Estes Park is still Colorado, but nothing like Manitou Springs or Dolores, our earlier stopping points. For us, Estes Park rates right up there with the best parts of this amazing trip. We had not originally planned to stay more than an afternoon here, but God is a better trip planner than me, and we ended up spending four days here.
Certainly one highlight was Rocky Mountain National Park. We drove past the treeline (where it’s too cold for trees to grow), and stopped at the Alpine Visitor Center before heading back. On the way down, I asked someone with a nice camera to take a photo.
Although the grandeur of the Park is incredible, we also enjoyed the riverwalk in Estes Park. Initially a friend, Rob Colwill, proposed meeting us there for coffee and lunch. One day was not enough. We returned the next day for dinner at Mama Rose’s, the day after for lunch at Poppy’s, and the last day, for lunch at Mama Rose’s. Every meal was outstanding, and we can be discriminating when we want to be. Here is a view of the riverwalk that includes both restaurants, plus a photo of us to prove we were there!
We camped on the edge of town, and I think we had the best view of any of the campgrounds in town. Of course if you reserve ahead, you can camp in the National Park. We met a family that was doing just that – Doug and Denise Kreighbaum, from Pittsburg, Kansas, whom we have known for 12 years. They were coming out of Poppy’s at the precise moment we were going in. That’s one in a million. Wow.
