Fall Activities in Estes Park in 2022

Estes Park is the cutest little mountain town nestled just below Rocky Mountain National Park. Trenton and I have so much love for this place. We met here, got married here, and now it is where we call home. Most people that visit Estes fall in love with its charm and beauty, just like we did. As the fall season commences there are a bunch of things happening around town. While the weeks start to slow down with traffic and people, the weekends are still very crazy. Fall is the best time to be in Estes Park, and many people have figured that out. Sometimes it can be hard to know what to do, where to go, and when to come, so here is your guide to some fun fall activities in the sweet town of Estes Park.

1. Elk Watching

Right now the biggest draw to town is the elk. They are entering the middle of their rut, and the activity around town has been really fun to watch. It feels like there are elk everywhere you turn in town, and it’s always fun to hear them bugling. Some days you will have to look harder for the elk than others. Many people think the elk are rounded up by Park Rangers and placed around town, but that could not be further from the truth. During the fall season the elk run this town, and you have to let them do their thing and stay out of their way.

If you are out and about looking for some elk to watch, I have several suggestions on where to start looking. First, I would go to Lake Estes or the 9-hole golf course. The two meet, so either one will work. This is right next to town, and Lake Estes has a nice walking path around it. Sometimes there are elk next to the trail, in the water, or just hanging out on the 9-hole golf course. The next place I would go to look would be the 18-hole golf course. This one is a little bit trickier because it is such a large area. You aren’t able to just walk around in the grass, so it can be hard to spot the elk. There is a walking trail that passes large sections of the golf course off of Fish Creek Road that offers some great places for spotting the big animals.

Lastly, I would check out Rocky Mountain National Park. The best time to go is around sunset because the elk are much more active. Start in Moraine Park off of Bear Lake Road. This area is likely to be where you will see the most elk. Moraine Park is a very large valley where the elk love to graze and relax. Because there are so many elk here, it is likely it will be very packed with cars all along the road, but it is definitely worth it if you can find a spot. If you are looking to avoid the crowds a little bit, check out Endo Valley. If you have read some of my other blogs you know this is one of my favorite places in the whole Park. Kind of like Moraine Park, this valley offers a ton of space for the elk to roam. You are likely to see much less elk here, but the view and lack of large crowds can make it worth it.

Always remember when watching the elk to maintain your distance. Even though they can look friendly or tame, I can assure you they are not. During their rut season the bull elk can be very territorial, so always be careful!

2. Leaf Peeping

If you read my last blog, I just did a whole post about the best places to see the changing leaves around Colorado. I added a section about RMNP, so I’ll keep this section short and you can check out that post HERE.

If you can’t already tell, I love the Rocky Mountains, and I love them even more in the fall. The weather is perfect and the different colors on the mountains make everything better. Besides Bear Lake, Bierstadt Lake, and Endo Valley (all mentioned in my previous post), also check out Moraine Park. Not only will you see elk, as mentioned above, but there is a large grove of aspen in the valley. You truly can’t beat the view, the colors, and the elk. That right there will make your trip to Estes worth your time.

This year RMNP has received lots more rain than it has in the past couple of years. Because of this the aspen have yet to start changing. Most of the leaves are still very green. There is a little bit of yellow sprinkled in here and there, but for the most part, nothing is happening yet. The leaves may start changing very soon which makes the peak time September 18-30. If I had to guess, I would think the leaves won’t be in full color until the week of September 25, and lasting through the first week of October.

3. Festivals

Bond Park, where all the festivals will be held.

Estes Park is known for their festivals that start up in the fall. This past weekend was the Long’s Peak Scottish Irish Highland Festival, and man was the town booming. Despite the cold weather many people came out to see the parade and attend all of the main events at the fairgrounds. During the next couple weekends of September and the first couple in October, the town of Estes has some fun events planned.

The Autumn Gold Festival - September 24 & 25

This festival is free to enter and will offer a good time. It will be held in Bond Park in the center of downtown. There will be beer, brats, and live music to enjoy. Also, on September 24, due to it being National Public Lands day, admission into Rocky Mountain National Park will be FREE! Even though you don’t need a park pass for this day, you will still need a timed entry, which you can purchase HERE

Elk Fest - October 1 & 2

This event offers free entry! It will also be held in Bond Park in the center of downtown. Times include Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. At this festival there will be food trucks, live music, vendors, bugling contests, and more! It is not promised that there will be elk near or around the festival. It gets its name from the season of the elk rut (mating season) and the likelihood of you seeing them around town. This weekend also happens to be one of the busiest weekends in Estes Park due to the elk and the aspen color in its peak. Finding accommodations as soon as possible might be beneficial.

Pumpkins and Pilsners Festival - October 8

The entrance into this event is free, and it is a fundraiser for the local non-profit, Estes Park Education Foundation. There are plenty of activities for the whole family, including, live music, pumpkin picking, pony rides, crafts, games, a bounce house, and craft beer for the adults. This festival will also be held in Bond Park in the center of downtown Estes from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m,

There are so many more fun activities to do around town for the whole family, such as, the mountain coaster, mini golf, pottery painting, and of course, hiking. As always, I hope this was helpful and makes you want to take a little trip to Estes Park. It’s such a great place with even better people. Always feel free to ask questions in the comments or on our contact page!

-The Mings

Fall Activities in Estes Park in 2022

Best Leaf Peeping In Colorado

The Adventure Mings