Estes Park's first resident was a pioneer by the name of Joel Estes
who settled in the area in 1865.
Although Joel and his wife only stayed in the valley for a couple of
years they opened the path to discovery of the area by white settlers.
The Estes', however had not been the valley's first human occupants. The native Ute
and Arapahoe had lived and hunted in the
area for centuries before. As white settlers filtered into the valley they tried to establish
ranching and farming enterprises but soon learned that
the only prosperous livelihood was through tourism.
At 7500
ft in elevation, Estes Park is the gateway community to one of the nation's
most visited treasures, Rocky Mountain National Park. The Rooftop Rodeo is PRCA's highest altitude rodeo, thus the
nickname "Rodeo with Altitude!"
In Estes Park and the surrounding area there is plenty to do and see for all ages. From trail
rides and hiking trails in Rocky Mountain National Park and surrounding Roosevelt National Forest to
shopping in downtown Estes Park one will find plenty of activities
to more than fill their time. For more information on the Estes Park
area click on the links below.
A printable map is available on the Forms page.
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