Lake Estes
1770 Big Thompson Ave, Estes Park
Estes Park, CO
A calm mountain reservoir ringed by an easy paved loop where the elk outnumber the joggers, right at the front door of Rocky Mountain National Park.
In a town famous for gasping-lungs trailheads and a national park full of alpine summits, Lake Estes is the gentle one. It is a flat, open reservoir on the eastern edge of Estes Park, wrapped by a level paved loop that families, older walkers, and cyclists can all enjoy, with the big Front Range peaks reflected in the water. After a hard day up in Rocky Mountain National Park, it is exactly the kind of easy, beautiful place people come back to.
It is also one of the most reliable wildlife spots in a town built on wildlife. Elk graze the lakeside meadows and cross the path so routinely that regulars stop noticing them, and deer, geese, ducks, and the occasional bald eagle round out the cast. The lake is entirely human-made, a piece of one of Colorado's great water projects, but decades on it has become a beloved slice of town life, and one of the friendliest introductions to the high country you can find.
What Guests Love
- A flat, paved loop of roughly four miles that almost anyone can walk or bike, rare in this vertical corner of Colorado
- Near-daily elk right along the path and on the adjoining meadows, plus deer, waterfowl, and the occasional bald eagle
- Big reflected mountain views across the water, with the high peaks of Rocky Mountain National Park stacked to the west
- A marina for kayaks, paddleboards, and pontoon boats, and calm water for a low-key afternoon on the lake
Worth Knowing
- The lake is a reservoir formed by Olympus Dam and is also the town's drinking-water source, so it is managed for that first, and water levels can vary
- It sits above 7,500 feet, so the sun is strong, storms build fast on summer afternoons, and it can be cold and windy even in warm months
- Elk are wild and can be aggressive, especially during the fall rut and in spring calving season, so keep a good distance and never approach them
- Fishing follows Colorado state regulations and a license is required; the Big Thompson below the dam is a popular spot for trout
Details
Estes Park, CO
Learn about Lake Estes
A reservoir built to move water across the mountains
Lake Estes is not a natural lake but the centerpiece of a remarkable feat of engineering. It is part of the Colorado-Big Thompson Project, a vast mid-century system built to carry water from the wetter western slope of the Rockies, under the Continental Divide, to the dry, farm-rich plains on the eastern side. Olympus Dam, a roughly seventy-foot dam across the Big Thompson River, was completed in 1949 and backed the river up into the reservoir you see today.
The next year the Estes Power Plant began generating hydroelectricity on the lake's western shore, turning the falling water into power on its long journey east. So the calm surface where paddleboarders drift is a working part of a system that supplies water and electricity across a big stretch of northern Colorado, and doubles as the drinking-water source for Estes Park itself.
The loop trail and the everyday elk
The reason most visitors love Lake Estes is the trail around it, a paved loop of roughly four miles that circles the whole reservoir. It is nearly flat, an unusual thing in Estes Park, which makes it a favorite for families with strollers, cyclists, and anyone who wants mountain scenery without a climb. The loop crosses the Big Thompson, skirts a golf course and open meadows, and serves up wide reflected views of the peaks the whole way around.
It is also about as sure a wildlife walk as Colorado offers. Elk are so regular along the lakeside path and meadows that you are all but guaranteed to see them any time of day, and the herd draws crowds during the dramatic fall rut when the bulls bugle across the valley. Deer, coyotes, beaver, waterfowl, and bald eagles all use the lake too. They are wild animals, though, and elk can charge, so the rule is simple: give them plenty of room and never get between a cow and her calf.
On the water and at the gateway
For those who want to get out on the lake, the marina rents kayaks, canoes, paddleboards, paddle boats, and pontoon boats through the warm season, and the sheltered water is calm enough for beginners. Anglers fish the reservoir and, especially, the Big Thompson River below Olympus Dam, where cold tailwater keeps trout happy. Bring a Colorado license and dress for mountain weather that can swing from hot sun to a cold squall in an hour.
Above all, Lake Estes is a gateway. It sits at the eastern edge of town, minutes from the entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park, so it makes a perfect easy morning or evening bookend to a day of harder hiking up high. Watch the alpenglow catch the peaks across the water at sunset, with elk grazing the near shore, and you understand why a man-made reservoir became one of the best-loved spots in one of Colorado's best-loved towns.
Closest Boutels
The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is an independently owned, editorially selected place to stay.
Things to Do Near Estes Park
Rocky Mountain National Park
About 4 miles to the entrance
One of America's grandest national parks, with the Trail Ridge Road high-alpine drive, glacial lakes, tundra, and abundant elk and bighorn sheep.
Downtown Estes Park
About 1 mile
The lively mountain-town center on the Big Thompson, with a riverwalk, shops, and eateries, and elk that wander the streets in fall.
Lily Lake
About 7 miles
A small, flat, family-friendly lake loop with postcard views of Longs Peak, just south of town on the way to the park.
The Stanley Hotel
About 1.5 miles
The grand 1909 hilltop hotel that helped inspire The Shining, a landmark with sweeping views over the valley and lake.