Day 3
Laramie to Estes Park
130 milesTake Interstate 80 to Interstate 25 South and follow signs to Estes Park, the town at the entrance to the 265,000-acre playground that is Rocky Mountain National Park.
Pick up picnic-ready hot turkey sandwiches at Deleo's Park Theatre Cafe & Deli (132 Moraine Ave., 970-577-1134). Follow Trail Ridge Road into the park (open from Memorial Day weekend to mid-October); for hiking, turn off on Bear Lake Road. The 0.6-mile Bear Lake Trail and the 0.5-mile Sprague Lake Trail are easy walks, with paths that are smooth enough for strollers. (Bring extra sweaters and hats—it gets chilly at 12,183 feet.) Take in the view of the mountains at the road's highest point, and keep your eyes peeled for elk grazing all over the hillsides (binoculars are helpful). Pop into the Alpine Visitor Center if you need to warm up or get a snack.
Next, stop into the boat-shaped Estes Ark toy store (521 Lone Pine Dr., 970-586-6483), which riffs on Noah's ark by stocking all kinds of stuffed animals. Grab burgers at Penelope's World-Famous Burgers & Fries (229 W. Elkhorn Ave., 970-586-2277), then head to the Georgian-style Stanley Hotel ($; 333 E. Wonderview Ave., 970-586-3371), just over a mile away. Stephen King started writing—and got the inspiration for—The Shining here.
Next Page: Estes Park to Boulder
