Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park offer a multitude of activities which include rafting near Estes Park, hiking, and shopping. This exquisite little town will satisfy your needs.

    Many people travel to Colorado to visit Estes Park. This exquisitely beautiful little town nestled in the heart of the Rocky Mountains draws thousands of tourists each year. Drawn to the beauty of the Colorado Frontier people return year after year to enjoy the quiet beauty.

    Estes Park is so much more than just a tourist town. Surrounded by Rocky Mountain National Park, the little town of Estes is simply a beginning. Rocky Mountain National Park encompasses 415 square miles of streams, rugged mountain, alpine tundra, and meadows. In addition to the natural landscape, the Park also is home to many species of animals. Elk, black bear, mountain lines, foxes and a host of others all build their homes and raise their young in this beautiful gem.

    In addition to the scenic beautiful and animals, Rocky Mountain National Park hosts a colorful history. During the summer of 1820 Major Stephen Long came to the area on an official government expedition. A mountain near the area is now named after him. Unlike many frontier settlements in Colorado, Estes Park was not home to Native Americans or the fur traders. From its earliest beginnings, Estes Park was a tourist destination. Estes Park got its name from Joel Estes, the first settler in the area. A natural explorer, Estes had explored much of the frontier even all the way out to California and Oregon. After seeing the area that is now Estes Park, he brought his family and thus began the settling of Estes Park. Life around the Park was harsh. Cold long winters drove some away. Some stayed, however, and began ranches, others enjoyed incredible hunting prospects, and still others came to visit and enjoy the surroundings. Perhaps the most significant of these visitors is F.O Stanley, co-inventor of the Stanley Steamer. Stanley arrived in Estes Park in 1903. Problems with his health brought him to the clear air of the rockies. The exquisite beauty kept him here. He invested his life, and his money in the town. In 1909 he built the Stanley Hotel, which is still standing today. It greets each and every visitor as they enter the town. Built on a hillside, the hotel stands proudly overlooking the town, a tribute to its earliest days. A simple walk around the grounds and through the hotel and side building will thrust one back 100 years. It is clear why Stanley chose this place as his home.
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