Seasons
The best time to visit Estes Park.
We've been coming to Estes our whole lives, and the honest answer is that every season earns its keep. Here's what each one is actually like, so you can pick yours.
June – August
Summer: the classic.
Wildflowers in the alpine meadows, every trail open, Trail Ridge Road crossing the tundra at 12,000 feet. Warm days, crisp evenings on the deck, and afternoon thunderstorms that roll through like clockwork. Plan hikes for the morning.
- All Rocky Mountain National Park trails and Trail Ridge Road open
- Timed-entry permits required for the park, so book ahead
- Busiest season; the lodge's private ridge is the escape
- Festivals downtown most weekends
September – October
Fall: the elk rut.
Our favorite. Aspens go gold, the crowds thin, and the elk rut takes over town. Bulls bugling in Moraine Park at dusk is one of the great wildlife spectacles in North America, and it's ten minutes from the lodge. Keep a respectful distance (and keep dogs well clear).
- Elk bugling mid-September through mid-October
- Golden aspens: Bear Lake Road and Hidden Valley
- Crisp days, cold nights; wood-stove season begins
- Trail Ridge Road typically closes mid-October
November – March
Winter: the quiet season.
Estes in winter is the town locals keep for themselves. Snowshoeing to frozen alpine lakes, sledding at Hidden Valley, no entry permits, no crowds, then back to the lodge for the fire. Roads are plowed and the drive up is manageable; we'll send current conditions before you arrive.
- Snowshoe and winter-hike the Bear Lake corridor
- Hidden Valley sledding hill, the kids' favorite
- No timed-entry permits required in winter
- Holiday lights downtown, plus Christmas on the Rocks at the lodge
April – May
Spring: the sleeper.
Waterfalls at full roar, elk calves in the meadows, and the best rates of the year. Weather keeps you guessing (60° sunshine one day, a foot of snow the next), which is exactly the excuse to split days between the park and the deck.
- Snowmelt waterfalls: Alluvial Fan and Chasm Falls
- Elk calving season (give them room)
- Lowest crowds and shoulder-season rates
- Lower trails melt out by May; high country stays snowy
Book
Pick your season and we'll have the lodge ready.
Check dates & instant availability with our direct booking search: best rate, always. And see things to do near the lodge to start the itinerary.