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Your insider’s guide to the best of Estes Park—brought to you by the Estes Park Resort Guide.
Easter weekend, longer days, and the first real signs of spring make this one of the most meaningful times to be in Estes Park.
🌟 Easter Weekend, the Estes Way
Easter in Estes Park doesn’t feel commercial.
It feels calm.
No big-city rush.
No packed sidewalks.
Just mountain air, slower mornings, and space to enjoy the day your way.
Here’s a simple way to spend Easter Sunday (April 12):
🌅 Morning: Start with a quiet walk at Lake Estes. The water is opening up, birds are active, and the light feels softer this time of year.
🍽 Brunch:
Head to:
Claire’s on the Park (classic, cozy, scenic)
Notchtop Bakery & Café (hearty, local favorite)
Expect relaxed energy — not chaos.
🌼 Midday:
Take an easy walk:
Lily Lake
Riverwalk downtown
Stanley Park open spaces
🐣 Optional Stops: Local churches and community centers may host small Easter gatherings or services — check locally if you’re interested in attending.
🌄 Evening: Sunset at Knoll-Willows or Lake Estes.
Simple.
Meaningful.
Exactly how this place does things.
📰 This Week’s Top 5 Picks
🌼 1. First Real Signs of Spring Color
You won’t find full bloom just yet… but if you slow down, you’ll start to see it.
Spring is beginning to quietly work its way into Estes Park.
Look closer:
Tiny buds starting to form along the Riverwalk
Soft hints of green spreading across open meadows
Willow trees in places like Moraine Park shifting from gray to warm tones
It’s not bold.
It’s not obvious.
But it’s there.
The kind of change you only notice if you’re paying attention.
And once you see it… you realize winter is finally loosening its grip. 🌿
🧩 Trail Notes Riddle of the Week
Q: I have to be broken before you can use me.
What am I?
(Scroll to the bottom for the answer 👇)
🐣 2. Low-Key Easter Treat Stops
Skip the crowds. Skip the production.
This is the kind of Easter that feels like Estes.
The kind where you wander a little…
step inside somewhere warm…
and find something simple that just hits right.
Here are a few quiet favorites:
You Need Pie! — fresh-baked pies, no fuss, just comfort
Munchin’ House — small-batch chocolates and classic sweets
Kind Coffee — something warm in hand, river moving beside you
No big lines.
No big plans.
Just a slower kind of Easter — the kind you actually remember.
Around here… it’s less about the schedule and more about the feeling.
🦌 3. Wildlife Is Shifting Into Spring Mode
Something subtle is changing out there.
It’s not loud.
It’s not dramatic.
But if you spend a little time watching… you’ll start to notice the rhythm shifting.
Wildlife is beginning to move differently.
You may see:
Elk breaking off into smaller groups across open meadows
Deer lingering longer in the soft light of morning and evening
Bird activity picking up — more calls, more movement, more life in the air
📍 Best places to slow down and watch:
Lake Estes
Moraine Park
Edges of the Golf Course
This time of year is a transition — and the animals feel it before we do.
Give them space.
Move quietly.
Let the moment come to you.
Spring doesn’t rush in here… it reveals itself, one small movement at a time.
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🥾 4. Best “Dry-ish” Trails This Week
If you’re trying to stay out of the mud (and off the ice), this is the week to be a little strategic.
Not everything is ready yet… but a few trails are starting to open up in the sun.
Here’s where conditions are starting to feel better:
Gem Lake Trail — gets good sun exposure, dries out faster than most
Lily Lake Loop — relatively flat, often a mix of dry path and light patches
Sprague Lake — best in the middle of the day when things soften up
A few things to keep in mind:
South-facing trails = better footing
Midday hiking makes a big difference right now
Expect a mix — dry, damp, and a little snow all in one walk
🚫 Still avoid (for now): Shaded canyon trails — they hold ice much longer than you think
This is shoulder-season hiking.
Not perfect… but that’s part of the experience.
Pick your timing right, and you’ll find stretches of trail that feel like spring is finally winning. 🌿
☀️ 5. The Return of the “Sit Outside” Moment
This week marks something small… but it means everything.
The return of sitting outside.
Not rushing.
Not passing through.
Just… being there.
You’ll start to notice it:
People lingering longer with a warm cup in their hands
Benches no longer empty — just quietly occupied
Moments where no one’s in a hurry to move on
📍 Best places to settle in:
Riverwalk benches
Lake Estes (marina side)
Outside Kind Coffee
The sun feels a little warmer now.
The air softens just enough.
And suddenly… you don’t feel like going anywhere else.
Spring doesn’t arrive all at once here.
It begins with a simple invitation: Sit for a minute.
💡 Trail Notes Pro Tip of the Week
Layer for the whole day — not just the morning.
April in Estes doesn’t follow a schedule.
It shifts.
You might step outside to winter… and find yourself in spring by lunchtime.
A typical day can feel like:
32°F in the early morning
60’s by mid-afternoon
Wind rolling in as the sun drops
The difference isn’t small — and it catches people off guard every year.
Bring what lets you adjust:
Light gloves (you’ll reach for them more than you think)
A packable jacket you can shed mid-hike
Sunglasses — the sun + snow glare is real
The goal isn’t just staying warm.
It’s staying comfortable no matter what the day decides to do.
Around here… comfort comes from being ready to adapt.
📸 Featured Photo of the Week
Sprague Lake – Rocky Mountain National Park
📍 Location: Sprague Lake – Rocky Mountain National Park
📅 Fall Evening
📷 Photographer: Nina Sowards Jones
Some moments in Rocky Mountain National Park don’t need movement to feel alive.
This week’s featured photo captures a quiet fall evening at Sprague Lake — where still water reflects the sky and peaks with near-perfect clarity.
Clouds drift overhead, scattered across the blue like brushstrokes.
The mountains rise steady in the distance.
And the lake mirrors it all, calm and undisturbed.
Fall in the Rockies carries a different kind of presence.
The air is cooler.
The light is softer.
And everything feels like it’s slowing down before the first heavy snow returns.
Scenes like this are fleeting.
The light shifts.
The colors fade.
And the mountains settle back into shadow.
But for a few moments… everything comes into perfect balance.
Thank you to Nina Sowards Jones for capturing this peaceful scene at Sprague Lake.
📩 Have a moment like this to share?
Send your best Estes Park or Rocky Mountain National Park photos to
[email protected] — your image could be featured in an upcoming post or newsletter.
📸 Local Spotlight: Photosbybrian — Guided Photography in RMNP
If you’ve ever looked at a wildlife shot from Rocky Mountain National Park and thought, “How do you even get that?”
This is the guy you want to talk to.
Brian Stanley of Photosbybrian isn’t offering a casual sightseeing tour. His guided sessions are built for photographers who genuinely want to improve — the ones asking about settings, light direction, positioning, animal behavior, and timing.
🦌 What Makes His Tours Different
Brian keeps his groups intentionally small.
Maximum of 6 people
Prefers 4 or fewer
Private sessions available
Each session runs 4–5 hours, scheduled during the most powerful light of the day:
🌅 Early morning at sunrise
🌄 Late afternoon into sunset
These are not “ride around and point” tours. They’re hands-on learning experiences focused on:
Wildlife photography (all species)
Landscape composition
Reading light in the mountains
Anticipating animal movement
As a licensed guide in Rocky Mountain National Park, Brian works primarily on both the east and west sides of the park. He grew up spending summers on the west side and knows that terrain intimately — not just where to go, but when and why.
🎓 Beyond the Park
Brian is also a Photography Mentor through The Camera School, offering deeper training for photographers looking to sharpen skills in:
Wildlife
Sports
Portraits
If you’re serious about improving — not just collecting snapshots — this is mentorship-level guidance.
🌐 Connect with Brian
Website: www.photosbybrian.net
Facebook: Photosbybrian
Instagram: @photosbybrianstanley
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 303-827-5272
Brian will be in Estes next week and would love to introduce himself in person if you're around.
If you've been asking yourself how to elevate your photography in RMNP — this might be the sign to step out at sunrise and find out.
🎵 A Little Note About My Music
There’s something about spring in the mountains.
It doesn’t arrive loud.
It unfolds.
That’s where most of this music comes from.
Appreciate you listening.
📸 Want to Be Featured in Trail Notes?
Did you capture Easter in Estes?
✨ Maybe it was:
🌼 Early spring color
🐣 A quiet holiday moment
🦌 Wildlife in soft light
🌅 Or a peaceful sunrise walk
📬 Submit your photo here: Estes Park Resort Guide – Photo & Video Submission Form
📅 Deadline: Friday, April 10 at 5 PM MT
Selected photos may be featured in Trail Notes and Estes Park Resort Guide — with full credit.
📷 Have a story behind the shot? We’d love that too.
📣 Shine This April in Trail Notes
Spring is when decisions happen.
Where to go.
Where to eat.
What to book.
We’re featuring:
🏪 Local businesses
🎨 Artists & creators
🛍 Shops preparing for peak season
📅 Events worth planning
Let’s make sure people find you early.
A Different Kind of Holiday
Easter doesn’t need noise.
Not here.
It’s a walk instead of a rush.
A quiet meal instead of a packed table.
A moment instead of a schedule.
Estes Park doesn’t try to impress you this time of year.
It just gives you space.
And sometimes — that’s exactly what you need.
✅ Riddle Answer:
A: An egg.