Getting Thru/Around Estes Park

[DenverTransplant]

We just finished our yearly stay in Rocky Mountain National Park. We were "In Town" last night and I got to again observe the plight of a few RV's attempting to negotiate weekend traffic in town, especially the awful left hand turn in the middle of town at Elkhorn and Moraine that most GPS's will tell you take. Those who have been there, you know what I mean. For the rest of you that might have aspirations to take your rig into RMNP there are better and safer ways. Save your visit to downtown for a trip in your toad or tow vehicle w/o trailer. (Have fun parking).

If you want to go in the Beaver Meadow entrance, those who know (I had two big trucks with big 5th wheels following me on the way out this morning), take St. Vrain (Hiway 7) south just before you get into town. For those coming in on Hiway 36 from Lyons, its a left turn after the fairgrounds. If you are coming on Hiway 34 from Loveland, you have to turn left in an almost 180 degrees to get on to St. Vrain.

You then follow St. Vrain 3-4 miles until you get to Mary's Lake Road, and turn right onto Mary's Lake Road and follow it a couple of miles until it intersects with Moraine St. Turn left and the entrance is a mile or two down the road.

Its a few more miles, but you avoid the Elkhorn/Moraine nightmare and maybe avoid having some yahoo running into you, or hitting a pedestrian who is cheating on the curb (way too many do).

Alternative B is to turn onto Hiway 34 (or stay on Hiway 34 for the Loveland crowd) and enter the park at the Fall River entrance. Its a nice drive along the Fall River and avoids downtown too. When you get into the park, its a longer drive to the east side campgrounds (except Aplenglow, which is tents only), but the roads are good and not too steep. You might even see a Bighorn Sheep at Horseshoe Park.

[Rotorhead206]

We are going to Estes Park in August, will be staying at Manor RV Park for 3 nights. Never been to Estes Park before, any suggestions on best route to get into the area, we are traveling from Texas?

[DenverTransplant]

Originally Posted by Rotorhead206

We are going to Estes Park in August, will be staying at Manor RV Park for 3 nights. Never been to Estes Park before, any suggestions on best route to get into the area, we are traveling from Texas?

We love SE of Denver. Coming from the south you have two choices. We take the I-25 north to Highway 66 and go east to Lyons - about 15 miles of straight 2 lane road. After Lyons you’ve got another 15 miles of moderate mountain road to Estes.

Or you can go another 10 miles north on I-25 to Highway 34 (Loveland) and take 34 to Estes. It follows the Big Thompson River and is a steady climb and more curvy. They are also finishing up Re-construction from the 2013 floods. I think the bulk of the work is done but haven’t been that way in awhile

If you go around Estes via the St Vrain/Mary’s Lake route, you need to turn onto Riverside Dr before you get Moraine and approach Manor from the south.