Colorado – Day 2

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.

02-001 Cows
We are clearly out of the city.
02-002 Pipeline Over Road
I have no idea what’s flowing through this pipeline, but I’m just going to assume it’s fresh water from the mountains.
02-004 Rocks
Some of the landscape around here looks like it belongs in the desert
02-006 Wooden Bridge
The overpasses around here are pretty fancy.
02-007 Road and Mountains
Headed into the Rockies
02-008 Mountain
The landscape is looking more and more like the mountains
02-009 Road and Mountains
Headed into the Rockies
02-010 Estes Park Sign
We reached our first destination, Estes Park, gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park.
02-012 Lake & Mountains
Estes Park has amazing scenery
02-013 Stanley Hotel
The Stanley Hotel, we’ll be headed there for a tour later in the day
02-015 Park Theatre
The historic Park Theatre
02-016 Fall River
The Fall River flows through Estes Park
02-018 Michael on Rock Saddle
It’s not a horse, but riding a rock is also less dangerous.
02-020 Mom on Rock Saddle
It’s not a horse, but riding a rock is also less dangerous.
02-021 Rock Saddle
It’s not a horse, but riding a rock is also less dangerous.
02-022 Mountain Lion Statue
Here’s hoping this is the only mountain lion we get close to in the wild
02-023 Flowers
The flowers in places with shorter summers always seem to bloom more brilliantly
02-024 Wapiti Pub
We had lunch out on the patio at the Wapiti Pub
02-025 Wapiti Pub
We had lunch out on the patio at the Wapiti Pub
02-026 Road & Mountain
Downtown Estes Park is nestled right amount the mountains.
02-027 Fall River
The Fall River flows through Estes Park
02-028 Wapiti Pub
We had lunch out on the patio at the Wapiti Pub
02-034 Stanley Hotel Taxi
A London taxi greets visitors as they arrive at the Stanley Hotel
02-035 Stanley Hotel Exterior
The Stanley Hotel reminds me of the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island (see my Michigan photos)
02-037 Stanley Steamer
An authentic Stanley Steamer is parked in the lobby of the Stanley Hotel
02-038 Stanley Steamer
The warm and cozy lobby of the Stanley Hotel
02-039 Grand Staircase
The grand staircase leads to the guest rooms
02-040 Dollhouse from The Shining
This dollhouse was a prop from when The Shining was filmed here
02-042 Stanley Argand Stove
Stanley Argand stove
02-044 Stanley Hotel Sign
The Stanley hotel is a grand old historic hotel in the mountains of Estes Park
02-045 Stanley Hotel Exterior
The Lodge at the Stanley hotel is a slightly scaled down replica of the main building
02-046 Stanley Hotel Exterior
The concert hall at the Stanley Hotel
02-047 Stanley Hotel Taxi
The main driveway of the Stanley Hotel along with its London cab
02-048 Stanley Hotel Taxi
The Stanley’s London cab is a long way from Britain in the mountains
02-049 Billiard Room
The billiard room
02-050 Billiard Ball Rack
The billiard room is still adorned with a billiard ball rack
02-052 Ballroom Fireplace
The ballroom fireplace
02-053 Ballroom Piano
No ballroom is complete without a grand piano
02-055 Freelan Stanley Portait
Freelan Stanley, the man who started it all
02-056 Showroom
The hotel’s small performance venue
02-057 Hallway
Walking the guestroom halls
02-058 Staircase Portait
Not sure who this guy is but his reflection in the mirror is a bit creepy
02-060 Room 217
Room 217 is where Stephen King stayed when he got the idea to write The Shining
02-064 Tunnel
Exploring the tunnels below the hotel
02-065 Stanley Film Plate
Freelan Stanley made his fortune by manufacturing the Stanley dry photographic plate and later selling it to Eastman-Kodak.
02-068 Front Porch
The front porch of the Stanley reminds me of the Grand Hotel in Mackinac Island (see my Michigan photos)
02-069 View from Front Porch
Looking out from the front porch over the hedge maze
02-072 Stanley Hotel Exterior
The front of the Stanley Hotel and its grand front porch
02-073 Hedge Maze
The hedge maze at the Stanley Hotel
02-078 Mom with Stuffed Moose & Bear
My mother made some friends at the Fall River Visitor Center
02-079 Mountains
Catching a glimpse of Rocky Mountain National Park where we’ll be heading tomorrow
02-080 Fall River Visitor Center Sign
We stopped at the Fall River Visitor Center to get a head start on tomorrow’s trip into Rocky Mountain National Park
02-085 Elk
This elk was just hanging out along the road near our hotel
02-086 Elk
This elk was just hanging out along the road near our hotel
02-087 Elk
This elk was just hanging out along the road near our hotel
02-090 Deer Crest Resort Yard
The backyard of our hotel along the Fall River
02-092 Hummingbirds
There were so many hummingbirds outside the door of our room
02-094 Deer Crest Resort Sign & Mountains
We stayed at the Deer Crest Resort
02-099 Wild Rose Restaurant
We took advantage of the good weather and dined outside at The Wild Rose
02-102 Park Theatre
The historic Park Theatre at sunset
02-103 Scramble Crosswalk Sign
All intersections in all cities should be scramble crossings. They work so well.
02-104 Flowers
The flowers in places with shorter summers always seem to bloom more brilliantly
02-107 Downtown Estes Park
Downtown Estes Park
02-109 Waffle Cone Machine
This 61 year old waffle cone maker is still cranking out cones at the Danish Cone Factory.
02-112 Danish Cone Factory
Stopping at the Danish Cone Factory for a late evening treat
02-113 Park Theatre
The historic Park Theatre is lit in neon at night
02-114 Fake Tree in Hotel Room
Our hotel room has a fake tree on the wall. We’re officially in the mountains.