Photogenic Places in Estes Park

5 places · Ranked by scenic score

Clear alpine water fills the foreground, with a pale driftwood log along the shore and submerged rocks visible through the shallows. Across the lake, a dense band of evergreen trees rises to steep gray peaks under a bright blue sky with a few small clouds.

Estes Park, CO

Bear Lake

A high-elevation lake at 9,450 feet surrounded by Hallett Peak and Continental Divide peaks. The lake's calm morning waters create near-perfect reflections of the surrounding mountains. It is one of the most accessible alpine lakes in Rocky Mountain National Park.

golden hoursummer · fall

Calm Sprague Lake fills the foreground with sparkling blue water under a clear sky, with a band of dark evergreens and rolling shoreline behind it. Snow-patched peaks of the Continental Divide rise across the background in crisp mountain light.

Photogenic

Estes Park, CO

Sprague Lake

A small, accessible lake at 8,710 feet with a half-mile paved loop trail. The lake provides reliable reflections of the Continental Divide including Hallett Peak and Flattop Mountain. The site is wheelchair accessible and located along a short spur road from Bear Lake Road.

golden hoursummer · fall

Long-exposure view of Alberta Falls spilling through a narrow granite gorge, with silky white water flowing around mossy boulders and across the foreground stream. Spruce and fir trees frame the falls, while a few yellowing leaves hint at early fall in the subalpine forest.

Photogenic

Estes Park, CO

Alberta Falls

A 30-foot cascade on Glacier Creek located 0.8 miles from the Glacier Gorge Trailhead at 9,400 feet elevation. The waterfall flows through a narrow granite gorge and is most powerful during spring snowmelt in late May and June. Surrounding subalpine forest frames the falls with spruce and fir trees.

morningspring · summer

Golden-hour light glows over Lily Lake as rippled water fills the foreground, with a small pine, granite boulders, and yellow autumn shrubs along the shore. Mount Meeker and Longs Peak rise in hazy silhouette beyond the lake, with the sun low near the horizon at left.

Photogenic

Estes Park, CO

Lily Lake

A small roadside lake along Highway 7 at 8,927 feet with a 0.8-mile paved loop trail. The lake offers reflections of Longs Peak and Mount Meeker from its southeast shore. Lily pads cover portions of the lake surface in summer, adding foreground interest to photographs.

golden hoursummer · fall

Sunlit West Elkhorn Avenue in downtown Estes Park is lined with colorful storefronts, white-trimmed buildings, and bright fall trees with yellow and red leaves. Pedestrians walk along the sidewalk under a clear blue sky, with a parking sign and crossing sign adding to the small-town street scene.

Photogenic

Estes Park, CO

Estes Park Elkhorn Avenue and Downtown

The downtown area of Estes Park sits at 7,522 feet with the Big Thompson River flowing through the center of town. Elk routinely walk through the commercial district, particularly during the fall rut. The Stanley Hotel, perched on a hill above downtown, provides a distinctive architectural subject with mountain backdrops.

golden hourfall · summer