Know Before You Go – Estes Park

Free Ride

The town has a free seasonal transit system which serves more than 50 stops. All town trolleys have a wheelchair lift and bike racks.

The town’s charming (and fully-electric!) trolley picks up right at the visitor center every 20-30 minutes from 7:30am to 9:30pm daily, May 24-Oct. 20, 2024.

Daily trolley service on the Red Route (which travels up and down Elkhorn Dr.) runs 7:30am-9:30pm daily May 24-Oct. 20 with full service on all other routes beginning July 1. Please note that all routes are subject to service changes and updates.

Visit Estes.org/Transit for the latest information on the town’s free seasonal transit service

How to Pay for Parking

From May 24 to Oct. 20, 2024, parking in eight downtown public parking areas requires payment. The cost is $2 per hour between the hours of 10am and 5pm daily.

Payment can be made via kiosk (located in the paid parking areas). The kiosks take both cash and credit cards. You will be asked to type in your license plate at the kiosk. There is no ticket to display on your dash.

You can also pay via the ParkMobile app (available for Apple and Android devices).

You may also use the text to park option by texting the word “Park” to 77223.

To use the mobile option, set up a free account before you arrive. When you park, find the sign with your “zone number,” select the amount of time you want to park, and check out.

You have the option with both the kiosk and app to get a text message when your time is about to run out. The app is handy and is also used in other towns and states.

Parking Around Town

Traffic can get very congested in our small town during high season (late spring, summer, and fall), so here’s what you need to know to park like a pro. 

The town has a variety of parking options to meet your needs: free, paid, electric vehicle, recreational vehicle, motorcycle, and ADA accessible. 

A free parking structure is located near the intersection of US Hwy 36 and US Hwy 34, across the river from the Estes Park Visitor Center, only a few blocks from downtown via the Riverwalk. 

To park right in the core of downtown, the town offers both paid parking and free options. From May 24 to Oct. 20, parking is $2 per hour between 10am-5pm daily in paid lots.

Those with valid ADA credentials always park free in any space. The library, post office, and Town Hall have free, time-limited spaces.

Near real-time occupancy information can be found by visiting Estes.mpark.io from any device.

For information on all of the town’s parking options visit Estes.org/Parking.

No Ride Share

Estes Park does not have ride shares like Uber or Lyft, however there are a few other choices for those who would like someone else to do the driving.

Road Construction

Major road improvements in Estes Park will improve safety, infrastructure, and aid traffic patterns.

• Downtown Estes Loop is part of a Federal Lands Access Program. 
  Improvements consist of a 1.1-mile loop of Elkhorn Avenue, Moraine Avenue, and Riverside Drive. The goal is to reduce the impacts of summer traffic, replace aging infrastructure, and improve safety. Traffic impacts will vary based on the time of year, with fewer impacts during the summer. The project should be complete in 2024. For details, visit DowntownEstesLoop.com.
• Crews will be resurfacing four miles of roadway and providing other safety improvements along US Hwy 34 and US Hwy 36 near the visitor center.
  The anticipated completion date of the project is fall 2024. CoDot.gov/Projects/us34us36resurfacing.
   

Estes Park Visitor Center

The knowledgeable team at the visitor center can help answer your questions. 

The visitor center is open Mon-Sat, 9am-5pm and Sun, 10am-4pm and located just east of the intersection of US Hwys 34 and 36. 970-577-9900 or 800-44-ESTES or [email protected]. 

Free parking is available in the lot at the visitor center or the parking garage. There are also restrooms, water fountains, and souvenirs. 

There are a few picnic tables near the river, perfect for a nice stop.

Free Outdoor WiFi

Access the free “Library WiFi” network, 24/7, from the downtown municipal parking lots surrounding the Estes Valley Library, east of Bond Park. Relax and connect inside your vehicle, or enjoy outdoor seating. 

Free charging outlets span the library’s front entrance, and the northwest corner’s WiFi Garden. No password is required, and there is no time limit.  

The town’s free “Wapiti WiFi” network spans the majority of the downtown area. WiFi calling is a great alternative when the mobile networks are near capacity. No password is required.

EV charging stations

The Town of Estes Park offers both Level II and Level III DC fast-charging stations for public use, open on a first-come, first-served basis. EV parking spaces are subject to the posted time limits.

The stations are owned and operated by ChargePoint, the Level 2 units are free (but time restricted to 4 hours while actively charging) and the Level 3 units have a fee of $0.25 per kilowatt and $0.20 per minute. Install the ChargePoint application and register for a free account with them.

Locations are:

• On the east side of the free parking structure (Level 2).
• On the north side of the Town Hall parking lot, 335 E. Elkhorn Ave. (Level 2)
• Estes Park Visitor Center, 500 Big Thompson Ave. (Level 3)
• There are Tesla fast charging stations at The Stanley, Sweet Basilico, and at National Park Village.
   

Note: There are no charging stations within Rocky Mountain National Park so be fully charged before heading into the park.

Public Restrooms

There are public restrooms at the Estes Park Visitor Center, in Town Hall (across from Bond Park), in Riverside Park (near the playground), in Performance Park, near the waterwheel (by Spruce Drive), and in the parking lot near Full Throttle Distillery.

Buy It Where You Burn It

Where you get your firewood can have long-term effects on the area. Wood from different areas can have invasive species in it. These species, whether it’s an insect or a disease in the tree, can then be spread to this area.

Buy and burn firewood locally. Do your best to buy only what you’ll need for your stay, and burn it all before you depart.

Firewood is available at convenience stores in Estes Park or at your campground.

Note: Vacation rentals do not allow outdoor fires (fire pits, campfires, etc.). Some offer gas grills for cooking. Check with your rental property for their options.

Go “All In” For Fire Safety

Wildfire is a very real risk every day in our community. Our entire town was evacuated in 2020 from the second largest wildfire in Colorado history, making it clear that wildfire prevention and preparedness is everyone’s responsibility.

We’re all in this together, and visitors, residents, and business owners all play a vital role in keeping the Estes Valley safe from fire.

Visitors can go “All In” for fire safety by complying with fire restrictions and burn bans, only lighting campfires when permitted (in designated fire rings), and only using gas fire appliances in any short-term rental or lodging.

Visitors can also contribute to our community’s fire safety by refraining from smoking, discarding smoking materials in designated safe containers, and following all operating instructions when using indoor wood-burning fireplaces.

Everyone spending time in the Estes Valley should know at least two routes out of town, as evacuations are just one of many tools the Estes Valley Fire District and their agency partners may use to keep everyone safe from wildfires, floods, or other natural hazards.

Visitors are also strongly encouraged to sign up for emergency alerts on a two-week visitor pass by texting GO EPALERTS to 888-777.

Drown Out Campfires!

Knowing how to build and start a campfire is important. What’s more impressive is knowing how to put a campfire out correctly so it’s really out. Drown it with water until it’s soup. Even more important—recognize when not to start a campfire at all. Illegal or unattended campfires are often the cause of wildfires.

In the U.S., nearly 9 out of 10 wildfires are human-caused and can be avoided. Don’t be the one to cause a fire.  

Did You Know?

Your parking fees may be expended only on the administration, operation, and enhancement of parking management and complementary transit and alternative transportation services?  This means your parking fee helps fund the shuttle system and future parking area construction.

Get Alerts!

Emergencies happen, even when you’re on vacation. Visitors to Estes Park can stay informed of the local situation (fires, floods, road closures) by texting GO EPALERTS to 888-777. 

Your cell phone number will automatically be added to the database that will be used if the Estes Park Emergency Communications Center sends out emergency mass notifications during the following two-week period. The alert expires after two weeks. We encourage you to be in the know.

Did You Know?

The East Troublesome Fire started on the west side of the Continental Divide near the Town of Kremmling on October 14, 2020. 

The fire at one point moved at a rate of 6,000 acres (or 9.375 square miles) per hour.

The fire then jumped the Continental Divide, being one of only three fires in history to ever do so, and threatened the entire town of Estes Park.

More than 400 homes and 193,892 acres were destroyed making it the second largest fire in Colorado history.

The fire was human-caused.