We at Earthwood Artisans and Earthwood Collections are pleased to offer you a bit more information about our beautiful town.  Estes Park has a rich history.  This area has been frequented by Native Americans for thousands of years.  They came here for the pleasant climate, great hunting and fishing and for religious purposes.  There are sites in the area that have clear evidence of use by Native Americans for vision quests and other ceremonies.  Old Man Mountain is a special place in town that has been used by Native Americans for at least 5000 years.  They used Trail Ridge to get across the Continental Divide.  They knew way back then how special this place is.  

The first white man probably came to the area in the early 1800's, although no one is quite sure when.  These earliest visitors were probably trappers from one of the big fur trapping companies of the time, namely the American Fur Company or the Hudson Bay Company.  It is believed that Kit Carson spent the winter of 1840-1841 in Estes Park trapping animals such as the beaver.  Joel Estes and his family were the first permanent settlers in the area.  They moved here in 1860.  Word was now out about how special and beautiful this area is and more people soon followed.  

Other early characters in Estes Park's history include, Lord Dunraven, Griff Evans, John Wesley Powell, William N. Byers, Major Stephen Long, Isabella L. Bird, Rocky Mountain Jim (James Nugent), Enos A. Mills, A. Q. MacGregor, William A. Riley, and Freelan O. Stanley to name just a few.  Lord Dunraven was one of the original landowners in the area.  Actually, he attempted to own the entire area at one point.  A.Q. MacGregor built the first road to Estes Park, from Lyons in 1874 through 1875 and William  A. Riley constructed the first public road from Loveland to Estes Park in 1903 through 1904.

There was a devastating flood on July 31, 1976, the famed Big Thompson Flood, that destroyed over 50 businesses, 400 homes, and killed 145 people in the Big Thompson Canyon between Estes Park and Loveland.  This sad event was the worst disaster in Colorado history in terms of lives lost!  Estes Park was spared from any direct damage from this flood, however.  This flood was east of town.  This was not the case on July 15, 1982 when the Lawn Lake Dam broke high in Rocky Mountain National Park.  This caused a flood that flowed directly through downtown Estes Park.  Three people were killed in this flood.  All dams have since been destroyed and removed from within the Park.  This effort has returned these areas back to their original state before any dams were ever built.

Today, Estes Park is a great place for locals and visitors alike.  With beautiful scenery and weather, excellent shopping, dining and lodging, a rich history and excellent people, this area is truly special!  Please continue scrolling down the page to view some nice pictures of Estes Park and to read some more interesting facts about the area.  Press this link to access more information about Things to do in Estes Park.

Pictures and More Information

Longs Peak is the tallest mountain in the Estes Park area.  It rises to 14,255 feet!  John Wesley Powell was on the team that recorded the first successful climb of Longs Peak, in 1868.  Major Stephen Long is the namesake of Longs Peak.  Isabella L Bird and Anna Dickinson are two of the first woman known to climb Longs Peak.  But Addie Alexander and a "Miss Bartlett," are considered the first two women who successfully climbed Longs in 1871.

Enos A. Mills is known as the "father" of Rocky Mountain National Park  He worked for many years to get the U.S. Congress to designate the park.  Rocky Mountain national Park was formally created in 1915.

The Mummy Range in Rocky Mountain National Park.  This shot is seen looking north into the National Park from the southern part of the town of Estes Park.

Along the River Walk Trail in downtown Estes Park.  This is along the Big Thompson River as it winds through town.  There are many quiet places to relax and enjoy your life in Estes Park.

The Crags rock formation in the early morning light.  This location is in the southern part of Estes Park as you travel down Highway 7.  Believe it or not, the color is natural!

Along the Lake Estes Trail on the shores of Lake Estes.  This trail winds all the way around the lake and is connected to the River Walk Trail that goes through town.  In addition to being very pretty, Lake Estes offers facilities for boating, swimming, picnicking, and fishing.

F. O. Stanley, of the Stanley Steamer fame, built the renowned Stanley Hotel in the early 1900's.  Lumpy Ridge (behind this view of the hotel) is an area that is very popular with hikers and rock climbers.  The ridge is filled with many interesting and bizarre rock formations.

Wildlife is abundant throughout the Estes Park area.  Herds of Elk are commonly seen wandering through the town of Estes Park.  The area also boasts healthy populations of Mountain Lion, Bighorn Sheep, Deer, Bear, Coyotes, Bobcats, Beavers and many other native species.  Keep your eyes open!

We at Earthwood Artisans and Earthwood Collections hope that you have enjoyed the local pictures and interesting historical information on Estes Park.  See you in the store!