set.
    The drive on Hwy 34 to Loveland is nice just for the windy road.
     

    LeverGunFan

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    Mar 15, 2008
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    Bartholomew County
    The Wild Basin area in Rocky Mountain Nat'l Park has several good hiking trails. There are ranger stations throughout the park where the park rangers and/or volunteers can steer you to good hiking trails.
     

    nra4ever

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    Dec 19, 2011
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    Indy
    Make sure u go white water rafting on the Arkansas river. If you do a lot of hiking download alltrails. It works great when u lose signal. Great place to retire. Super nice people and safe. Enjoy.
     

    dvd1955

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    Apr 10, 2013
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    Howard County
    Several years ago we went horseback riding just east of town up into the hills. Guided ride. They cooked us a chuckwagon breakfast at the top. Not sure what the name of the place is anymore.
     

    WanderingSol07

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    Aug 7, 2017
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    North Central
    The time seems late in the year for high mountain traveling. Even in July/August we would keep an eye on the weather forecast. I remember going over Beartooth in late July on the motorcycle and running into a snow storm. Was in the low ninties in Red Lodge, MT.
     

    two70

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    Feb 5, 2016
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    Johnson
    As others have mentioned Rocky Mountain National Park is nearby and absolutely beautiful. Be sure to take the Trail Ridge Road and especially the Old Fall River Road. The Old Fall River Road is not a long trail but has some great scenery and is good for spotting wildlife, usually not real busy either. A word of advice though, be sure to use the restrooms before starting the trail, you will want to avoid the one along the trail at all costs.

    The Buckhorn Saloon is worth a visit if you're in Denver at some point. Garden of the God's is also worth a visit if you are in Colorado Springs.
     

    510picker

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    Apr 16, 2017
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    Martinsville
    As others have mentioned Rocky Mountain National Park is nearby and absolutely beautiful. Be sure to take the Trail Ridge Road and especially the Old Fall River Road.

    I was going to recommend the two roads mentioned above. We were not able to go all the way up Trail Ridge Road due to snow and Old Fall River Road was still completely closed. Know the Old Fall River Road is a one-way, mostly gravel road. I will definitely go back sometime in the future and drive this road. Click on the link below for more info on the road.

    https://www.nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/old_fall_river_road.htm
     

    White Squirrel

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    Oct 3, 2016
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    Evansville
    Wife and I were there the first week of November two years ago and all of the "fun" roads, Trail Ridge, Fall River and the road up Mt. Evans were closed due to snow. We made the drive down to Colorado Springs and Pike's Peak was also closed. We drove up as far as we could until the barricade. It started really snowing hard and a ranger showed up driving a snow plow and made us go back down. We were going to hike near Bear Lake in RMNP, but so many of the trails there were icy we could not. Most hikers had crampons, we did not, so wound up going back to a lower elevation.

    We were able to get in a couple of nice hikes starting out at lower elevations, but had to leave a day early because there was a forecast of 18+ inch snowfall coming. We had a Hundai Sonata rental. I really did not want to take on 18 inches of snow with that car.

    Going a month earlier, you may not encounter those conditions, but depending on how high you go, snowy and icy conditions can appear anytime. I have been in snow on the Long's Peak trail in July.

    Just go prepared to roll with whatever Mother Nature throws your way. It is still a great place to visit. Hope you have a great trip.
     

    indytechnerd

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    Nov 17, 2008
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    Here and There
    We went a couple summers ago over July 4th.
    Things I'd recommend right in or near Estes...
    1. Head to Morraine Park, well after dark, then take one of the side roads down into the 'flat' area near the Big Thompson river. ZERO manmade light in that area and you can see bajillions of stars.
    2. If it's not closed, definitely head up to the Alpine Visitors center, preferably by the old roads as mentioned above. Some amazing views there.
    3. Do a ORV/UTV rental. There are tons around there that'll have you cruising up and down trails and old fire roads. It can be as adventurous or as laid back as you want, depending on how heavy your foot is and how attractive holes, rocks, and logs look to your wheels.
    4. Head up into the park early in the morning and listen to the elk bugling.
    5. Find a place to eat some fresh mountain trout and the aforementioned elk. Several great restaurants in and around Estes.
     

    Dirty Steve

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    Feb 16, 2011
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    Danville
    Hike RMNP. Spent a week hiking there several times and have only scratched the surface. The amount of critters you will see there will give you and idea of what a visit to Yellowstone was like 15 years ago before someone decided wolves were a great idea.

    Dirty Steve
     

    Hohn

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    Jul 5, 2012
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    USA
    Panorama Peak. Proposed to my wife up there. You can see almost from Cheyenne to DIA.

    Downtown is tourist trap, but nice.

    And of course YMCA of the rockies is excellent. August up there will give you some potential bull elk fighting right outside your cabin. Kind of cool to watch.
     
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