If you are lucky enough to visit Estes in the summer, and happen to be here on a Thursday, the downtown Farmer's Market is a must visit.  It runs from 8:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. every Thursday.  There is the traditional farmer produce, but also art, lotions, live music and more.  One of my favorite booths is on the east side of the market where for $10 you get a bag that you can fill with any and all vegetables and fruit from a wide range of options.  Here are a few pictures I took this morning during a visit.

If you haven't visited Estes in a couple of years, you will be surprised to learn of all the new Craft Beer establishments that now exist in and around town.  The local laws were recently modified to make it more feasible for these small craft brewers to open in and around town.  The Barrel Beer Garden is a new outdoor business in downtown Estes that provides the opportunity to taste and enjoy a wide variety of craft beers.  As of a recent count, they have 48 beers on tap.  This is a great place to sit with friends on a picnic table and enjoy some the the fantastic craft beers.  If your lucky, you will even get to enjoy live music.  Below are a few pictures taken during a recent visit to this new business.

The drive up to the Alpine Visitor Center is a must see.  Whether you take Trail Ridge Road or Fall River Road you will not be disappointed.  The scenery is breathtaking.  There are lots of places to take pictures and simply enjoy the view.  From the Overlook it is 23 miles to the Alpine Visitor Center when you take Trail Ridge Road.  Trail Ridge Road is know as the highest elevation continuously paved highway in the US.  It connects Estes Park to Grand Lake.  From Grand Lake you can continue west to California.  I will cover more on Grand Lake in a future blog.  However, here are a few pictures of my recent ride up to the Alpine Visitor Center.  Enjoy.

Finding a good picnic area with good views and not too many tourists can be a challenge in RMNP.  One of my favorite spots is Upper Beaver Meadows.  It is less than 5 miles from the Overlook.  There are several nice picnic tables, a restroom, great views and places were kids can explore safely.  To get there, simply drive in the entrance next to the Overlook and go straight towards Trail Ridge Road and Estes.  The area is well marked, on the left side of the road and only about a mile inside the entrance station.  Follow the gravel road for a couple miles and you will see the picnic area on your left.  If you continue another half mile, you will find a trail head with a small creek right next to a parking area.  This area is often used for weddings due to the spectacular views.  It is also an area where you will probably see several horseback riding tours passing by.  Here are a few pictures of the area from a recent visit.  

One of the most scenic drives in the RMNP is Fall River Road.  This is a one way dirt road that travels from just inside the park to the Alpine Visitor Center at over 12,000 feet. You return to Estes on the paved Trail Ridge Road.  It is only open for a few months during the summer and typically opens on July 4th weekend.  It is a very narrow road, with no guard rails and very steep drop offs.  This is not the road for the faint of heart!  However, it is negotiable in even a 2 wheel drive car.  There are numerous switch backs and for cars with limited turning radius, it can take several attempts.   There are several places to pull off and picnic along the way.  Don't be in a hurry....no one else will be!  It is not uncommon to come upon a car with all the doors open sitting in the middle of the road with the occupants out taking pictures.  You will see spectacular views, waterfalls,and Marmots.  It is only 11 miles long but will probably take 45 minutes to get to the top.  It is twice as long to take Trail Ridge Road but on this paved road you will travel twice as fast.  Here are a few pictures from my recent trip.

This shows how tiny my wife is!  She rides on the luggage rack!  While sitting here, we suddenly noticed our feet were in a pile of Mountain Lion or Bobcat poop.  They must also enjoy the view!

One of the top attractions/activities in Estes is the rental of scooters.  At first I was skeptical.  The idea of one more underpowered vehicle on the road scared me.  Bikes, RVs, etc. already clog our little town.  Nevertheless, our visitors go on, and on about their experience exploring Estes and the surrounding area on a scooter.  If you visit, you really should consider renting one of these things or signing up for a guided tour.  However, after nearly 45 years riding motorcycles, I was unable to even consider the possibilities a scooter might provide. Nevertheless, after much research, I discovered one of the most interesting and talked about trends in motorcycles ... the much smaller monkey bike called the Honda Grom.  In fact, if you have the inclination, do a little research on Utube or the internet and you will discover how big this tiny motorcycle following really is.  Its kind of like the tiny house phenomenon.  So guess what.  I bought one to evaluate this mini trend and use it to explore and blog about things in and around Estes.  Let me first say these things are small.  They are also slow.  Not as slow as a scooter, but slow.  They say they can reach 60 mph...but this must be going down hill, with a wind behind you, and a 10 year old Thailand girl riding.  Why Thailand?  Because this is where they are made.  Luckily my wife, Karen, is tiny.  It is actually possible for us both to fit on this mini monster.  Below are some of our pictures from the first 100 miles on our Grom.  Enjoy.

Grom at Glacier Gorge.  This is a popular spot within RMNP to begin your hiking adventure.  The parking lot is relatively small and fills up early.  As you drive from the Overlook into RMNP you will first pass Sprague Lake, then Glacier Gorge and the road ends at Bear Lake.  There is horse back riding at Sprague Lake.

The Grom at Sprague Lake.  Sprague Lake is in RMNP and about 20 minutes away from the Overlook.  It is a great lake for small children or people with hiking limitations.  There is a very flat path around the lake.  It only takes about 15 minutes to walk around the lake and has great views.  This is a popular spot for fly fishing lessons.

Last night we rode the Grom to Sprague Lake and enjoyed a picnic at sunset.  It was perfect weather.  While it was 95 in Denver, it was in the 60s at Sprague Lake.  Be sure to take peanuts.  There are lots of hungry chipmunks and squirrels around.  There are several spots to sit and enjoy the scenery.  There are several spots with picnic tables.  There are bathrooms at this spot.  While we were there, a wedding was being performed.  It is a popular place for weddings.

Did you know the YMCA of the Rockies is only 1-2 miles down the road from The Overlook?  This is a spectacular facility and even offers Day Passes to use their facilities.  There are loads of activities for individuals, couples and families.  This can be one of the most cost effective ways of enjoying the area.  Activities include swimming, fishing, zip lines, roller skating, basketball, volleyball and much MORE.

Time to get out the book, sit in the swing and enjoy the view of the Estes Valley.

Finally it appears Spring is here.  This allows us to work outside and continue to enhance The Overlook.  Here is our new gazebo under construction.  

After a couple of weeks of warmer weather (the 40s) most of the snow has melted in the Estes Valley. However, this morning we woke up to about an inch on the ground.  March is one of the snowiest months in Colorado.  Therefore, we are expecting a lot more before the season ends.  Luckily, the mountains have above average snow pack.  This is good for our summer water supply and good for all the outdoor activities in the park.  There are snow shoeing treks every week that are organized by the Rocky Mountain National Park Service. There is also sledding in the park at Hidden Valley.

Book your Spring Vacation in Estes NOW before the crowds arrive.