Peak-to-Peak - exploring the Rockies in Colorado

Still behind in my writing ,,, I drove 370 mi/600 km today from Estes Park/Colorado to Deadwood/South Dakota, about 6 hours driving time. Sort of tired now, but it was a beautiful drive in warm, sunny fall weather from the Rockies into the prairie and back into the Black Hills!

But, first, back to our yesterday's mission: A drive on Colorado's Peak-to-Peak Byway  We started in Golden in the morning and drove into the Rocky Mountains, mostly in approx. 2,500 m altitude. The Peak-to-Peak Byway is Colorado's oldest scenic byway, stretching 55 mi along the edge of the Front Range.

First stop on the way: Central City, a gold rush mining town founded  in 1859, with beautifully restored historic buildings, among them a superb Opera House.

,,, whereas nearby Blackhawk (below) is a more touristic gaming destination in the Clear Creek Canyon.

On we drove, with gorgeous views towards some of the 12,000 ft+ (4.000 m) peaks of the Rocky Mountains:

Next stop: Nederland, which history began as the mill site for silver ore from the rich mines at Caribou (now a ghost town).

Today it is known as a top destination for all kinds of outdoor recreation. Town was packed, a parade was taking place, bikers everywhere, and, lots of visitors!

Approaching Estes Park with the tallest mountain in the Rocky Mountains National Park in the background: Long's Peak (14,259 feet/4.350 m) on the photo below:

Estes Park, the end of the Peak-to-Peak Byway, is  the base camp for outdoor adventures in Rocky Mountain National Park and a highly popular mountain getaway. Parking was difficult on this sunny fall day, the streets were packed, especially, since the Elk Fest was going on, too. And, elk were running around on downtown's streets (wish, I would have had a chance to get a good shot from the car!).

The historic Stanley Hotel (left) - where we had a tour in the afternoon - opened in 1909 and boasted the latest modern amenities such as electric lights, telephones, en suite bathrooms, uniformed staff and a fleet of automobiles. Freelan Oscar Stanley (1849 –1940) was an American inventor, entrepreneur, hotelier, and architect. He made his fortune in the manufacture of photographic plates but is also the co-founder, with his brother Francis Edgar Stanley, of the Stanley Motor Carriage Company. 

Below, view from the hotel's gorgeous gardens towards the mountains:

We stayed at the Rams Horn Village Resort and got a beautiful luxury cabin with two bedrooms, living room, kitchen, dining room and two bathrooms - very quiet and surrounded by woods.

 

The  Estes Park Aerial Tram is a scenic tramway carrying visitors 2,630 ft to the summit of Prospect Mountain for panoramic views of Rocky Mountain. Not quite at sunset, but almost, we took the funicular up and had gorgeous views!

After the trip to the top of the mountain, we had dinner at The Hive at Estes Park Brewery. Good thing was their seasonal menu with unusual items as Bison Short Rips and Elk Chops (below):

Due to the crowds yesterday, the crazy traffic and the problem to find parking, we drove into downtown Estes Park (photos below) this morning after breakfast at Egg of Estes and checked out downtown and the Elk Fest's art & crafts market. Then we drove on north, towards South Dakota. More on that tomorrow.