Planning A Trip To Estes Park This Year?
Long time lurker here, decided to join up to post an update for anyone thinking about a trip to Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park. Come on out!!!
I was up there yesterday, the town of Estes Park is back in business, cleanup from the flooding is nearly complete, lots of businesses open this winter and getting ready for spring.
Getting up there from Loveland on US34 through the Big Thompson Canyon is no problem. CDOT did a great job in rebuilding the road and it's certainly capable of handling any sort of rig you're driving/towing.
Big Thompson Canyon took a major hit with the flooding last September. If you're at all familiar with the area, you may be shocked by what you see as you travel up. The destruction in places is devastating. The Indian Village just past the Narrows was completely destroyed, the only thing standing is the sign. But the Cherry Jelly place just below it was undamaged. From the Indian Village location up to Drake, there's a lot of damage, homes completely gone and others severely damaged. But remarkably, an lot survived. There are many of the mom-and-pop places along the way that are cleaning up and trying to open this spring.
In Drake, the Stage Stop was spared, but the campground was severely damaged; they likely won't be open this season. I don't recommend taking CR43 up through Glen Haven, as the road was significantly damaged and will take a lot of repairs to get it passable for most RVs/Trailers. The road itself is dirt and narrow, with a few one lane bridges. The devastation is beyond belief. BUT...DO take your toad or TV down there from the upper end and support the businesses that will try to open!
From Drake on up to Estes on US34 is no problem, but still a lot of damage especially in the Loveland Heights area. Once you get up top to the Olympus Dam there's no problem getting around in Estes Park. Some of the small RV parks on the way up the Big Thompson were destroyed, but the parks in Estes Park look to be fine.
In Rocky Mountain National Park, it should be pretty much business as usual with the exception of the Old Fall River Rd, which took a major hit and will not open at all in 2014 according to the Ranger I spoke with. The Aspenglen CG will open this season as scheduled but they do have to replace a bridge for access.
CDOT is working on US36 from Lyons to Estes Park, but for now it's not recommended, as they are doing some blasting to remove rocks in places and to re-route the roadway, particularly in the area around Pinewood Springs. That’s likely to remain that way for a goodly part of the spring and hopefully will be usable in time for the tourist season to open.
I didn’t get a chance to check out Hwy 7 coming in from Nederland but from all indications, it sustained the least amount of flood damage and was one of the first roads to open in to Estes Park after the flooding. It should be fine for all travel.
Just west of Loveland, the Riverbend RV Park took a major hit from the flooding, but they were doing a lot of work there and I saw some trailers and motorhomes in the back part of the park. Don’t know if they were damaged and stored or if the park is/will be opening for the season, didn’t get a chance to stop there, but will try to take a swing by there later in March to see how they are doing.
Hope this update on Estes Park and RMNP is helpful to anyone planning a trip out here. We’ve got some beautiful country here in spite of the devastation from the flooding. Mother Nature is a fickle beast, but we are Mountain Strong out here!
I was up there yesterday, the town of Estes Park is back in business, cleanup from the flooding is nearly complete, lots of businesses open this winter and getting ready for spring.
Getting up there from Loveland on US34 through the Big Thompson Canyon is no problem. CDOT did a great job in rebuilding the road and it's certainly capable of handling any sort of rig you're driving/towing.
Big Thompson Canyon took a major hit with the flooding last September. If you're at all familiar with the area, you may be shocked by what you see as you travel up. The destruction in places is devastating. The Indian Village just past the Narrows was completely destroyed, the only thing standing is the sign. But the Cherry Jelly place just below it was undamaged. From the Indian Village location up to Drake, there's a lot of damage, homes completely gone and others severely damaged. But remarkably, an lot survived. There are many of the mom-and-pop places along the way that are cleaning up and trying to open this spring.
In Drake, the Stage Stop was spared, but the campground was severely damaged; they likely won't be open this season. I don't recommend taking CR43 up through Glen Haven, as the road was significantly damaged and will take a lot of repairs to get it passable for most RVs/Trailers. The road itself is dirt and narrow, with a few one lane bridges. The devastation is beyond belief. BUT...DO take your toad or TV down there from the upper end and support the businesses that will try to open!
From Drake on up to Estes on US34 is no problem, but still a lot of damage especially in the Loveland Heights area. Once you get up top to the Olympus Dam there's no problem getting around in Estes Park. Some of the small RV parks on the way up the Big Thompson were destroyed, but the parks in Estes Park look to be fine.
In Rocky Mountain National Park, it should be pretty much business as usual with the exception of the Old Fall River Rd, which took a major hit and will not open at all in 2014 according to the Ranger I spoke with. The Aspenglen CG will open this season as scheduled but they do have to replace a bridge for access.
CDOT is working on US36 from Lyons to Estes Park, but for now it's not recommended, as they are doing some blasting to remove rocks in places and to re-route the roadway, particularly in the area around Pinewood Springs. That’s likely to remain that way for a goodly part of the spring and hopefully will be usable in time for the tourist season to open.
I didn’t get a chance to check out Hwy 7 coming in from Nederland but from all indications, it sustained the least amount of flood damage and was one of the first roads to open in to Estes Park after the flooding. It should be fine for all travel.
Just west of Loveland, the Riverbend RV Park took a major hit from the flooding, but they were doing a lot of work there and I saw some trailers and motorhomes in the back part of the park. Don’t know if they were damaged and stored or if the park is/will be opening for the season, didn’t get a chance to stop there, but will try to take a swing by there later in March to see how they are doing.
Hope this update on Estes Park and RMNP is helpful to anyone planning a trip out here. We’ve got some beautiful country here in spite of the devastation from the flooding. Mother Nature is a fickle beast, but we are Mountain Strong out here!
