Estes Park, Colorado is a scenic mountain town along the Front Range known as THE gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park. With incredible access to some of Colorado’s most cherished mountain scenery, from dramatic peaks to serene alpine lakes.
And in the historic town, there’s loads of shops, restaurants, and entertainment to keep you busy.
Let’s get into our top 10 things to do in Estes Park!
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Rocky Mountain National Park
Let’s be honest, this is most likely the reason you came to Estes Park in the first place. And without a doubt it has some of the most impressive mountain scenery anywhere in Colorado. Plus excellent wildlife viewing, scenic drives, and more. So definitely plan to spend at least one day in the park, if not more.
Because of the high elevation snowpack, what is open and accessible changes dramatically with the seasons. Summer and Fall is the busiest time when most hiking trails will be completely clear of snow. Springtime is when the trails begin to melt, but some snowfall is still possible into May. And in Winter most of the park is blanketed in snow. However some trails remain open, but you just may need snowshoes or traction spikes for an enjoyable time.
One really important thing to know is that Rocky Mountain National Park requires timed-entry reservations during peak season. Usually about May to October. I don’t want to be too specific because these things are subject to change from year to year.
But the current system has two different reservations. One for the whole park EXCEPT for Bear Lake Road that’s needed for entry between 9am and 2pm. Or the other reservation is for the entire park including Bear Lake Road, needed for entry between 5am and 6pm. And just be aware that reservations still don’t guarantee parking at any specific parking areas. This is the accurate information as of May 2026.
If you only have one day to spend in the park, the Bear Lake area offers some of the most iconic scenery that is easily accessible. But for that reason, it’s also the busiest place in the park. Hence the stricter timed-entry reservation rules.
There are like a million different hikes you can do from here to combine many gorgeous lakes into one hike. So you can choose a distance and difficulty that suits you.
For a shorter hike, we would recommend hiking Emerald Lake Trail. At only 3.2 miles and 692 ft of elevation it passes 4 beautiful lakes, Bear Lake, Nymph Lake, Dream Lake, and Emerald Lake.
Or for a longer hike you can, you can complete a loop that includes Haiyaha Lake and Alberta Falls. This hike is 7.2 miles with 1,351 ft of elevation.
Or for a really challenging hike, you can do that loop plus adding on a section to The Loch and Sky Pond. For a total of 11.1 miles and 2,401ft elevation. But be aware that the last section up to Sky Pond has a short rocky scramble up a steep face.
What To Do In You Don’t Get A Timed Entry Permit: So as I mentioned before, the Bear Lake trailhead requires a time-entry permit between 5am and 6pm. If you are like us, and failed to plan ahead, you can still visit this area as long as you reach the turn-off for Bear Lake Road before 5am. But even before 5am, there will be lots of other people hitting the trail. So if you plan on doing these longer loop hikes starting really early in the morning, I would recommend going clockwise. That way really the only attraction you will see in the dark is Alberta Falls. By the time we got to The Loch lake, the sunrise was just getting good. The more popular lakes will be busier in the later part of the day, but it doesn’t do you much good to see them in the dark.
Bird & Jim
After a day of adventure, you gotta stop at our favorite restaurant in town. Bird & Jim is a delicious farm to table restaurant that strikes a perfect balance between casual dining atmosphere and delicious elevated cuisine. The menu is a little on the expensive side for us, but we think everything from the food and drinks, to service and ambiance was worth the price.
We promised ourselves we weren’t gonna drink here, but the happy hour deals were just too good to pass up. These beautiful cocktails for just 6 bucks, how could we say no?
I also noticed that they carry craft beers from the local breweries in town, Rock Cut and Lumpy Ridge.
For food we shared one pub-style sandwich and one nicer entree. The BLT on a pretzel bun had the thickest juiciest bacon, and dill caper aioli, plus sweet potato fries and elevation ketchup. And the sweet potato gnocchi was a savory and mouthwatering hit for us too. I have a feeling there menu packs alot of flavor and you really can’t go wrong with just about anything!
Estes Lake Park
During your time in Estes, we highly recommend spending some time at the lake. It’s just a really scenic spot for walking, biking, fishing, boating, paddling, or swimming.
If you want to park at the lake, it’s $8 per car for a day pass, good at any parking lots around the lake. Or to avoid paying for parking, the free town buses can help you get to the lake from other places in town.
There is an easy 4-mile paved loop around the lake that is a great way to get some exercise while taking in the views that are basically stunning the whole way. But personally, we found the south side of the lake a little less beautiful with the eyesore of the power plant and power lines.
If you want to rent something to get out on the water, then the Estes Park Marina is the place to go. Otherwise, you can start from any of the parks around the lake.
The Marina rents kayaks, paddle boards, fishing boats, pontoon boats, bikes, 4-person bike carts, and more.
And something to know is that any personal watercraft requires a $5 fee to launch on the lake which you can get online or at the marina. Additionally, motorized boats require an invasive species inspection from the marina staff.
Here’s a quick price breakdown for Estes Lake Park:
- $8/day for vehicle access to any parks around the lake
- $5/ launch your own watercraft
- $10/hour bike rental
- $25/hour for cart rental
Explore The Shops Downtown
When you’re ready to explore downtown Estes Park, take a stroll along Elkhorn and Moraine Avenue, where you’ll find a mix of shops, restaurants, and local gems. Sure, there are plenty of classic souvenir spots, but what really stood out to us were the selection of unique local artists, photo galleries, and bespoke treasures.
Oh and don’t be surprised if you’re not the only one browsing, Estes Park’s local elk have been known to wander downtown too. Apparently, they’re just as interested in the scene (though mostly the landscaping).
And check their events schedule for art events that happen throughout the year at Bond Park. We visited on Labor Day and got to explore a local art market which had amazing artists, small trikets, and other unique items.
And in the summer, it feels like everyone has an ice cream in hand and for good reason. The spot we kept hearing about (and now recommend too) is the Danish Cone Factory. They’re famous for their creative dipped and flavored cones that turn a simple scoop into basically a full meal. Definitely worth a stop! Yum!
Estes Park Via Ferrata
If you are looking to inject some serious adrenaline into your visit, book a guided tour on the Via Ferrata with KMAC Guides. If you are unfamiliar, a Via Ferrata is basically like a route of steel steps and cables that makes rock climbing much more safe and accessible for regular folks.
The nice part about this Via Ferrata is that it’s private, and they only do maximum 4 people to a guide. So you get a very personalized experience at whatever pace you want. They offer a couple different routes so they can cater the experience to you.
It was our first time doing a Via Ferrata, or really any type of climbing activity. And it was such an exciting, scenic, and unique experience. Our guide Adam was amazing. It honestly felt like we were just climbing with a friend. He educated us about the equipment and techniques, and was great at making sure we felt comfortable and confident the whole way.
He even took tons of photos and videos for us and airdropped them to us at the end.
Not gonna lie, the climbing can be a little scary at times. But you are always safely attached to something, and it was very rewarding to overcome those moments of fear and reach the summit. And the views are amazing!
But a couple of things to know:
- You will need to drive yourself to their office and then follow to the trailhead.
- Then there is about a 10 minute hike up to the base of Via Ferrata.
Check Out A Local Bar or Brewery
I don’t know about you, but after a long hike, I’m always cravin’ a beer as a reward. Estes Park has several craft breweries in town to enjoy.
Our top choice is Rock Cut. They have a laid-back bar service brewery vibe and a great outdoor patio with rotating food trucks.
Lumpy Ridge Brewing has two locations, their primary brewery just outside of downtown, and a newer tasting room just a block off the main street. Which was great because I feel like it avoids most of the craziness of the Main Street. Their fruity Sun Lion Pale was the winner for us.
The Estes Park Brewery is combined with The Hive Restaurant. The restaurant is pretty great, yet the beer selection here wasn’t really speaking to us. But I do appreciate how they have a casual tasting area where you can get a beer while waiting for a table upstairs.
Avante Garde is another one that we have yet to try, but a local told us they are the best craft brewer in town.
But aside from the breweries there are also some other great bars in town. Our absolute favorite place overall is The Barrell. It’s got laid-back block party vibes and the best craft beer selection in town by far! They have 64 beers on tap with offerings from Maine to California. And they have a rotation of food trucks.
Some other cool bars on our list that we didn’t check out are the Full Throttle Distillery, Lonigans Irish Pub, and Bogeys Sports Bar.
Stanley Hotel
This iconic hotel has been a part of Estes Park lore for over 100 years. You can’t miss this imposing building standing tall above town. Built by Freelan Oscar Stanley, or FO Stanley, of Stanley Steam Engine fame, this hotel is probably most famous as the inspiration for Steven King’s the Shining, and subsequent film by Stanley Kubrick.
You can stay in the Stanley Hotel itself or one of their other historic buildings or modern residences. But otherwise the best thing to do is come for a tour and/or visit one of the unique bars on the property.
They specifically don’t allow filming on the tour, so that’s why you are seeing so many photos. The tours are a great way to learn all the fascinating history about FO Stanley himself, and the hotel’s storied past of hosting the rich and the famous, ghost stories, movie history and more.
FO Stanley was a New Englander but moved to Colorado as the dry mountain air was a common prescription for people battling tuberculosis. My favorite fun fact about him is that he was told he wouldn’t live past 54, but after relocating to Colorado he lived to 91 years old. He also famously did everything in a 3-piece suit, including summiting Long’s Peak, the highest mountain in Rocky Mountain National Park.
And as for the connection to The Shining, The story goes that Steven King spent one night at the hotel and had all the inspiration he needed to write his famous book the Shining. And despite it’s apparent connection to Stanley Kubrick’s the Shining, that movie wasn’t actually filmed here. Though they still lean into that lore.
The hotel was also featured in Dumb & Dumber, in a couple famous scenes.
So this historic hotel is a neat piece of American history that is worth a visit.
Fun City
If you’ve got kids, or a husband that acts like one, Fun City is a must visit.
This small amusement park still packs a punch with fun entertainment. With go carts, bumper boats, Mini Golf, giant slides, and the highest roller coaster in North America. Which you have to give them some credit with that funny claim. It’s really just more of a carnival ride that happens to be operating at the highest starting elevation.
But anyway, this park is a great way to entertain the family if you are tired of hiking. Individual rides are pretty reasonably priced. But if want to let your kids go wild, it’s probably best to just buy one of their value cards.
Notchtop Bakery & Cafe
If you’re looking for a place to refuel before or after a day of adventure, Notchtop is an excellent spot. They serve huge portions for an affordable price that really just nails the classic diner experience.
But they do some things that you might not expect. Probably their biggest claim to fame are the different twists on French Toast, like you can get a French toast made from croissants, cinnamon rolls, and even banana bread.
And they do offer real maple syrup for a small up charge. Which is a nice touch if you’re like me and bothered by the typical fake maple flavored high fructose corn syrup.
They also serve cocktails, like coffee drinks, bloody Marys, mimosas, margaritas, and more.
You’ll quickly see why this diner is a local favorite.
Peak to Peak Scenic Byway
If you are looking for a scenic drive near Estes Park, this one is beautiful. It stretches 55 miles along the front range from Estes Park to Central City. And from there, it’s just a little further to I-70, Colorado’s primary east-west thoroughfare. Which can connect you back to Denver, or deeper into the mountains.
While beautiful scenery unfolds all along the route. Here are a few notable sites on The Peak to Peak Scenic Byway:
- Lily Lake – a beautiful lake in Rocky Mountain National Park (pass required) with an easy 0.8 mile loop around the lake
- Long’s Peak is the only 14er in the National Park, and popular area for challenging hikes in the park.
- Chapel On The Rock – This gorgeous catholic chapel feel like it belongs in Europe and is open to the public.
- Peaceful Valley – A popular scenic area for recreation, camping, and more
- The charming mountain town of Nederland, near Eldora Ski Area.
- The twin towns of Black Hawk and Central City, historic mining boom towns turned casino hotspots.
But there’s a lot more to discover along this road.
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