Estes Park in the Front Range of the Rockies is a mid-sized community surrounded by natural splendor, and right on the doorstep of Colorado's most famous national park. Among the most photographed locations in the west, Rocky Mountain National Park includes over 400 square miles of beautiful mountain lakes, meadows, and peaks. With its prime position at the east entrance, Estes Park is a natural embarkation point for visitors from east of the mountains.
While the surrounding territory is the prime attraction, Estes Park itself is a pleasant place to spend the day. A full range of dining, lodging, and entertainment options are available in town, and shops and art galleries are abundant on the main thoroughfares. Local attractions include the sprawling Stanley Hotel, which inspired Stephen King's novel The Shining, and several museums on pioneer and western history. Street sculptures, fun annual events, and western-themed decoration bring additional color and character to this cheerful town.
The Stanley Hotel is a national historical landmark, located in Estes Park, six miles from Rocky Mountain National Park. The location of many films and novels, the Stanley offers exceptional guest services. Originally opened in 1909, this striking Georgian colonial-style facility with a beautiful mountain backdrop, is one of Colorado's best-loved hotels. After a multi-million remodeling in recent years, the hotel has been restored to its original grandeur. The Stanley boasts of views in every direction and is less then six miles away from Rocky Mountain National Park. It is the ideal destination for your Colorado getaway.
The Stanley Hotel offers modern conveniences with a traditional Victorian charm. Every room is equipped with a full range of amenities and the beds are made up with a comforter and triple sheeting. The onsite restaurant, Cascades, offers dining al fresco by its cascading waterfall, or inside by a roaring fire. The area offers a variety of outdoor activities, year around. Meanwhile, the Stanley Hotel itself and the City of Estes Park have their own calendar of special events and activities. The Stanley Hotel is convenient to attractions, recreation and entertainment.
Rocky Mountain National Park, for all its grand beauty and sense of wildness, is embedded in a human environment that creates special challenges. Nitrogen deposition, growing elk populations, and fragile ecosystems are major management concerns. Managers need the best scientific information available to juggle these many conflicting interests.
