People ask us everyday what our favorite Estes Park activity is and what to do to fill their vacation. One of our favorite lesser-known activities is riding E-Bikes around Lake Estes in the Elk Rut season. When you take a bike around the Lake there are many great areas for scenery, like seeing The Stanley Hotel, the Historic Estes Tramway, Long Peak, Fish Creek and many more. On top of those great views, you can see people fly fishing, picnicking, running, biking, and boating. Lake Estes is a mecca of outdoorsy enjoyment and casual hang-out spots that it’s one of our absolute favorite spots in town.
While Lake Estes is amazing, looking for the Elk during the “rut” is a top tier activity. The elk rut runs from September-late October and is the breeding season where the males gather their harems and start parading their clean and polished rack. During this time they love being at the lake, where they can take a dip, have a drink, and enjoy the greenery in the area. The Elk are super fun to watch from a safe distance and you can hear the females chirp, the babies play, the males bugling and so much more. When people come to Estes there are signs over town saying “do not approach” “stay at a distance” and more- which are valid and true warnings you should heed. The elk are an integral part of Estes Park where we can never quite get used to hearing the bugles, the traffic jams when they cross the road and much more. The beauty of the area never ceases to impress us all.
When looking at local activities, renting an E-bike is a super fun adventure where you can experience a different side of Estes Park at your own pace. With an E-bike you can also bring your children, bring a large group of friends, enjoy the scenery and much more. We love being local to Estes Park and seeing the beauty of Lake Estes any time of year, but the best is the Elk Rut and autumn while the weather is a bit colder and the town is changing colors and seasons.