Winter Weekend Getaway

Try Estes Park for the perfect indoor/outdoor adventure

By Irene Middleman Thomas  

Although I am almost a lifelong Coloradan, spending the night in Estes was never on my bingo card until recently. I’d always just passed through en route to Rocky Mountain National Park. I had never even been inside the world-famous Stanley Hotel. That is, until my recent two-day mini vacay, when I experienced Estes inside and out.

I started my first morning off right at Coffee on the Rocks. With excellent specialty coffees and food, there’s inside seating as well as peaceful outdoor sipping spots—choose from the duck pond or rushing stream. I’d heard I had to indulge in the locals’ fave Himalayan Curry & Kebob for a yummy, exotic lunch—so I did. And what trip to the quaint downtown would be complete without saltwater taffy from The Original Taffy Shop, operating since 1935? Amidst the T-shirt shops that line the streets hawking about every gift item you can imagine from shirts to mugs, baseball caps to kitchenware—all emblazoned with Estes Park, of course—I found some high-end galleries, such as Wild Spirits, Ltd., now in its 30th year. 

Estes Park is surrounded by the national park on three sides and edged by national forest on the fourth. While the omnipresent elk are the most abundant animal here, the protected lands are a natural habitat for hundreds of species, including bears, deer, bobcats and mountain lions. Oh yes, and endless congregations of extroverted chipmunks.

I got my bearings with the Estes Park Aerial Tramway, which rises to the top of Prospect Mountain until November 2. This circa 1955 European-style cable car uses a free span of wires strung between the top and base stations. With expansive views and various hiking trails, I sat on a large rock, watching raucous camp robbers (Canada Jays) and listening to the aspen leaves whistling in the breeze. 

While summer and early autumn are the busiest tourism months, there is much to entice a winter visit as well, especially for Front Rangers. The National Park does not require reservations for daytime visits after October 13 (October 19 for the Bear Lake Corridor), making hiking, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing more accessible. There are free ranger-led snowshoe hikes from January through March.

The Estes Park Museum, while small, is worth an hour or so. It’s free and open Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m.–4 p.m., year-round. Even if you’ve been here before, don’t skip the visitor’s center, open daily at the intersection of highways 34 and 36. And keep a sharp eye for elk lolling about on the grassy lawn outside.

In autumn, migratory waterfowl return to the Lake Estes area. The Matthews-Reeser Bird Sanctuary, located along the lake’s south side, is ideal for spotting many large waterfowl. December is a big bird-watching month, when the National Audubon Society hosts its long-running citizen science project, the Estes Park Christmas Bird Count. 

Other than the park, of course, one of the biggest attractions here is the Stanley Hotel. In 1974, horror and suspense novelist Stephen King spent the night with his wife at the historic 1903 hotel. That experience served as the impetus for the classic, best-selling horror novel and subsequent film, “The Shining.” 

Up to 100 haunting tours take place daily, plus an exceptional historical tour. The Shining Tour fascinated me—not only the tour itself, but the 13 other attendees, a few of whom seemed somewhat obsessed. While the Stanley was not the actual film setting for “The Shining,” it was used as the setting for “Dumb and Dumber.” 

Tourists from around the world visit the beautifully restored Stanley. Don’t miss a ride in the 1909 Otis elevator and a stroll through the hedge maze. The lemon blueberry pancakes at brunch are a must!

Sage Hospitality Group recently partnered with the Colorado Educational and Cultural Facilities Authority to take over management of the Stanley, which is on the National Register of Historic Places. Christian Henry, the general manager, says that additions and improvements will be made within the next three years. “The Stanley is iconic, and these changes will make for a better experience for both hotel guests and tour attendees,” Henry says.

While the Stanley is a unique option, families might choose to stay at the YMCA of the Rockies – Estes Park Center, one of the best family resorts in the nation, with affordable accommodation and dining options and 30 activities (many of which are included in the stay or with a YMCA membership), including ice skating and snowshoeing in the winter months.

Next time you’re heading to the high country, remember: Estes Park is much more than a pitstop for gas and a bite. Learn more at visitestespark.com