Elkhorn Lodge and Guest Ranch
600 W Elkhorn Ave, Estes Park, Colorado 80517-9139 USA
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Independent
“the first house in Estes Park!”
You are always welcome at the Elkhorn Lodge & Guest Ranch, which is the oldest and first hotel in Estes Park. Not only is the Elkhorn Lodge the oldest hotel in Estes Park, but it is also home to the first Estes Park school house (built in 1886), the first Estes Park church (built in 1890), and the original stage terminal – the Coach House. All of these rustic structures still stand on the property; you can even choose to stay in one of them! The hotel received its first guests in 1874; prior to that, it consisted of an old lodge and a barn. In fact, the ‘old main lodge’ dates back to 1871 and is still in use. It’s the oldest continually occupied structure in Estes Park, CO. Originally, the James family started a cattle ranch, but determined that lodging for Estes Park visitors was more profitable. For thousands of years, Estes Park, CO was a hunting, fishing & mountain climbing paradise. Bushels of trout were caught from the Fall River prior to 1900 where the Elkhorn’s guests would order their menu requests in the morning for their dinner that evening (these were the pre-refrigeration days). As the trout populations declined, the Elkhorn started Colorado’s second fish hatchery in the 1890’s, in the area once occupied by the Elkhorn’s private trout pond. The State of Colorado then operated the hatchery and subsequently moved it. Estes Park haunted hotels are somewhat common because the Estes valley has a rich and storied history of paranormal activity. Unexplained phenomena at the Elkhorn Lodge dates back to when the property was still a cattle ranch in the early 1870′s. Throughout the years, visitors at the lodge and staff members alike have reported encounters with a handful of our “permanent” residents. Because many people consider the Elkhorn Lodge as one of Estes Park’s haunted hotels, the hotel is frequently investigated by paranormal investigators from all over the world, such as by the Rocky Mountain Paranormal Research Society with TAPS – The Atlantic Paranormal Society and Colorado Para-Tech
The real deal!
Outstanding experiences experience we had for our first time riding as a family of four. One of our daughters had several rounds of lessons. The rest of us was the very first time.
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Elkhorn Lodge and Guest Ranch
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Parking
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Pets Allowed
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Restrooms
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Wifi
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Wheelchair Accessible
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Credit Cards Accepted
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