Which would be a more pleasing place to spend the night of June 20, 2011?

HTTY

There is nothing at Nederland. So between just those two, I'd say Estes. What are you looking for? Just one night?

Yes. In the late afternoon we want to explore Rocky Mountain National Park in the late afternoon and early evening and to then spend the night in a scenic area.

HTTY

Nederland is just a lonely little town, which has seen better days, IMHO. It has a hippie past, as several musicians recorded there in the early 70s, like Stephen Stills. It is in a cute enough location, but I would not go out of the way to get there. Much better choices in the area. .

Would you be interested in driving over Trail Ridge Road (highly recommended), And then spend the night in Grand Lake? There is another thread now about the lovely, historic Grand Lake Lodge maybe being open again.

For Estes, I know nothing. But it is probably filling up fast.

Thanks PO. We like to drive. We can get a room in Estes Park with a balcony and mountain view where we could relax and then, in the late afternoon drive to Grand Lake and back again.

We drove from Grand Lake to Estes Park a few years ago and we have always wanted to do the drive both ways at a time of day when the crowds have dispersed.

Thanks for describing Nederland.

HTTY

Sounds like your room with a balcony and a view will be lovely. If you have time for a meal when you drive to Grand Lake, see if the Grand Lake Lodge restaurant is open, and sit on their porch with a view of the lake. (The Lodge is right at the park exit.)

Enjoy your visit to Colorado!

Thanks, PO!

It's a long drive from Estes Park to Grand Lake. If you leave late afternoon and stop for dinner in Grand Lake, and you stop anywhere on the way to enjoy the view, your return trip will be in the dark.

Thanks for the alert. We aren't planning on dinner in Grand Lake--a quick snack, maybe. Sunset is about 8:30 now. If we leave at about 4:00, and the skies are clear, we should be o.k. don't you think?

For me that's a day trip. I'd leave 2 hours driving for both directions. It's not terribly stressful drive, but by no means "relaxing and leisurely."