August 2017
After landing in Denver late the previous night and staying at an airport hotel, we drove to Estes Park. Shortly after arriving, we had tickets for a tour of the Stanley Hotel. Besides being a grand old hotel from another era, it was also the setting for a Stephen King movie, The Shining, plus a few other movies. Since we were running a little ahead of schedule, we checked out the Fall River Visitor Center in preparation for our trip into Rocky Mountain National Park the next day so we could spend more time in the park. We spent the evening exploring the downtown area.
We are clearly out of the city.
I have no idea what’s flowing through this pipeline, but I’m just going to assume it’s fresh water from the mountains.
Some of the landscape around here looks like it belongs in the desert
The overpasses around here are pretty fancy.
Headed into the Rockies
The landscape is looking more and more like the mountains
Headed into the Rockies
We reached our first destination, Estes Park, gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park.
Estes Park has amazing scenery
The Stanley Hotel, we’ll be headed there for a tour later in the day
The historic Park Theatre
The Fall River flows through Estes Park
It’s not a horse, but riding a rock is also less dangerous.
It’s not a horse, but riding a rock is also less dangerous.
It’s not a horse, but riding a rock is also less dangerous.
Here’s hoping this is the only mountain lion we get close to in the wild
The flowers in places with shorter summers always seem to bloom more brilliantly
We had lunch out on the patio at the Wapiti Pub
We had lunch out on the patio at the Wapiti Pub
Downtown Estes Park is nestled right amount the mountains.
The Fall River flows through Estes Park
We had lunch out on the patio at the Wapiti Pub
A London taxi greets visitors as they arrive at the Stanley Hotel
The Stanley Hotel reminds me of the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island (see my Michigan photos)
An authentic Stanley Steamer is parked in the lobby of the Stanley Hotel
The warm and cozy lobby of the Stanley Hotel
The grand staircase leads to the guest rooms
This dollhouse was a prop from when The Shining was filmed here
Stanley Argand stove
The Stanley hotel is a grand old historic hotel in the mountains of Estes Park
The Lodge at the Stanley hotel is a slightly scaled down replica of the main building
The concert hall at the Stanley Hotel
The main driveway of the Stanley Hotel along with its London cab
The Stanley’s London cab is a long way from Britain in the mountains
The billiard room
The billiard room is still adorned with a billiard ball rack
The ballroom fireplace
No ballroom is complete without a grand piano
Freelan Stanley, the man who started it all
The hotel’s small performance venue
Walking the guestroom halls
Not sure who this guy is but his reflection in the mirror is a bit creepy
Room 217 is where Stephen King stayed when he got the idea to write The Shining
Exploring the tunnels below the hotel
Freelan Stanley made his fortune by manufacturing the Stanley dry photographic plate and later selling it to Eastman-Kodak.
The front porch of the Stanley reminds me of the Grand Hotel in Mackinac Island (see my Michigan photos)
Looking out from the front porch over the hedge maze
The front of the Stanley Hotel and its grand front porch
The hedge maze at the Stanley Hotel
My mother made some friends at the Fall River Visitor Center
Catching a glimpse of Rocky Mountain National Park where we’ll be heading tomorrow
We stopped at the Fall River Visitor Center to get a head start on tomorrow’s trip into Rocky Mountain National Park
This elk was just hanging out along the road near our hotel
This elk was just hanging out along the road near our hotel
This elk was just hanging out along the road near our hotel
The backyard of our hotel along the Fall River
There were so many hummingbirds outside the door of our room
We stayed at the Deer Crest Resort
We took advantage of the good weather and dined outside at The Wild Rose
The historic Park Theatre at sunset
All intersections in all cities should be scramble crossings. They work so well.
The flowers in places with shorter summers always seem to bloom more brilliantly
Downtown Estes Park
This 61 year old waffle cone maker is still cranking out cones at the Danish Cone Factory.
Stopping at the Danish Cone Factory for a late evening treat
The historic Park Theatre is lit in neon at night
Our hotel room has a fake tree on the wall. We’re officially in the mountains.