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Your insider’s guide to the best of Estes Park—brought to you by the Estes Park Resort Guide.
The snow is fading faster, the rivers are louder, and Estes Park is starting to move.
🌟 The Week Where You Start to Feel It
Last week, things were starting.
This week?
You can feel it.
The shift isn’t subtle anymore.
It’s in the air. In the water. In the pace of the day.
The town feels a little more awake.
The trails open up a little more.
And spring starts showing up in ways you don’t have to look for.
If last week was the secret…
👉 This week is when it becomes real.
Here’s a Simple Way to Spend a Day This Week:
☕ Morning: Start at Coffee on the Rocks - A little more movement now—more birds, more light, more energy.
🥾 Mid-Morning: Walk the east or south side of Lake Estes. - More open ground. Less ice. Wildlife still active.
🍽 Lunch: Scratch Deli & Bakery - Still quick. Still easy. Still no real wait.
🛍 Afternoon
Take your time downtown:
Macdonald Bookshop
Earthwood Collections
More shops opening doors as the season builds
🌄 Evening: ard Marys Lake or Highway 7.
The light is better this week.
Warmer. Longer.
Stay for it.
📰 This Week’s Top 5 Picks
🌊 1. Rivers Are Getting Louder
Last week, you could hear it.
This week, you can’t ignore it.
Runoff is building fast.
Water levels are climbing daily.
And that steady rush? It’s turning into a constant presence.
Where to feel it most:
Big Thompson (downtown): louder, faster than last week
Fall River corridor: tighter channels, more force
Alluvial Fan: fully active, worth stopping again
Do this: Stop for a minute.
You don’t even need to look.
Just listen.
🧩 Trail Notes Riddle of the Week
Q: I grow louder as I disappear.
What am I?
(Scroll to the bottom for the answer 👇)
🐾 2. Wildlife Is More Visible Now
The transition is happening fast at lower elevations.
And wildlife is responding.
Right now:
Elk are spending more time in open meadows
Deer are active earlier and staying out longer
Bird activity is noticeably louder day to day
This week feels different.
Less searching.
More spotting.
Keep your head up—you’ll see it.
🌤 3. Afternoon Still Wins — Even More This Week
If last week proved it…
This week confirms it.
Afternoons are the move.
Why it’s even better now:
Trails are drying faster
Ice is breaking up earlier in the day
Wildlife movement is more consistent
Light is stretching longer into the evening
Best window: 👉 2 PM → sunset
Give the day time.
Then go.
A Teaspoon On An Empty Stomach May Remove 12Lbs Of Fat Per Week
Taken on an empty stomach, this small teaspoon habit is getting attention for how it may influence appetite signals before the first meal of the day. The idea is simple: trigger fullness sooner, reduce cravings later, and help the body use stored fat for energy instead of storing more around the waist.
🥾 4. Trail Conditions: Real Progress
This is where you’ll notice the biggest change from last week.
Things are opening up.
Right now:
Gem Lake Trail: very solid option now
Kruger Rock: improving, still muddy in spots
Homestead Meadows: mostly dry and reliable
Lower elevations are becoming dependable.
Higher elevations?
Still holding onto winter.
Bottom line: You’ve got more options this week—but stay aware.
🪑 5. Doing Nothing Still Wins
This might be the most underrated “activity” in Estes Park.
This hasn’t changed.
If anything—it matters more now.
Because the pace is starting to pick up.
Sit by the river.
Watch the water.
Stay longer than you planned.
Best spots:
Riverwalk benches
Lake Estes marina
Stanley Park open areas
This window is still here.
But it’s starting to close.
💡 Trail Notes Pro Tip of the Week
Watch the Transition Under Your Feet
This is the trickiest time of year for footing.
Because everything looks better…
…but isn’t always stable yet.
Dry sections turn muddy fast
Snow hides under soft ground
Meltwater shifts trails daily
Take an extra second.
Look down.
Choose your steps.
This week rewards awareness.
📸 Featured Photo of the Week
Spring Shift at Bear Lake – Captured by Bill Leidunguth
📍 Location: Bear Lake, Rocky Mountain National Park
🌤 Conditions: Early spring transition, calm water, soft light
📷 Photographer: Bill Leidunguth
This peaceful scene from Bear Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park feels like a moment right on the edge of the seasons. (insert image)
The water rests calmly beneath the peaks.
Pine trees frame the shoreline, steady and unchanged.
And above it all, the mountains rise sharply against a brightening sky.
There’s still a hint of winter here.
But something softer is starting to move through the scene.
The light feels warmer.
The air just a little lighter.
And the stillness—not as heavy as it once was.
It’s not a dramatic change.
But it’s enough to notice.
The kind of shift that doesn’t demand attention—
but rewards you if you slow down and take it in.
Moments like this remind us that spring in the Rockies doesn’t arrive all at once.
It shows up quietly… one layer at a time.
Thank you, Bill, for capturing this quiet moment of the season beginning to turn.
📩 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
Spring keeps moving.
And the sound moves with it.
More flow.
More energy.
More momentum.
Appreciate you being part of it.
📸 Want to Be Featured in Trail Notes?
Have you noticed the shift?
This is the week to capture it.
🌊 Stronger water
🌿 First real green
🦌 Wildlife in the open
🌤 Longer light
📬 Submit your photo: Estes Park Resort Guide – Photo & Video Submission Form
📅 Deadline: Friday, April 24 at 5 PM MT
Selected photos may be featured in Trail Notes and Estes Park Resort Guide — with credit.
Tell us the story behind it. That’s what people remember.
📣 Shine This April
Things are building now.
Traffic. Attention. Movement.
This is the time to get in front of it.
🏪 Local businesses
🎨 Artists & makers
🛍 Shops preparing for summer
📅 Events people should plan for now
Let’s make sure people find you early.
Right Before It Speeds Up
You can feel it now.
That moment right before everything picks up.
The town is waking up.
The trails are opening.
The season is starting to move.
Not rushed.
Not crowded.
Just building.
This is the edge of it.
And if you’re here right now—
you’re catching something most people miss.
✅ Riddle Answer:
A: Snowmelt