Pet Friendly?

What is the real meaning of "Pet Friendly"? Will a lodging pet policy that essentially means "your dog can sleep overnight in your room, but you can't leave him alone there when you go out" be what you need for your vacation in Estes Park?

Rocky Mountain National Park does not allow dogs on any trails in the park, so when you come to Estes Park to explore RMNP, you're going to need a safe place to leave your animal while you hike, shop, and dine. In the summer, it's not advisable to leave your furry friend in the car because of extreme heat buildup. If your pet can't be left in your room, that leaves you only two choices: find a "doggy day care" or limit your activity.

This page offers information on businesses in Estes Park that offer services for animals, as well as offer suggestions of where you can bring your dog while in town: http://estes-park.com/more/bring-your-dog

When you book your room, ask your lodging choice if they can meet your expectations. What are they willing to do to help you keep your dog safe, and you (the customer) happy? You know your pet better than anyone else. Can he be left unattended, or should you crate him when you leave? Can you assure your lodging that your dog will not damage their property?

Visit our Pet Friendly page to see a list of lodging in Estes Park that accepts animals: http://estes-park.com/features/218

Braeside Cabin advertises a unique policy - "Well behaved pets can be left unattended. No charge for pets unless they redecorate."

Pet owners unite! Let your responsible pet ownership and well-behaved dogs prove one pet at a time that pet policies can be amended to everyone's benefit - a true win/win solution for summer vacationers to Estes Park.

(Photo of Daisy & Tanner from McGregor Mountain Lodge)

Day Hikes in Estes Park with Kids: Sprague & Bear Lakes

I recently visited Colorado with my two young kids, ages 4 1/2 and 6. When I travel, I try to find fun activities we can do as a family, all the while experiencing local flavor. We decided to do a couple of easy hikes so that we could all enjoy the beautiful outdoors that the state of Colorado has to offer. Two hikes recommended for youngsters by the NPS in Rocky Mountain National Park are Sprague Lake and Bear Lake. We did each of these hikes on separate days.

When we arrived on the first day, we really enjoyed stopping in the picnic area near Sprague Lake for a picnic. The air was so fresh and smelled so wonderfully of the pine (which is really nice when you're used to city air!!). The kids ate their lunches quickly so they could run around the area and look for different flowers and wildlife.


Next, we headed to one of the ranger stations to pick up the official Junior Ranger Activities Booklet (for ages 5 and under). The booklet includes 8 fun activities for the kids to do while they're in the park. In order to become a Junior Ranger, they get to do the activities in the booklet, then they need to take the booklet to any visitor center and talk to a ranger about what they saw and did in the park. Then, the ranger will sign their booklet and give them an official Junior Ranger badge.

As we were driving to our first hike, we stopped at a place on the road where there were lots of cars pulled over, wondering what they were all looking at. There were two HUGE male elks hanging out, letting everyone take pictures from relatively close distances; very impressive with their big horns!


Our first lake hike was to Sprague Lake. This lake hike is short (about 1/4 mile long) and flat. The kids had a blast running ahead of us and looking for all sorts of animals. We played "Eye Spy" and they saw fish, squirrels, chipmunks (their favorite), a family of ducks with their 3 little ducklings. They also enjoyed seeing a man fishing in the lake and several families either fishing with poles (one of the boys said they had already caught one fish that afternoon) or using nets to catch fish in a little stream leading up to the lake.

The other activity (from the Junior Ranger booklet) that the kids really loved playing was the Scavenger Hunt. They got to look for something prickly (the pine needles), something soft (baby chipmunks), something that smells good (the flowers), something moving (the water), something an animal eats (the pine cones), something tall (the trees), and something blue (the bluebell flowers). Too much fun!!

This lake has beautiful views - and we went on a gorgeous, sunny day - with nice little areas where you can stop to take pictures, like this one with Hallett Peak in the background!


Our next excursion was to Bear Lake. The first thing the kids noticed as we headed down the path (which is a bit longer than Sprague Lake, and isn't quite as flat) was a patch of snow. Now, mind you, this was the end of July!! The kids loved it and they were throwing snow balls along with several other kids.

This path has lots of fun rocks for the kids to scurry up to the top. They have only hiked once before, so we weren't sure how they would do on the hikes, but there is so much to see and do that they just ran around both of the lakes without any problems at all.


About half way around the lake, my son noticed something moving in the water so he went over to the side of the lake - and low and behold, he really had seen fish. There were three of them hiding (or trying to) under the tree branches in the little stream that ran towards the lake.

Overall, it was a wonderful experience. The only tip I would give (that we forgot, unfortunately) is that since there had been a lot of snow this year, there were lots of mosquitoes - be sure to bring along repellent and good shoes for the kids to climb all over the rocks and run around comfortably!

Here's a final shot taken from Bear Lake ... The thunderstorm just missed us - and it was fun to listen to all the birds and animals, along with the boom of thunder just down the mountains. I highly recommend visiting the Rocky Mountain National Park with little ones. They're going to love it!!


Guest Blogger Kim Maurin

Wonderful Opportunity for Birders in RMNP

News from the National Park Service:

Rocky Mountain National Park is hosting a migratory bird bash. Join us for an opportunity to learn more about migratory birds while exploring the park with experienced bird watchers. “Go Wild, Go Birding” is this year’s theme, created to celebrate the migration of birds to North American breeding grounds from South American wintering grounds.

The event will be held Saturday, June 11, starting at 8:00 a.m. at the Beaver Meadows Visitor Center in Rocky Mountain National Park. After a short introduction, visitors and bird walk leaders will caravan into the park to view birds in a variety of habitats. In this guided walk, naturalists and expert birders will help beginners identify birds; all ages and abilities are welcome. Suggested items for the morning’s activities include warm clothes, water, good walking shoes, binoculars and a snack. The event will end at noon, but visitors are encouraged to continue their birding adventures throughout the day.

The event is being held to celebrate International Migratory Bird Day, which is celebrated each spring across the United States and Canada. International Migratory Bird Day recognizes the movement of nearly 350 species of birds from their wintering grounds in South America, Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean to nesting habitats in North America.

The activities are free of charge, but regular park entry fees apply.
For more information about programs at Rocky Mountain National Park, please visit RockyMountainNationalPark.com.

Please remember the Original On-line Visitors' Guide to Estes Park for all your RMNP vacation plans: Estes-Park.com!

Life is Hard When You're a Baby Elk - New Life in RMNP

Early June is when most of the babies of RMNP arrive. After birth the elk calf spends most of its time hiding in grass or near bushes and following it's mother as she grazes. Nature is momentarily kind during the elks' first week of life - the baby doesn't produce a scent for nearly a week to help allude predators. This reprive is short lived though, as June is a calf's most dangerous time when predators like coyotes are prowling the edges of elk herds looking for a baby hiding in the grass. Generally the mothers form very small herds and the calves start playing with other calves, learning how elk life works. From birth until mid-July the calf will drink about a gallon of milk a day gaining two to three pounds a day. Life gets even harder just a few weeks, or sometimes only days after birth, as the elk herds start to move up to the tundra and the calf has to hike miles gaining 5,000feet of elevation to start enjoying the tundra's sweet grass. Luckily, each calf has plenty of babysitters with the rest of the elk herd watching after them. Parents, when your child whines about a walk around Bear Lake, just remind them "At least you aren't a baby elk!"

Blog Post by Jared Gricoskie of Yellow Wood Guiding. If you would like a private tour of Rocky Mountain National Park (perhaps even catch a glimpse of these elk calves!), contact Jared at YWGuiding.com.

To book your Estes Park vacation, visit Estes-Park.com. Here you'll find the best information on lodging and activities for your Rocky Mountain National Park adventure.

RMNP in Winter: A Park Alive!

Jared Gricoskie of Yellow Wood Guiding is today's guest blogger:

February is generally the dead of winter in Rocky Mountain National Park, but it can also be one of the most beautiful and captivating times of the year. The thought of an icy landscape, bare branches, and howling winds conjures up images of stagnancy and hibernation – though this time of year is more alive than one would think if you are willing to look closely! Even the ice on Rocky’s subalpine lakes that we think of as a frozen solid is moving and shifting as it constantly freezes and refreezes while the temperature fluctuates and the wind blows. The sights of the undulating ripples of ice can transport you into another world…that is until a 30 mph gust of wind jolts you back to reality! Even the rivers come alive with the ice. Imagine walking down the river beds as they wind through the Park’s meadows, catching glimpses of a coyote against the snowy back-drop, and following the tracks of an elk as he uses the river bed as an easy winter route to travel.

If you're more of an armchair adventurer, you can even enjoy some of these wintry sights from the warmth of your car: just drive into Rocky Mountain National Park on Bear Lake Road.

For help planning your Rocky Mountain National Park adventure (information on renting snowshoes, places to stay, and other winter activities in Estes Park) visit: Estes-Park.com.

Frank Sinatra comes to Estes Park!

The Fine Arts Guild of the Rockies and Supporters of the Performing Arts (SOPA) are collaborating to present an exciting production of My Way—A Musical Tribute to Frank Sinatra from January 28-30 and February 4-5, 2011. The show features Estes Park’s talented VocalEase artists (Scott Anderson, Valerie Dascoli, Melissa Westover, and Christopher Wood) in a collage of more than 55 of Sinatra’s greatest hits. VocalEase will be backed by jazz artists Ray Young at the keyboard, Ward Durret on percussion, and Michael Chagolla on bass.

Following Sinatra’s death in 1998, My Way was created by Colorado artist David Grapes, of Windsor, in collaboration with David Olson. Valerie Dascoli and Christopher Wood saw the show at Grand Lake’s Repertory Theater several years ago, and both agreed how much fun it would be to bring it to Estes Park. Finding the time to mount this production has been a challenge for these busy artists, but when the opportunity afforded itself to do a benefit fundraiser for the new performing arts center in Estes Park, as well as team up with the Fine Arts Guild, VocalEase decided it was time to step up to the plate. Having made the largest gift to date of all the arts organizations in Estes Park, the Fine Arts Guild is a major player in SOPA’s capital campaign to build a performing arts center to rival those already in action in similar Colorado hot spots.

My Way will be the first production in the Fine Arts Guild’s busy 2011 theatrical season, which includes The Diary of Anne Frank, The 25th Annual Putnam county Spelling Bee, Willy Wonka, You Can’t Take it With You and a Holiday Brass Concert. After the show’s royalties are paid, all of the proceeds will go towards the construction of a new home for the performing arts in Estes Park. To consider sponsoring the show, so that 100% of the proceeds can benefit the new theater project, please contact Christopher Wood at 970-481-6630.

The show will be held in the Estes Park High School Auditorium on Friday and Saturday nights, January 28 and 29th at 7:30 PM, with a 2 PM matinee on Sunday, January 30th. The show concludes the following weekend on Friday and Saturday evenings, February 4th and 5th at 7:30 PM. Tickets will be available at MacDonald’s Bookstore (970) 586-3450. Ticket prices are $18 for adults and $10 for students.

Come enjoy an evening with "Ole Blue Eyes", and stay for the weekend! For a listing of January specials click here.

Wildlife in Rocky Mountain National Park - Coyotes

Dont be a Slouch in the New Year!
As the New Year rolls in, humans aren’t the only creatures getting used to the changes winter brings. The animals of Rocky Mountain National Park are experiencing winter in full swing, and the new crop of coyote pups are no exception. In areas like Rocky Mountain National Park where hunting is not permitted, coyotes often form long relationships, producing pups with the same mate year after year. Each year, some of these lucky pups are granted the privilege of living in their parents’ territory and helping to raise the next litter of pups. These select coyotes learn how to raise pups, share food, and some of the female yearlings may even nurse the new pups. The yearlings that are not selected to stay, head off to find a mate and a new location to call home – often miles from their parents’ home range. Perhaps all too similar to the human parents’ plight, there are a small number of coyote yearlings who don’t venture off to forge their own family or help mom and dad out, while still living in their parents’ home range. These coyotes are called slouches.

So don’t be a slouch – make the New Year the best it can be by visiting your Rocky Mountain National Park! To plan your trip, go to www.Estes-Park.com for all your lodging needs. You can find a wealth of information on RMNP at www.RockyMountainNationalPark.com.

Guest Blogger: Jared Gricoskie from Yellow Wood Guiding
www.ywguiding.com or 303-775-5484

Big Horn Sheep - Love on the Rocks in Estes Park

Today's Guest Blogger is Jared Gricoskie of Yellow Wood Guiding YWGuiding.com

Here in Rocky Mountain National Park, December is the Big Horn Sheep's mating season. Big Horns spend most of the year in small bands of females and lambs, with the males in separate bands of mixed ages. Most of the time females just want to eat grass generally on a southern facing slope, but for as little as 48 hours a year the ladies are in estrus and looking for the right guy. During these extremely brief mating periods, females attract males through scent and may attract more than a handful of suitors. Females select males on a basis of body size, horn size, and fitness. They attract a few males and then run, much like a scene from a school yard where the boys chase the girls. During the pursuit, the lead male will often turn on the males behind him and clash. The sounds of two rams crashing their heads together can be heard from over a mile away. In the end, the female selects a male to mate with and will very likely not interact with him again. So be sure to scan the rocky southern facing cliffs around Estes Park during the first two weeks of December. For Big Horn Sheep, love really is on the rocks.

Family Fun - Estes Park Winter Festival

If you are looking for a fun winter activity for your family, or a unique idea for a date (really, dinner and a movie are fun...but this will take it up a notch!), consider heading to Estes Park, CO for the 2nd Annual Winter Festival. It will take place over Martin Luther King weekend, January 14 - 17. This year there will be an Interactive Ice Castle and playground maze (can you picture it all lit up at night? Magical!). It will be so much fun for the kiddos, and those of us who want to feel like a kid again! Rocky Mountain National Park will have their 16th Annual Winter Trails in the park with free snowshoe rentals and clinics - it's a great way to explore the National Park in winter. There will be live music and entertainment throughout the weekend in Bond Park. If you're a treasure hunter, there will be a MEGA Downtown Scavenger Hunt with over $1,000 in prizes. For foodies, there will be wine and beer tastings, and a Chili Cook-off with both professional and amateur chilistas. You can satisfy your inner artist by going on a Winter Photo Tour, or shop 'til you drop in the heated area featuring local vendors. And if you just want to relax, local spas will be offering specials all weekend.
To make reservations go to: www.Estes-Park.com
For more information, and a schedule of events: www.epwinterfest.com