Mid to late September in Estes Park has a lot to offer - fall festivals abound in the downtown area, elk bugles echo off of the mountains, the air turns crisp after a long hot summer, and the aspens in and around town begin to turn a striking shade of yellow. This year in particular, the weather has set the area up nicely for a spectacular show and leaves have already begun to change at higher elevations, with lower elevation color gaining ground every day. Though the window for seeing one of the Estes Valley’s most beautiful performances is only a few weeks, there is still plenty of time to plan a day trip to go leaf-peeping during peak color. That’s why this week, we’ve laid out a loose itinerary for the perfect leaf-peeping day in (and around) Estes.
1. Breakfast with a view
Start your day off early to ensure the most amount of time for your foliage chasing adventure. Begin at a local favorite breakfast spot like NotchTop Bakery & Cafe, snagging a patio seat if you’re feeling like braving the cool morning air, and enjoy a hearty breakfast with a beautiful view of the mountains. Claire’s, the Egg of Estes, Village Bagel, or the new-to-town Kissing Moose Cafe food truck are also excellent places to start off your day.
2. Rent your ride
Head over to Backbone Adventures to pick up your (reserved) Jeep or Slingshot. If you’re traveling with the whole family or with more than one other person, the Jeep will give every leaf-peeper the perfect view for the rest of the day. If going solo or with an adventure buddy, we HIGHLY recommend the Slingshot - the views from all angles of this fun little machine just can’t be beat.
3. Head to the Peak-to-Peak highway from Estes Park to Nederland
This is where the real magic happens. Locals and visitors alike drive the 40ish miles between Estes Park and Nederland each year, all in pursuit of the famous fall colors along this scenic byway. Head into the mountains and let the show begin as miles and miles of pine trees open up into swaths of golden aspen groves along the road. On your way, you’ll pass Lily Lake and Wild Basin - two less-traveled areas of Rocky Mountain National Park that harbor beautiful vistas and hiking trails that get you to the best views, if you’re looking to get on the trail. Be sure to enter these areas before 9am or after 2pm if you don’t have a timed entry pass, and be sure to have your park pass ready to show the park rangers.
You’ll also pass plenty of overlooks and pull-offs that make for great photo opportunities, including at Chapel on the Rocks, the viewpoint of Mt. Meeker and Long’s Peak, and one particularly large pull-off about halfway through that provides sweeping views of one of the best fall foliage overlooks in the area. Be sure to pull off the road safely and completely to ensure your safety and the safety of those on the road!
3. Enjoy the quaint town of Nederland
Nederland, a town of about 1500 people, is the perfect end point for your drive, and a great opportunity to get out and stretch your legs. Peruse the downtown shops and local eateries, check out the coffee shop built into an old train car, or check out many Estes locals’ favorite pizza joint, Crosscut Pizza. There’s even the option to mine for gold at local establishments if you’re needing more gold than just from the foliage.
4. Head back to Estes
This return drive is the perfect opportunity to stop at views you missed the first time, revisit your favorites, or even swap drivers so everyone gets to enjoy the changing scenery to its full extent. The sun’s angle often changes the way the color comes through, too, so every time of day looks slightly different and gives a whole new experience.
5. Choose your own adventure
You’ve gotten a lot of mileage under your belt today in the pursuit of fall color, and now it’s time to relax - whatever that means to you. Stop at Seven Keys Lodge to have an apple cider margarita on the deck, which also happens to have an incredible view of aspen groves down below the lodge. Head up into RMNP if you’re up for more driving, and after 2pm, you won’t need a timed entry permit to enter most of the national park. Drive up Trail Ridge Road or Old Fall River Road for more incredible views of the mountains and the changing leaves along the way. Or, head downtown to Riverside Plaza to see the leaves changing right in the heart of Estes. Be sure to return your trusty vehicle back to Backbone when the adventure is over, and try not to immediately book your next one on the spot (or don’t - we won’t tell!).
After all is said and done, you are bound to have a full day of fall foliage and memories to last a lifetime. Autumn in the Estes Valley is truly a sight to behold, and after you’ve experienced it once, don’t be surprised if you find yourself coming back year after year to enjoy it all over again!
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