Estes Visitor Guidebook
Food scene
Our friend Melissa started the Bird & Jim several years ago and it is by far our favorite restaurant in Estes. Amazing cocktails for happy hour, and delicious food are the highlights after a long day in Rocky Mountain National Park as it is located just minutes from its exit!
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Bird & Jim
915 Moraine AveOur friend Melissa started the Bird & Jim several years ago and it is by far our favorite restaurant in Estes. Amazing cocktails for happy hour, and delicious food are the highlights after a long day in Rocky Mountain National Park as it is located just minutes from its exit!
Having spent many months in Nepal ourselves, the owners are from the Everest region and make delicious authentic Nepalese food that is well priced and absolutely amazing! It is also an easy walk from the house.
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Nepal's Cafe
184 E Elkhorn AveHaving spent many months in Nepal ourselves, the owners are from the Everest region and make delicious authentic Nepalese food that is well priced and absolutely amazing! It is also an easy walk from the house.
A great place to get an amazing margarita and a couple tacos after a long day on the trails. Ed's is a local favorite and is my personal favorite for happy hour in town. Don't miss it!
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Ed's Cantina & Grill
390 E Elkhorn AveA great place to get an amazing margarita and a couple tacos after a long day on the trails. Ed's is a local favorite and is my personal favorite for happy hour in town. Don't miss it!
A great place for coffee and a breakfast burrito! Make sure to call in orders in the summer and on the weekends to save you some time in line. (970) 586-5206
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Kind Coffee
470 E Elkhorn AveA great place for coffee and a breakfast burrito! Make sure to call in orders in the summer and on the weekends to save you some time in line. (970) 586-5206
The best sandwiches in town!!!! Go to the deli counter and get a custom sandwich which may just be lunch and dinner all at only 7 dollars!
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The Country Market of Estes Park
900 Moraine AveThe best sandwiches in town!!!! Go to the deli counter and get a custom sandwich which may just be lunch and dinner all at only 7 dollars!
Check out the Snowy Peaks Winery. They've got some great local wines and often have live music in their tasting room - just give them a call and check the schedule. 970-586-2099
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Snowy Peaks Winery
292 Moraine AveCheck out the Snowy Peaks Winery. They've got some great local wines and often have live music in their tasting room - just give them a call and check the schedule. 970-586-2099
A great place to grab a beer after a long day in the park!
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THE BARREL - Estes Park
251 Moraine AveA great place to grab a beer after a long day in the park!
Best pizza in town, and community oriented.
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Antonio's Real New York Pizza
1560 Big Thompson AveBest pizza in town, and community oriented.
Sightseeing
Rocky Mountain National Park is a great place to go outside. We often are asked the best places for hiking so I have a few here listed below:
A great mellow intro hike is to park at Bear Lake trail head (often very full with cars so plan ahead) and to walk the 3/4 mile loop around the lake. It is one of the most accessible and easy hikes in the park but remember it is at elevation so be prepared to feel a little out of breath.
Another great intro hike is to park at the Fern Lake trail head and head upstream on the nearly flat (slightly uphill but you'll barely notice) trail, at times passing between house sized boulders! A few miles will take you to The Pool, and if you look high up on the hillside to your right you'll see one of our favorite climbing spots, the Rock of Ages, there may even be climbers up there - could be us! You can chill and/or turn around here, or take on the steeper uphill another 500 vertical feet to a waterfall, and then another few miles to Spruce Lake. No matter how far you go its incredibly pleasant.
Also popular is Emerald Lake from the Bear Lake trail head. The views from Emerald Lake are your reward for going for going a bit further, as you will be above treeline and see a beautiful alpine lake cirque.
If you're up for a real effort that's equally rewarding Chasm Lake is INCREDIBLE and deposits you right in the cirque below the Diamond of Longs Peak (that sheer mountain face visible from our porch). The Diamond is a legendary face for alpine rock climbing and the two of us have probably climbed a dozen different routes up that face. but at 6 miles and 2500' gain its quite the challenge so be ready for a solid day!
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Parco nazionale delle Montagne Rocciose
Rocky Mountain National Park is a great place to go outside. We often are asked the best places for hiking so I have a few here listed below:
A great mellow intro hike is to park at Bear Lake trail head (often very full with cars so plan ahead) and to walk the 3/4 mile loop around the lake. It is one of the most accessible and easy hikes in the park but remember it is at elevation so be prepared to feel a little out of breath.
Another great intro hike is to park at the Fern Lake trail head and head upstream on the nearly flat (slightly uphill but you'll barely notice) trail, at times passing between house sized boulders! A few miles will take you to The Pool, and if you look high up on the hillside to your right you'll see one of our favorite climbing spots, the Rock of Ages, there may even be climbers up there - could be us! You can chill and/or turn around here, or take on the steeper uphill another 500 vertical feet to a waterfall, and then another few miles to Spruce Lake. No matter how far you go its incredibly pleasant.
Also popular is Emerald Lake from the Bear Lake trail head. The views from Emerald Lake are your reward for going for going a bit further, as you will be above treeline and see a beautiful alpine lake cirque.
If you're up for a real effort that's equally rewarding Chasm Lake is INCREDIBLE and deposits you right in the cirque below the Diamond of Longs Peak (that sheer mountain face visible from our porch). The Diamond is a legendary face for alpine rock climbing and the two of us have probably climbed a dozen different routes up that face. but at 6 miles and 2500' gain its quite the challenge so be ready for a solid day!
Lesser known than Rocky Mountain National Park, Lumpy is still in the park proper but much less visited. If you are a runner, you will love the long flatter trails through open fields and aspen groves.
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Lumpy Ridge Trailhead
Lesser known than Rocky Mountain National Park, Lumpy is still in the park proper but much less visited. If you are a runner, you will love the long flatter trails through open fields and aspen groves.
Lake Estes is the reseviour that you pass when you come to town. If you are looking for a nice couple mile walk we highly recommend walking around the North side of the Lake on the paved trail. Often times the Elk are along the golf course or in that general area, just be sure not to get too close!
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Lake Estes
Lake Estes is the reseviour that you pass when you come to town. If you are looking for a nice couple mile walk we highly recommend walking around the North side of the Lake on the paved trail. Often times the Elk are along the golf course or in that general area, just be sure not to get too close!
The Stanley, what else can we say, it was the birth place of Steven Kings idea for the novel "The Shining". They lots going on: Concerts, a hedge maze, delicious (but overpriced) cocktails, evening ghost tours, and it is walking distance from the house.
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The Stanley Hotel
333 E Wonderview AveThe Stanley, what else can we say, it was the birth place of Steven Kings idea for the novel "The Shining". They lots going on: Concerts, a hedge maze, delicious (but overpriced) cocktails, evening ghost tours, and it is walking distance from the house.
Hidden Valley used to be an old ski resort in Rocky Mountain National Park. The area is great for late spring snow sledding and winter ski touring. We go there all the time as avalanche hazard is almost no existent since the area is skied so much and because of the low angle. We have sleds at the house if you would like to use them!
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Hidden Valley
Hidden Valley used to be an old ski resort in Rocky Mountain National Park. The area is great for late spring snow sledding and winter ski touring. We go there all the time as avalanche hazard is almost no existent since the area is skied so much and because of the low angle. We have sleds at the house if you would like to use them!