W. Elkhorn Ave., Estes Park

Estes Park 

Estes Park is the gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park, one of the most popular national parks in the United States. From its beginning as a settlement, Estes Park has been a magnet for tourism, first as a destination for hunters and later as a resort for visitors wanting to experience the scenic wonders of the area. The town was named after Joel Estes, who first settled the area in 1859. One of the early investors in its development was the Earl of Dunraven of Ireland. Enos Mills, who came to Estes Park as a teenager to improve his health, was so taken with the region that he started a movement in 1909 to make the surrounding area a national park. Enos Mills' cabin is now on the National Register of Historic Places and is open to the public. In 1873 another early Estes Park settler, Alexander MacGregor, started the MacGregor Ranch, which is also now on the National Register of Historic Places and open to the public. It is the last working cattle ranch in the area.

Overlooking Estes Park is the stately Stanley Hotel, built in 1906 by F.O. Stanley, who developed the Stanley Steamer automobile. The hotel served as the setting for Stephen King's popular novel "The Shining". It is not uncommon to see elk grazing on its spacious grounds.

Along Elkhorn Avenue, the main street of Estes Park, are numerous specialty shops, galleries, and restaurants. The shops on the south side of Elkhorn back onto the Riverside Plaza on the bank of the Big Thompson River -- a very pleasant place to stroll and shop among the fountains and wildlife sculptures. There are a variety of family-oriented entertainment venues, including amusement parks and an Aerial Tramway that goes to the top of nearby Prospect Mountain offering views of Long's Peak and the Continental Divide. Events include the Rooftop Rodeo, which received a national award for the "Best Small Rodeo of 2006". The Longs Peak Scottish Irish Festival is held in September, bringing performing artists from England, Scotland, and Ireland.

Location:

North Central Colorado, 30 miles west of Loveland and I-25 on US 34 

Estes Park is situated in a picturesque, broad valley ("park") surrounded by the Rocky Mountains; the town lies on the eastern edge of Rocky Mountain National Park with Roosevelt National Forest to the North, East, and South;  at the confluence of the Big Thompson and Fall Rivers

Elevation:

7,522 feet 

The average high temperature in July is 78 degrees (F), dropping into the 40's at night.  The average high temperature in January is 38 degrees, dropping into the teens at night.

Population:

Approximately 5,400 

Tourism

Estes Park Convention and Visitor's Bureau:  800-44-ESTES (800-443-7837), http://www.estesparkcvb.com/

Map:

Estes Park, CO