We visited Estes Park in May 2016 during Big Trip #1.
![estes park lake estes](https://i0.wp.com/airstreamdog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/estespark-7.jpg?resize=700%2C470)
We really wanted Estes Park to be a charming little mountain town. It’s the gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park, and has a compact, walkable downtown area… that’s full of t-shirt shops and candy stores and tourists. Even in mid-May, the tourists were out in force, browsing the crappy souvenirs. The town has a gorgeous natural setting; for that reason alone it’s worth a visit, and we can give you a couple other recommendations…
Campground
![estes park koa dog](https://i0.wp.com/airstreamdog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/estespark-6.jpg?resize=700%2C688)
![estes park koa dog](https://i0.wp.com/airstreamdog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/estespark-10.jpg?resize=700%2C727)
![estes park elk danger](https://i0.wp.com/airstreamdog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/estespark-8.jpg?resize=700%2C861)
![estes park elk](https://i0.wp.com/airstreamdog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/estespark-9.jpg?resize=700%2C634)
KOA… again, it’s closest to town, and reliably well-run. Since we’re early in the season, it was pretty empty, as has been our experience for much of this trip. Internet is decent, town is just a few miles down the road, and across the street is a several-mile walking loop into town and back around the elk-frequented Lake Estes.
Eating and drinking
![estes park stanley hotel](https://i0.wp.com/airstreamdog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/estespark-5.jpg?resize=700%2C385)
We had some good and some bad eating and drinking experiences. J wrote about the breweries in town here. Basically, we visited two breweries in town, one good and one bad. We HAD to go get a cocktail at the Stanley Hotel, which inspired Stephen King’s The Shining. Food-wise, we had some subpar Thai carryout, and some good picnic sandwiches. And then we gave up and ate and drank at home.
The good:
- Friendly, bright Rockcut Brewing Co
- A fancy cocktail at the old-timey Whiskey Bar at the Stanley Hotel
- Scratch Deli & Bakery sandwiches to take hiking
The bad:
- Dreary Estes Park Brewing
- Thai Kitchen carryout
Hiking
This is where Estes Park shines. We were limited in what we could do in Rocky Mountain National Park because of dog and snow, but had a scenic dog-friendly walk in RMNP and a short, tough romp in the woods to a big view in the Roosevelt National Forest.
Rocky Mountain National Park
![rocky mountain national park dog hike](https://i0.wp.com/airstreamdog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/estespark-4.jpg?resize=700%2C923)
We weren’t able to explore the National Park nearly as much as we had planned. Read about our adventures here, and look for us to return on a future Airstream trip!
Roosevelt National Forest
![lily mountain hike estes park](https://i0.wp.com/airstreamdog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/estespark-14.jpg?resize=700%2C514)
![lily mountain hike estes park](https://i0.wp.com/airstreamdog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/estespark-13.jpg?resize=700%2C445)
![lily mountain hike estes park](https://i0.wp.com/airstreamdog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/estespark-12.jpg?resize=700%2C663)
![lily mountain hike estes park](https://i0.wp.com/airstreamdog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/estespark-11.jpg?resize=700%2C435)
Needing a dog-friendly, quick hike with a rewarding view to knock out on our last morning before packing up and leaving, we chose Lily Mountain just outside of town. It’s a pretty easy two miles up to a rock scramble, at the top of which you get a 360° view of Estes Park and the Rockies beyond. It was freezing on the unprotected clifftop, but completely worth it.
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