Estes Park is located in a high valley 35miles West of Loveland on highway 34. From the South you enter the valley via the Peak-to-Peak Highway, highway 7. You can also enter from the East on highway 36 from Lyons and Longmont Colorado. Denver is 70 miles to the East of the park.

History of the Park

Thousands of years ago the ancestors of native american's roamed and hunted this valley and high open areas. There is very little evidence of there staying in the valley. But people were here probably as long ago as 10,000 years. There is much evidence that Clovis man lived in the lower levels around Greeley and Loveland. Since most of us escape the heat by moving into the mountains in the summer it would not be surprising for these hunters to follow the game to higher country. I am sure they didn't like the insects either nor the dry extremes of the prairie. They did not learn how to plant trees for shade like we did because they were to busy trying to survive.

Joel Estes who first visited the valley in 1859 was given credit for founding the town. However some credit should be given to the hardy mountain men who made this valley and the high meadows of present day Rocky Mountain National Park  their homes for many years. Lewis and Clark on their famous expedition in 1804 drew many trappers, hunters and adventurers to the Rockies shortly thereafter. There are also many stories that there were Europeans here even before that. As you will notice there is a great deal of evidence even today that this area was full of beaver and the mountain man could easily find them and trap them. There is also a great deal of evidence which shows the Native Americans of the Ute Tribe made this valley there summer home and often moved over the mountain via the Ute Trail to hunt the elk and summer in the lush cool valleys on the other side.

After Joel came here with his family, thinking the valley held promise as a cattle ranch, more ranchers, prospectors and others joined him. In 1864 the editor of the Rocky Mountain News named the area in honor of the Estes family.

In 1873 the writer Isabella Bird came to the valley and her glowing description of the area was sent back to England and the growth really started and has yet to abate 130 years later. The first to show up was the Irish Earl of Dunraven and bought a large parcel of land for an animal preserve. The Earl was the Estes's valleys first major developer as he constructed a large hotel for visiting English guests and others.

In 1874-75 the area was surveyed and settlers began to show up in increasing numbers. Lodges and large homes for the day started to be constructed and soon many were dotting the landscape and hillsides. At the turn of the century the census showed 200 citizens residing in the valley. In 1905 present day downtown was platted, mail and stagecoach service was regular and a long distance telephone line had been constructed.

The climate here was so good that famous business man F. O. Stanley came here in 1903 with only one year to live. He had contracted tuberculosis and the doctors said his condition was "very very grave" He of course made liars out of them all and lived to be 91. Stanley and his brother started building steam cars in 1897 and by 1899 were a full fledged car company. Later sold for  $250,000 they made there first fortune. The new owner subsequently ruined the company and the Stanley's bought it back for near nothing and made another fortune shortly after. Stanley then started his Estes Park part of life and drove the first car up a trail some wagons could not navigate and Stanley also got a reputation for determination and being just a mite crazy. And he did it in less than two hours from Denver. Today on the wrong day at the wrong time from Denver it could take longer than three or more hours to reach Estes.

Stanley truly loved Estes Park, especially since the climate is given credit for his long life. He really started celebrating in 1909 when he started construction on the now world famous Stanley Hotel. It cost $500,000 to build and was luxury at it's finest including a power plant, golf course and even an airfield. In 1911 2,500 guests rode up the mountain in, what else, Stanley Steamer buses.  Among these guest were J.C. Penny, Mayo, Firestone, Sousa and many other famous people. Today the hotel still stands in all its former glory and is of course newly famous for being the set of "The Shining" a Stephen King movie. If you visit Estes Park you can sit on the same front porch and enjoy the same view as Stanley and his famous guests

The town was incorporated in 1917 two years after Rocky Mountain National Park was established. Estes is also the home of the Colorado-Big Thompson water project. This project brings water from the western slope Colorado river watershed to the cities and towns of the front range.

Ft Collins History