Northeast Colorado, USA

Rocky Mountain High

I could have easily titled this Blog - Wind Country. The wind can blow and blow hard for days on end. It is a very beautiful part of the world that is worth exploring. We learned a lot in short time such as December isn't a guarantee for a white Christmas. It was warmer there than Georgia on our trip. Too funny. We stayed in Estes Park, used it as a base and visited Rocky Mountain National Park, Boulder and Ft. Collins. Funnier still, we were going to go to Kennebunkport, Maine for a Christmas Market but couldn't get a good flight and jumped on Estes Park from a Travel and Leisure magazine article. 

Taharaa Mountain Lodge, north and up from Estes Park by about 5 minutes is a great choice for seeing the area. It is the quintessential Colorado mountain getaway. With eighteen well-appointed rooms and suites to choose from, (all facing Twin Owls Peaks) the Taharaa Mountain Lodge offers each guest all the comfort of a unique bed and breakfast. And what a breakfast, come hungry! Adjoining the Lodge is Twin Owls Steak House, an upscale restaurant that is relaxing at the same time. The Lodge is also only 5 minutes form the main entrance from Rocky Mountain National Park. 

 The Park's 415 square miles (265,807 acres) encompasses a spectacular range of mountain environments. From meadows found in the mountain life zone to glistening alpine lakes and up to the towering mountain peaks, there is something for everyone to discover. Along the way you can explore over 300 miles of hiking trails and incredible wildlife viewing. In winter a lot of the roads are closed due to snow and ice but in summer it is an outdoorsman dream. Estes Park is simply a delightful small mountain town that has been developed and 

renovated for tourists and locals alike. At Christmas the town looks like a giant snow globe, particularly if the wind is blowing. While we were there, we had several days of non-stop 30 -40 mph winds with gusts over a 100 mph. Not crazy for Colorado. There are a lot of small, quaint restaurants in town and out favorites were the Casa Grande, a Mexican pub with a cool vibe and brightly colored, hand painted everything. The other was Ember, a modern American Restaurant and Bar located at The Estes Park Resort on the shores of Lake Estes. Almost every seat in the house has a stunning view of the lake and in our visit, complete with white

caps you could surf. To our great surprise, the Lobster Bisque was out favorite meal of our trip. They made their own stock and had lots of lump lobster in the soup. Seriously good. The Carpaccio was remarkable too. If you only have one place to eat while in Estes Park, this is it. We ate their twice. Best Bisque we have ever had., in Colorado non the less. A quaint and funny little dive bar is Wheel Bar, low prices, eclectic place with a personable and informative bar tender. We learned about Devils Gulch Pass and the Peak-to-Peak Parkway. She was a hoot. The town is renowned for its chocolate production / shops, and our favorite was Rocky Mountain Chocolate Adventure. Although the town is only 6-7 blocks long and several blocks deep, it hugs a small river, and it is so charming. During Rut season, the Elk are everywhere in the town, just wandering the streets as if they own them. Careful, they probably do. Some of the males can be quite big and potentially aggressive. 

Boulder is another quaint mountain town just north of Denver by about 45 minutes, Easy parking and fun old town / college town. Pearl Street is the happening place, a throw-back to the 1940's / 1950's.  A pedestrian area of about 10 blocks, it is a wonderful way to spend an afternoon. Tons of shops and restaurants to entertain you and friendly people everywhere. Our bar tender recommended Alberico, a traditional Neapolitan Pizza place with great atmosphere and remarkable, 4-minute pizza, get the spicy salami. Boulder is only 40 minutes from Estes Park and an easy day trip. Another easy day trip is Ft. Collins. 

From Estes Park to Ft. Collins, you can drive Devils Gulch Road, Route 43.  It is a fascinating, winding, up and down scenic byway that has plenty of thrills. Another quaint mountain town, Ft. Collins also has a pedestrian friendly, historic old town. Very walkable and filled with the nicest people. We stopped at the Brothers Bar and Grill for a wine break and thoroughly enjoyed our visit with an entertaining bar tender and local patron. Just too much fun. Then on to Gemini Dining and Bar for a tomato bruschetta and white wine, very Italian. But be forewarned, it is part of the historic Armstrong Hotel and can get very crowded.  But there's a reason, it is worth it. 

Northeast Colorado is an inviting place, from its mountain lakes, to snow covered peaks and quaint towns, to its friendly people, it is well worth the visit. Estes Park also offers numerous skiing opportunities but check the weather first, on our visit Colorado was having a dry spell. Go and enjoy, we certainly did.