jmoy

Hello! I need advice on our upcoming trip to Estes Park in early September:

1) Our flight lands at DEN at 6pm on a Friday night. We would like to eat dinner before we make the drive to Estes Park. Any recommendations for a restaurant in the area? By the time we get our bags and pick up the rental car, it will probably be 7:30-ish. Any good restaurant that is not too far from the airport?

2) What would be the best route from Denver to Estes Park? Would that be going thru Boulder?

3) Are the fall colors out yet?

Thank you in advance!

sylvia3

The airport is out in the boonies, and the best bet (other than the concourse options)is to eat at one of the chain restaurants near the hotel clusters there (a couple of miles away on Tower Road).

tekwriter

You might want to consider heading straight to Estes so as to catch as much daylight as you can. It's no more than 90 minutes from DIA. There are two routes you can take: I-25 north to Hwy 34 via Loveland and the Big Thompson Canyon, or I70 to I270 to Hwy 36 through Boulder. With a rental car, you'd have to be careful to avoid E-470 photo only toll road to reach I-25. If you are cool with navigating some windy, dark roads, having dinner in Boulder would be nice. There aren't any spectacular dining choices in the immediate airport area.

Nelson

To avoid the toll road mentioned by tekwriter: when you leave the airport on Pena Blvd take the exit at Tower Road. Turn right (north) and go several miles to 120th Ave. Turn left (west) and keep going until you get to I-25.

If you are in a hurry then the best route is the I-25 to Hwy 34. If not then going to Boulder for a nice dinner is an option.

There is also an excellent restaurant in Longmont called the Sugarbeet, which is not as big a detour as Boulder, but it will be crowded on a Friday night, though by the time you get there it may be thinning out.
http://www.sugarbeetrestaurant.com/

Colterra in Niwot is also excellent fine dining.
http://colterra.com/

Both of those will eat up a lot of time, as will going to Boulder. If that's an issue then your best bet might be just grab a bite from someplace along the road.

If you take Hwy 34 then you'll be driving through Loveland and maybe stopping there is the best idea. Here's one place that's decent:
http://www.henryspubloveland.com/

You'll also pass a bunch of chain restaurants right on 34.

Oh, at I-25 and 34 there is a big shopping center called Centerra. They have a PF Changs and a number of other restaurants. That would be another good place to stop, and about half way to Estes from DIA.

Nelson

Here's the Centerra link:
http://www.thepromenadeshopsatcenterra.com/dine

Nelson

PPS. I just check the map on the Centarra site and it shows the location as downtown Loveland, which is totally wrong!
http://www.thepromenadeshopsatcenterra.com/directions

It's out at the junction of I-25 and Hwy 34. This is better:
http://mapq.st/18OoyPx

jmoy

Thank you, sylvia3, tekwriter, and Nelson!

Nelson - truly appreciate the detailed info and links, this will be very helpful in planning out our DIA-Estes Park route/dining options. We have our 21-month-old with us so the Centerra area may be a good stopping point for us!

Nelson

Glad to help. I think Centerra makes sense.

I can now answer your last question: "3) Are the fall colors out yet? "

My friend and I hiked up to 12,000' in RMNP today. We were making a half-hearted attempt on a 13'er, Mummy Mountain, but got a late start and ran out of steam, still more than an hour from the top.

We did see one lonely aspen with a bit of yellow color down at the 9,500' level. Mostly all the aspen are still green as is the alpine tundra. Lots of flowers still out. There were some scattered forest floor shrubs (holly, I think) that were turning red, but not much yet.

Things could change by early September but that is typically before peak colors.

Have a great trip!

Connie

While in Estes Park, be sure to drive into Rocky Mountain National Park. Besides the beautiful scenery, the elk rut will be in full swing. You will see hundreds of elk--with the male running around herding his harem and chasing away other males. Lots of bugling going on. One of the best places to watch is in the valley just below Moraine Campground.

wave725

Like Connie said above, the elk rut is spectacular to watch. Also make the drive across Trail Ridge Road in RMNP, it connects the east and west side of the park and the scenery is great. Before you get to the visitor's center, stop at the Tundra communities Trail and take the short walk to see the unique "Mushroom Rocks":

http://www.rockymountainhikingtrails...ties-trail.htm

jmoy

Nelson - thank you for the fall color report. Too bad that we're going to be a little bit early to see the glorious autumn colors - we'll need to make a return trip. We love Colorado so it's a good reason to go back!

Connie, Wave725 - thank you! Yes, I am looking forward to seeing the elk rut. We are planning on driving across Trail Ridge Road. I hope we get good weather. Just read that there were thunderstorms earlier this week and that it was 38 degrees!

Printing out this thread for our trip!

fmpden

The road to Mt. Evens closes after this weekend. I am sure 38 was an overnight temperature. We have had mid 90s temps all week and should remain through the weekend. Will not be that warm in the mountains but good weather should prevail this weekend.

Nelson

Of course on Trail Ridge Road 38 degrees F can happen any day of the year, a balmy January afternoon or a chilly July evening.

Nelson

You guys said "early September" arriving on a Friday. Are you there now or is it tomorrow? Currently all roads into Estes Park from the east are closed. You can keep an eye on things here:
http://www.cotrip.org/roadConditions.htm

Right now if you zoom in onto Estes you'll see highways 7, 34, 36 all closed.

If you are in Estes now you are probably having a memorable vacation.

I was supposed to be backpacking in the Mummy Range this week, but we had the luxury of cancelling the trip when we saw the weather model developing on Monday. Rescheduled for first week of October, which could be stellar, or not. One never knows around here.

Good luck on your trip. If you are arriving tomorrow then next week's weather is looking to be much improved.

Connie

We are supposed to leave from NE Texas tomorrow (Friday,13th) morning and get there around noon Saturday.

Now we don't know whether to start our drive or not. We have reservations to camp inside the park (reserved many months ago). Website says campgrounds and Trail Ridge Road are open but that doesn't help if we can't get to them!

Tabernash2

That's tough timing, Connie. We are fortunately in Denver, and not getting flooding in this immediate vicinity. But elsewhere it is really bad-- Boulder, especially. CU is closing, and some dorms are flooded.

I've never seen rain like this!

Weather reports are that this rain will continue at least through tomorrow, Friday.

I can't imagine camping would be too much fun, due to the wetness and mud. I would think the Big Thompson canyon is closed, but don't know for sure.

Can you call the national park office at RMNP and ask their advice? They might be deterring people from coming.

Nelson

If I had to guess I'd say noon-ish on Saturday would be OK, but that guess does not come with a guarantee!

Looks like a little break in the moisture Saturday before one more shot on Sunday. and then a superb sunny week coming up.

I use the Unisys model which I have found to be pretty decent. Over the years it's only steered me wrong a couple of times. Currently it shows a slight break in the moisture levels Saturday morning.
http://weather.unisys.com/nam/nam.ph...res&inv=0&t=48

Then we are blanketed again on Sunday but with much less moisture than we've had this week. That link changes every 6 hours so it will stop showing Saturday shortly.

Then sunny Monday and all next week.
http://weather.unisys.com/gfs/gfs.ph...region=us&t=4e

Good luck!

historytraveler

Estes Park is being hit hard. At the moment the only way in or out is via Trail Ridge Road. Things may change somewhat by Saturday but rain is predicted through Sunday. Some camp grounds are closed in R.M.N.P. Check with park office.

Gretchen

Can you go to a different area--Colorado is really beautiful everywhere!! Look at other campgrounds.
It is hard for me to believe they are getting all that rain--think what that would have been in SNOW!!
Flash flood warning in DS's neighborhood in Greenwood Village!! There is a dry creek that runs through their division--I wonder if it filled up!!

Gretchen

Oops, see you are flying so you might not be bringing your camp gear. Good luck.