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Time Zone
Mountain
Latitude/Longitude
40.36° /-105.52°
Today's Forecast
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HIGH: 52
LOW: 22
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Tiny Estes Park, eastern gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park, is packed with recreational opportunities; a wide range of hotels, bed and breakfasts, and campgrounds; and a variety of restaurants and cafes featuring just about any type of cuisine you might crave. The national park is the main attraction, with hundreds of miles of hiking trails, lofty peaks, and scenic mountain drives, but Estes Park offers plenty of things to see and do, as well.
You can ride an aerial tram to the top of 9,000-foot Prospect Mountain for panoramic views of Estes Park Valley and the peaks of Rocky Mountain National Park, or you can wander the streets of the town and take in the many museums, gardens, art galleries, shops, and, of course, the spectacular Rocky Mountain scenery that surrounds the community.
Tourists flock here in summer, and the town holds a series of concerts, horse shows, parades, and special exhibits to enhance their visits. But Estes Park is a wonderful winter destination as well. The crowds are gone, the mountains wear a thick mantle of snow that beckons cross-country skiers and snowshoe hikers, and, since Estes Park is located in a valley, the temperature in town is surprisingly mild (January temperatures range between an average high of 47 and a low of 7 degrees Fahrenheit). If you visit in September, schedule your trip to coincide with the popular Longs Peak Scottish-Irish Highland Festival and enjoy the Celtic music, games, and revelry.
Summer activities include hiking, climbing, fishing, horseback riding, swimming, boating, river rafting, and golf. Outfitters offer white-water rafting trips, as well as horse rentals and pack trips; in winter, ski and snowshoe rentals are also available.
The Chamber of Commerce Visitor Information Center is located at 500 Big Thompson Avenue; call 970-577-9900 or 800-44-ESTES (800-443-7837) for more detailed information. A shuttle service from town to the national park starts in Summer 2006.
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