Hotel at a Glance: The Maxwell Inn

The Maxwell Inn has a bit of an unusual backstory: Originally built as a single-family home in the 1930s, it was remodeled into a dentist’s office in the 1960s and then into a hotel in the 1970s. It’s unusual partially because it’s such a natural setting for a mountain retreat; the cozy, family-owned Inn is just 4 miles down the road from Rocky Mountain National Park.

• Recent renovations: relaxing flagstone patio with fire pit and hot tub, as well as new Serta mattresses, custom furniture, new carpet, new televisions, and improved lighting
• Complimentary breakfast with breads and pastries, oatmeal, fresh fruit, and coffee
• Use your $20 dining credit toward burgers, nachos, and wings at The Wapiti Pub, voted best overall restaurant in the annual Best of Estes contest
• In-room amenities: Serta beds with custom duvets and bed skirts, 32-inch flat screen TVs, microwaves, and refrigerators
• Pull up an adirondack chair by the natural-gas fire pit, set on the inn’s flagstone patio.
• Scenic walk: Make your way into town by strolling along the scenic Fall River pathway.

Estes Park, Colorado: Gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park

At an elevation of 7,522 feet, Estes Park is a small mountain town known as the eastern gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park. Along Elkhorn Avenue, the main drag of downtown Estes Park, you’ll find the usual souvenir, taffy, and ice-cream shops—but also local breweries and independent restaurants. The resort town also has a popular outdoor ice rink, open on the weekends in the winter months.

Each year, more than three million people head into Rocky Mountain National Park to access 300 miles of hiking trails and admire stunning mountain vistas. The park’s most popular hike is the half-mile loop around the flat terrain of Bear Lake, but the crowd thins out somewhat if you continue onto Nymph, Dream, and Emerald Lakes. Park trails are often covered with snow, but you can strap on a pair of snowshoes and make the trek to the alpine lake at The Loch or the summit of Deer Mountain.

Weather permitting, consider taking one of region’s spectacular scenic drives. Trail Ridge Road bisects the national park east to west, bringing travelers up to a maximum elevation of 12,000 feet above the tree line. Trail Ridge Road offers a somewhat direct route to the western half of the park, where you’re most likely to see moose. Another option is the Peak to Peak Scenic Byway, which wends past the Continental Divide, offering views of Longs Peak—the park’s highest summit, at 14,259 feet. Before you embark on any drive, be sure to check the road status report.

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