46% off (Sale price $39.81, Reg. Price $74.94) :: Hotel at a Glance: The Historic Crags LodgeIn 1914, University of Colorado football coach Enoch Josiah “Joe” Mills and his wife built a large wooden lodge on Prospect Mountain in the Colorado Rockies. Named Crags Lodge for the mountains surrounding it, the inn counts poet Robert Frost among the guests who’ve stayed here during its century in operation. Great views of the Rockies: The property occupies a scenic spot just minutes from Rocky Mountain National Park. Within walking distance: the shops and restaurants of downtown Estes Park. Snuggle up by the fireplace in the lodge’s main living room, which still has its original furniture. Kitchenettes in all accommodations are equipped with stove-top burners and mini refrigerators. On-site restaurant: The View serves up a seasonal menu of refined Western cuisine, with dishes of braised lamb and filet mignon. See the full menu here.Estes Park, Colorado: Gateway to Rocky Mountain National ParkEstes Park is a small town known as the eastern gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park. Dowtown along Elkhorn Avenue, the main drag, there are the usual souvenir, taffy, and ice-cream shops—but also local breweries and independent restaurants. The resort town also has a popular outdoor ice rink, open on weekends in the winter.Each year, more than three million people head into Rocky Mountain National Park to access 300 miles of hiking trails and admire stunning mountain vistas. The park’s most popular hike is the half-mile loop around the flat terrain of Bear Lake, but the crowd thins out somewhat at Nymph, Dream, and Emerald Lakes. Weather permitting, visitors take the region’s spectacular scenic drives. Trail Ridge Road bisects the park east to west, bringing travelers up to a maximum elevation of 12,000 feet above the tree line. Another option is the Peak to Peak Scenic Byway. It wends past the Continental Divide, offering views of Longs Peak—the park’s highest summit, at 14,259 feet.
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