Grand Lake Colorado: homespun charm and the alternative to the crowds of Estes Park
By Eileen Ogintz
Uh Oh… Just as we were planning to head out on a hike, it started raining — pouring, in fact. Lightning, thunder, pepper-sized hail at one point.
We shouldn’t have been surprised. We were in Grand Lake CO, at the western edge of Rocky Mountain National Park (elevation about 8800 feet!) and afternoon summer thunderstorms are common. And certainly, with such severe drought conditions, the West needs the rain.
At least we got out on the famous Grand Lake this morning. At 507 acres and some 1.5-miles long, Grand Lake is Colorado’s largest and deepest (389 feet) natural lake. In summer and early fall, the lake draws locals and visitors alike to paddleboard, fish, kayak, canoe, and tool around on motorboats as we did, dog aboard, trepidatiously. In winter, the lake freezes over and is popular for ice fishing, snowmobiling, ice skating, and hockey. “It’s so frozen you can drive a car on the lake,” said Katie Hearsum, the market communications manager for this tiny town (just 420 permanent residents.)
This year, there will be events all through December to commemorate the holiday season. Many come in mid-to-late September to enjoy the foliage and then for a cozy Thanksgiving. The famous Continental Divide Trail that runs 3000 miles from the Mexican Border to the Canadian Border comes right through Grand Lake. Hearsum noted that while the famous Trail Ridge Road that goes through Rocky Mountain National Park is closed in the winter, you can still enter from Grand Lake and go 10 miles into the park. “Winter is a great time,” she said.
Grand Lake may be small, but it is a good low-key alternative to much more crowded Estes Park on the other side of Rocky Mountain National Park. “And we have more moose,” joked Hearsum, as well as all of the lake offers. “You might see them swimming across the lake in the summer.” Don’t forget the spectacular night sky. Hopefully, there will be dark sky programs by next spring.
There are plenty of restaurants (Sagebrush BBQ is popular for big breakfasts as well as dinners) and shops. Blue Water Bakery has scrumptious morning muffins and pastries. Miyauchi Snack Bar serves delicious homemade ice cream.
We stayed in the iconic—and historic kid- and pet-friendly Grand Lake Lodge which opened in 1920 and is a National Historic Landmark. In fact, we stayed in a cabin, one of 75 that were purchased as Kit Homes from Sears Roebuck & Company. They were shipped here by train. Though historically preserved, the cabins have the modern amenities—from mini fridges and microwaves, comfy beds, and modern bathrooms. Cabins can sleep two and some have multiple bedrooms, like the Henry Ford Cabin where the automobile mogul stayed in 1927. The spacious lodge has a pool, hot tub, and popular restaurants — The Huntington House Tavern —fabulous burgers and salmon and apple pie baked in a cast iron pan for dessert.
The lodge came just a few years after the establishment of Rocky Mountain National Park, now one of the country’s most popular, drawing more than four million visitors annually in summer, fall and also in winter.
Roe Emery, an outdoor enthusiast, opened the single building lodge to encourage tourism in the West. He ran very popular tours on a three-day 240-mile bus trip through the Rocky Mountains. Soon, more accommodations were needed—thus the kit cabins. The main lodge houses the restaurant and a big front porch where you can sit and savor the spectacular views of Grand Lake surrounded by homes and Rocky Mountain National Park on three sides and the Arapaho National Forest to the south and west.
There are umpteen hiking and biking trails both inside and outside the park (though you can’t hike with a pet in the park and until mid-October, a timed entry permit is required between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. and for the popular Bear Lake Road corridor (on the far eastern side) from 5 a.m.- 6 p.m.
Come to see the fall colors and the Elk bugling in the fall—the loud noises made by male elk during the mating season known as The Rut. (Estes Park hosts a popular Elk Fest weekend this year Oct. 3-4 with wildlife exhibits, Native American storytelling, music and even a bugling contest.
Incidentally, this area around Grand Lake and the western portal to the park was scorched by the East Troublesome Fire in the fall of 2020, one of the most devastating wildfires in Colorado History. The entire town of Grand Lake had to be evacuated on with barely any notice. The town and the Grand Lake Lodge barely escaped total devastation, although a number of buildings were lost and an elderly couple who chose not to evacuate died in their home.
Six years later, the towering remains of burned lodgepole pines and aspen trees can be seen around the area, along with promising new growth. This year’s oppressive drought (similar to that of 2020) is a cause for concern, however. Although Grand Lake remains full as required by a water compact with state’s Front Range City, nearby lakes – particularly Lake Granby are at or near historic lows. Locals and visitors are hoping and praying for a break in the drought this coming winter.
The thunderstorms continued for most of the afternoon… I’m just glad we weren’t camping — and had such a comfy place to wait out the storm. Dinner awaits. And the hikes will be there tomorrow.