Rocky Mountain drives, yodeling cowboys & ghost sightings
After spending a handful of days near Colorado Springs with my Uncle Jack this September, my family said goodbye to Crockett the dog and Whiskey the horse, crammed ourselves and our luggage into the rental car, and drove the almost-three hours to Estes Park. For the last four nights of our Colorado trip, we hung our hats at the Ridgeview Lodge, a VRBO located within walking distance to downtown Estes. Loved staying there — would absolutely stay again!
En route to Estes, we stopped in Nederland to stretch our legs and enjoy some coffee and pastries. The town is very small, but it's a cute spot to escape the car and walk around for a bit.
When we got to Estes, we settled into the VRBO, bummed around Elkhorn Ave (the town's main street), and worked up an appetite for an early dinner. We headed for Mary's Lake Lodge, which my dear friend and Estes aficionado, Rachel, had recommended. In fact, we have Rachel to thank for lots of our Estes memories, as they came from her suggestions. So thanks, Rach!
Mary's Lake Lodge was one such suggestion, due to its gorgeous view from the patio and yummy beer list. Mary's did not disappoint — but make sure to bring a jacket. That mountain wind can blow a little chilly around sunset.
After a solid night's sleep, we laced up our boots and headed out for real Rocky Mountain hike. Remember to pack: Water, trail snacks, sunscreen, and layers. Following Rachel's advice for pretty views and relatively-easy walking, we took the trail that hit Nymph Lake, Dream Lake, and Emerald Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park. The main parking lot fills up early, but there is overflow parking with shuttles running regularly to the trailhead.
Hands down, this hike was my favorite thing we did in Estes. I can't get over the postcard-perfect views of far-off peaks, shimmering aspens, rushing streams, towering evergreens, and glassy mountain lakes — three of them! It was unreal. I understand now why some people would rather hike alone. The freedom it affords you to just pause and take it all in, to move as fast or as slow from minute to minute, must be nice. I wish I'd had many more minutes on the Emerald Lake trail — but hiking with family isn't so bad either.
On our second full day in Estes, after sleeping off the margs, it was time to drive Trail Ridge Road, the highest road in the U.S. While we could have stopped at the Alpine Visitor Center and turned around, the fam decided to keep on keepin' all the way to Grand Lake — about a two-hour drive from Estes.
We had our sights set on lunch and bopping around another little mountain town. Unfortunately, lunch was just okay and the whole main street was under noisy construction. C'est la vie! Regardless, Grand Lake itself was gorgeous, and the town was super cute, despite the main drag being blown to smithereens.
After driving back to Estes and succumbing to more naps, it was time for our date with ghostly destiny. My mom booked us a night tour at the Stanley Hotel, which inspired Stephen King's The Shining. Was it a super-scary tour? Not really. So if that's your angle, you may be a bit disappointed.
But I'm not someone who gets a pleasant thrill from being scared, so it worked for me that our tour guide was a real hoot. He told some great ghost stories, some firsthand experiences, and let us in on the history of the hotel — all fascinating. I say it's worth the price of admission, even if you don't leave feeling spooked.
Our last day in Estes started with a parade. It was the annual Scottish Irish Highland Festival, and a huge parade of Scottish clans and musicians came bagpiping down Elkhorn Ave for a solid hour or more. The turnout was seriously impressive — who knew such Highland pride existed in the Rockies?
We spent the rest of the morning and afternoon lunching and browsing at various shops — candy shops, shops with tourist swag, and my absolute favorite: a coffee and card shop called Inkwell & Brew. I think I could live there very happily. We also stopped at the Rachel-recommended Kind Coffee, an adorable spot with delicious drinks and some of the best pumpkin bread I've ever had.
To cap off our final night in Colorado, things got campy. We'd booked a table at the Lazy B Chuckwagon & Show. What's that? It's a cowboy dinner theater where you eat brisket, pulled pork, baked beans, buttermilk biscuits, baked potatoes, and peaches from a can. The night is emceed by cowboys telling dad jokes, and in the middle of the show you can dress up in cowboy garb and snap some pics.
Told you it was camp! But it was also plenty entertaining. Yes, the jokes were silly and some were at the expense of young whippersnappers (anyone under 35), but the music was legitimately good. The troupe played a slew of cowboy standbys, yodeling, foot-tapping, and fiddling away — with lovely voices to boot. It was pretty remarkable to find such real talent in a cowboy dinner theater — who knew!?
Bottom line, if you can check your pretensions at the door, then the Lazy B is a terrific way to bid a fond farewell to Estes Park. Add it to the memory bank! Happy trails, y'all.
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