Beyond Denver, Colorado: Boulder, Rocky Mountains, Estes Park
Zeke and Terri in fall 1998 along the Continental Divide
Colorado is a beautiful state with so much to see, do, and explore. When we first there in 1998, I said that if we didn’t live in California, I could live in Denver. It had art, culture, blue skies for days, was LGBTQ+ friendly, and the Rocky Mountains. As a San Francisco Bay Area gal, I need the ocean to put the challenges of daily life in perspective, but if I can’t have it, the Rocky Mountains ground me the same way.
Flatirons, Boulder, Colorado
Boulder, Estes Park, and the Rocky Mountains make for a great weekend or midweek getaway if you are in Denver. Our latest video, Boulder and the Rocky Mountains: More to see and do in Colorado, should provide some travel inspiration if you are considering a trip to Colorado.
Basecamp Hotel, Boulder, Colorado
We used the Basecamp Hotel as our basecamp for our two night stay in Boulder. We don’t recommend this hotel because it was expensive and not well renovated which was disappointing because we love a good renovated midcentury retro motel. The location was good as it was near CU Boulder and within an easy 1+ mile walk to the heart of Boulder, the Pearl Street Mall.
Pearl Street Mall, Boulder Colorado
Pearl Street Mall, between 11th and 15th Street, is the historic heart of Boulder. It’s closed to traffic, it’s pedestrian friendly, and has lots of cute shops, restaurants, and bars. It’s quite the vibe and we loved it.
Salt, Pearl Street, Boulder, Colorado
There were a lot of restaurants to choose from and we ate at two while we were there: Salt which we highly recommend and Mateo which was just so-so. Maybe it was just an off night. We also had brunch at The Buff and breakfast at Snooze which is a chain we first discovered in Orange, California when visiting our son at college. There’s even one at Union Station in Denver.
Zeke and Terri at Lily Lake, Allenspark, Colorado
We took the scenic route from Boulder to Estes Park stopping at Lily Lake to appreciate the gorgeous mountain and lake views and breathe the cool and crisp mountain air. We made a loop taking 36W from Boulder toward Lyons, 7W toward Allenspark/Estes Park, returning to Boulder via 36E. It was a gorgeous drive. Note: check on road conditions for road closures due to weather or construction.
You can walk around the lake (it’s .8 miles), but you’ll have to leave Fido at home as no dogs are allowed on the path. As usual, I didn’t have the appropriate footwear and we only walked far enough to take some pictures.
Chapel on the Rock, Allenspark, Colorado
The Chapel on the Rock, also known as St. Catherine of Siena Chapel, is also on highway 7 on the road to Estes Park and worth a quick stop. We were so surprised to see this historic Catholic church and retreat/conference center in such a remote area. There’s a cafe on the premises if you are in need of refreshments.
Stanley Hotel, Estes Park, Colorado
We decided to venture as far as Estes Park to appreciate the views from the Stanley Hotel and walk around this historic hotel property. Best known as the inspiration for Stephen King’s Overlook Hotel in The Shining, the property is beautiful with a few places to enjoy a snack or meal or enjoy a guided (or self-guided) tour of the property.
Estes Park (the town) is 90 miles northwest of Denver and is considered the gateway to the Rockies and the Rocky Mountain National Park. Estes Park is near three of the main entrances to the 250,000 acre national park with 124 named peaks including Mount Meeker, the second highest summit in the Rocky Mountain National Park.
View of Mount Meeker from the Chapel on the Rock, Allenspark, Colorado
Mount Meeker is clearly visible from the Chapel on the Rock on highway 7. The summit elevation is 13,916 feet (Chapel on the Rock pictured here is at 8,930 feet).
Once you’ve had some time to stretch your legs with a wander around the Stanley Hotel, you can venture back to Boulder on 36E, completing the loop. We didn’t see a lot more to do in Estes Park itself. It looks like your typical mountain town.
This is the route we took: 36W from Boulder to Lyons, 7W toward Allenspark and Estes Park, and 36E back to Boulder
We returned to Denver after two nights and essentially a day and a half in this area but we are ready to go back and explore more of the Rocky Mountains with more time and better preparation (footwear, gear, and snacks). In 1998 we took the Trail Ridge Road and saw the Continental Divide which I’d like to do again.
There’s so much to see and do in Colorado and hopefully our son Adam decides to stay a little longer so we have multiple excuses to see more of this beautiful state.
Do you have some places we should explore or things for us to do? If so, send us a note at zekeandterri@gmail.com.