Estes Park From Park Hill

When Joel Estes and his son Milton left for a hunting trip one October 1859, they encountered a site that they did not expect.

After a full day's ride they came over what seemed to be a small bluff and were greeted by a scene similar to this first photo.

 

The original photo was taken by Louis McClure in 1900. A road is visible to the lower right which was part of the original entrance to

Estes Park via the Lyons-Estes Park route, which is now known as Highway 36. This old road of course is no longer used but is still visible

in the modern photo, which was taken in early 2003. But of course the valley is a lot more populated than it was in 1900, showing now

the many buildings that occupy the base of the valley.

(Place mouse over the picture to freeze the current view)