Estes Park Family Vacation

We spent this past week in Estes Park, Colorado reconnecting with nature and spending time together as family. My Mom, Dad, Emily & kiddos, and myself packed our bags and made the 10 hour drive across Nebraska and into Colorado to our favorite little cabin on the Fall River. We missed our hubbies,  but it was a wonderful week to reconnect with nature and spend our days with no real itineraries. Our main objective was to enjoy the cooler 60 degree weather and absorb all the views that Rocky Mountain National Park has to offer. It truly was a vacation.

We arrived at Estes on Saturday morning. We stopped at gift shops and trading companies as we made our way up the Big Thompson Canyon. Souvenirs were purchased and it felt like vacation had officially begun.  We checked into our "Doll House" cabin and headed towards the park. We spent the day getting reacquainted with the town of Estes and navigating our way throughout RMNP.

Sunday we decided to do "Trail Ridge Road" - the road that goes all the way to the top of a mountain and then down the other side to a town called Grand Lake. We stopped at some of the various lookouts on our way up to capture the views. As we climbed higher and higher, the rain and fog became heavier and thicker and we were surrounded by white on all sides of the car. Not your typical journey up Trail Ridge Road, but we survived and purchased tons of souvenirs at the top of the mountain.

Monday we did a hike around Bear Lake. Hands down, this is one of the most beautiful spots in RMNP. It's a mile long hike with only a 20 foot climb in elevation. Each lookout area has a bench and a different view than the last to take in. This hike is always one of our favorites - we look forward to going back there with each trip. We had lunch at the Stanley and then headed back to the cabin for some rest and then downtown to Estes for a bit of shopping and dining. We ended the night with a Ranger talk at the Aspen Campground and learned about 26 different species of birds in the park.

Tuesday & Wednesday were leisurely days. We enjoyed waking up to breakfast in the cabin, picnic lunches, and games of Pollyanna by the Fall River. Grant and Grace chased "Chippy" and thus came up with "Chippy One, Chippy Two, Chippy Three" to refer to the individual chipmunks after finding multiples of them. They chased them, tried to feed them, and watched them disappear into their hideouts. They absolutely loved it. We hiked around Lily Lake and shopped in downtown Estes. Attended another Ranger talk and learned about the Colorado River. Grant and Grace worked on Junior Park Ranger books and eventually earned their badges with the help of big brother Garrett and Grandma.

I'm thankful for such a wonderful week. To be able to spend it with the best family in such a majestic park makes me feel so lucky. Estes has a part of my heart. A part of my childhood. Something that I cannot wait to share with my children (and husband - who has not experienced it yet!). Eight days with family and I still didn't have enough. It's one of those vacations where you truly felt like you were on vacation. There is no stress in nature, there are no places to be or people to see. It is truly humbling to be amongst the giant mountains and such strong creatures in the wild. It makes you understand what is important and what is not. It all sounds corny, but it gives you the rejuvenation and perspective you need to handle "real life."

We'll be back next year, Estes. Promise.

Xoxo,

KBG