Trail Notes Newsletter: The Season We Wait For

Father's Day may have officially passed, but its message lingers long after the cards are put away and the celebrations end.

Because the best gifts were never really gifts at all.

They were moments.

A quiet morning walk.
A scenic drive through the mountains.
A conversation that somehow felt easier with a view of the Rockies in front of you.

And that's what this week in Estes Park is all about.

The season is hitting its stride now.

The meadows are green, the trails are welcoming, and the long daylight hours create opportunities to spend more time with the people who matter most.

☕ Morning: Start with coffee downtown before the town fully wakes up.

🥾 Late Morning
Head into Rocky Mountain National Park:

🍽 Lunch: Find a patio and enjoy mountain views with no rush to be anywhere else.

🚗 Afternoon: Take the scenic route toward Allenspark or along the Peak to Peak Highway.

🌄 Evening: Watch the sun settle behind the mountains from Lake Estes or Moraine Park.

Because at the end of the day, the moments we remember most are usually the simplest ones.

If you've been waiting for summer color to fully arrive, this is your week.

The valley floor is coming alive with yellow blooms, purple wildflowers, and fresh green meadows stretching toward the mountains. 

Every day seems to reveal a little more color than the one before it.

And what's beautiful about this stage of the season is that you don't have to work very hard to find it.

Wildflowers are appearing beside trails, across open meadows, and even along roadside pull-offs that many visitors drive right past.

The landscape feels vibrant now.

Not because it's trying to impress you.

Because it's simply doing what summer does best.

📍 Best Areas This Week:
• Moraine Park
• Upper Beaver Meadows
• Cub Lake Trail
• Horseshoe Park

Take your time.

The most memorable views are often found between destinations—not at them.

Q: What has hands but can never clap?

(Scroll to the bottom for the answer 👇)

There's a reason locals and experienced hikers love June mornings.

Before the afternoon clouds arrive and before the busiest parts of the day begin, the mountains offer something special.

Quiet.

The air feels cooler.
The trails feel calmer.
Wildlife moves naturally through the landscape.

And the sunlight spilling across the peaks creates the kind of beauty that photos never quite capture.

📍 Best Early Morning Hikes:
• Bear Lake Loop
• Gem Lake Trail
• Alberta Falls
• Lily Lake

There is something deeply satisfying about being on the trail while the rest of the town is still waking up.

For a little while, it feels like the mountains are sharing a secret with the people who got there first.

Every season has its gathering place.

In June, that place is often Lake Estes.

The lake loop is one of the easiest and most enjoyable ways to experience Estes Park right now. 

Whether you're walking, biking, fishing, photographing wildlife, or simply sitting near the shoreline, the experience feels uniquely relaxing.

The water reflects the mountains beautifully this time of year, especially during the quieter hours of the day.

📍 Best Times to Visit:
• Early morning
• Late afternoon
• Golden hour

What makes Lake Estes special isn't just the scenery.

It's the pace.

Nobody seems rushed here.

And that's exactly the point.

Welcome to summer in the Rockies.

Mornings often begin with clear skies and sunshine, but by afternoon you'll start seeing clouds build over the Continental Divide.

Sometimes those clouds bring rain.

Sometimes they bring dramatic lighting that transforms the entire landscape.

And sometimes they simply remind us that the mountains are still in charge.

📍 Best Places for Big Sky Views:
• Moraine Park
• Upper Beaver Meadows
• Deer Mountain overlooks

Keep a light rain jacket nearby this week.

Not because the weather is something to avoid.

Because the weather is often one of the most beautiful parts of the day.

One of the most heartwarming signs of summer has officially arrived.

June may be one of the most rewarding wildlife months of the entire year.

Elk calves continue appearing throughout the valley. 

Birds remain active from sunrise until evening. Mule deer move quietly through open spaces and neighborhood edges.

The valley feels alive.

Not just with visitors.

With life itself.

📍 Best Wildlife Viewing Areas:
• Moraine Park
• Horseshoe Park
• Golf Course perimeter
• Lake Estes shoreline

The secret isn't finding wildlife.

The secret is slowing down enough to notice it.

Move a little slower.

Look a little longer.

The mountains usually reward both.

Start with one thing. Let the rest happen.

One of the biggest mistakes visitors make is trying to pack too much into a single day.

Three hikes.
Five attractions.
Ten places to visit.

Before long, they're rushing through the very experience they came here to enjoy.

This week, try something different.

Choose one meaningful thing to do each day.

One hike.
One scenic drive.
One great meal.
One sunset.

Then leave room for the unexpected.

Maybe you'll discover a quiet trail.
Maybe you'll spot wildlife.
Maybe you'll find yourself sitting beside the lake longer than planned.

That's not wasted time.

That's often the best part of the trip.

Because the most memorable mountain days rarely happen according to schedule.

They unfold naturally.

The Look Back – Captured by Dan Partch

📍 Location: Estes Valley, Colorado
🌤 Conditions: Mild early summer evening with calm conditions and soft natural light
📷 Photographer: Dan Partch

Some wildlife photos capture an animal.

Others capture a moment.

This week's featured image does both.

Photographed during the height of summer in Estes Park, this magnificent bull elk pauses for just a second, turning his head as if responding to a sound carried on the mountain breeze.

His velvet-covered antlers, still growing and full of life, stretch wide above him—a reminder that even the most powerful animals in the Rockies are constantly changing with the seasons.

There's something captivating about this image.

Maybe it's the expression.

Maybe it's the way the elk seems completely aware of everything around him while remaining perfectly calm.

Or maybe it's because moments like this remind us why people fall in love with Estes Park in the first place.

You can hike for hours, drive every scenic road, and visit every overlook—but sometimes the moment you remember most is a quiet encounter with wildlife that lasts only a few seconds.

The longer you spend in the mountains, the more you realize that wildlife viewing isn't just about seeing animals.

It's about witnessing them on their terms.

Wild.
Free.
And exactly where they belong.

Thank you, Dan, for capturing this incredible close-up of one of Estes Park's most iconic residents and for sharing a moment that reminds us just how special it is to experience wildlife in the Rockies. 🦌🏔️✨

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.

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.

Each session runs 4–5 hours, scheduled during the most powerful light of the day:

These are not “ride around and point” tours. They’re hands-on learning experiences focused on:

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:

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.

Every season in Estes Park carries its own rhythm.

June sounds like rushing rivers, distant thunder over the peaks, birds greeting the sunrise, and conversations drifting across outdoor patios.

Some of that inspiration eventually becomes music.

🎧 https://soundsofestes.com/

Thank you for listening and supporting the creative side of Estes Park Resort Guide.

Have you captured a beautiful moment in Estes Park or Rocky Mountain National Park?

✨ Maybe it was:
🌄 A mountain sunrise
🦌 Wildlife in the valley
🌼 Wildflowers in bloom
🚶 A favorite hiking trail
📷 A moment that simply felt like Estes

📬 Submit your photo: Estes Park Resort Guide – Photo & Video Submission Form
📅 Deadline: Friday, June 26 at 5 PM MT

Selected photos may be featured in a future edition of Trail Notes and Estes Park Resort Guide—with full credit.

And if there's a story behind the image, we'd love to hear it too.

Summer visitors are arriving every day.

If you're a:

🏪 Local business
🎨 Artist or maker
🛍 Shop owner
📅 Event organizer

We'd love to help tell your story.

📧 [email protected]
📱 facebook.com/EstesParkResortGuide

Let's continue celebrating the people and places that make Estes Park unforgettable.

The Things We'll Remember

Years from now, most people won't remember exactly what day they visited Estes Park.

They won't remember what the weather app said.

Or how many stops they checked off their itinerary.

They'll remember the feeling.

The early morning mountain air.
The elk standing quietly in a meadow.
The sunset that lasted longer than expected.
The conversation that happened while walking around the lake.

That's what Father's Day reminds us of too.

The most valuable things in life usually aren't things at all.

They're moments shared with people we care about.

So this week, don't worry about doing everything.

Just enjoy where you are.

Take the scenic route.
Stay a little longer.
Watch one more sunset.

Because someday, those simple moments may end up being your favorite memories.

A clock. 🕰️