If you’ve tried accessing this web site in the last 24 hours, you are well aware that I am up to something at HomesInEstes.com. Big improvements are on the way that will make your home search experience much easier, more accurate, and enjoyable than what HomesInEstes.com was able to offer previously.

Saying Goodbye to the Old Design

When the original design for HomesInEstes.com was created a few years ago, much time and effort was put into giving the real estate consumer in Estes Park the most accurate information with a pleasing design. Unfortunately, the site was completely “home grown” and the technologies soon became obsolete in comparison with what is available today. In an effort to give my web site visitors the best possible experience when buying and selling real estate in Estes Park, it was time to take HomesInEstes.com to a higher level.

What is Next for HomesInEstes.com?

Obviously I am extremely excited to unveil what I have in store to serve the needs of buyers and sellers of real estate in Estes Park. Over the next couple of weeks, you will see many new features coming to this site. Features such as being able to set up saved searches with automatic email listings notification, detailed search parameters including map based or text based searches, and much, much more.

Feel free to comment on what you liked about the old site design as well as what you want to see as features in the future.

The annual Catch the Glow holiday parade is just around the corner! If you haven’t been to the annual parade downtown Estes Park, you are missing out on one of the greatest free events of the year in Estes Park.

This year, the parade will be the day after Thanksgiving, November 27th at 5:30 pm. Other holiday activities downtown will start at noon. Read more about it at the town of Estes Park event page or the Convention and Visitors Bureau Calander.

Inside Scoop

The Catch the Glow Parade is one of the most heavily attended downtown events of the year. Be sure to get downtown at least an hour before the parade if you hope to have a curb side spot right on Elkhorn.

Parking can be a big headache unless you have plenty of patience. Plan your parking spot for a quick and easy getaway using only right hand turns or you may be waiting for a while for traffic to clear. Park towards the direction you plan on leaving town.

Don’t forget to dress for the weather. It is always better to overdress than underdress when it comes to dressing warm. You can usually find someone handing out free hot chocolate near Bond Park. Expect a huge line at Starbucks and Kind Coffee so plan accordingly if you absolutely need your coffee.

Elk Fest is this weekend.
The aspen leaves are changing.
The weather has been amazing the last few days.
Sounds like a perfect time to head to Estes Park.

One of the biggest attractions in Estes Park is our elk. All year round, you can find elk roaming our streets, eating our flowers, and stopping traffic. Elk are easiest and the most fun to observe during their mating season which is also called “the rut.” During this time, bull elk gather large herds together and things can get real interesting if another bull elk tries to get too close.

Even though you have a pretty good chance of finding a herd of elk anywhere in Estes Park at any given time throughout the year, here are the best places to view the elk during their rut:

The Golf Courses

Estes Park has two golf courses. The 9 hole course can be found near the Information Center by the intersection of Hwy 34 and Hwy 36 right downtown. The best spots for viewing elk on the 18 hole course are found by heading south on Fish Creek Road from Hwy 36 on the east side of Lake Estes.

The North End

This area of Estes Park is known for wide open spaces, huge views of the continental divide, large homes with acreage (here is one example…and its for sale, too). From downtown, head north on Hwy 34 past the Stanley Hotel and Take a right on MacGregor Ave towards Glen Haven. Follow Devil’s Gulch Road to H Bar G Road to the Right and then follow Dry Gulch Road back to town on Dry gulch which connects back with Hwy 34.

Rocky Mountain National Park

Check out Moraine Park, Upper Beaver Meadows, or Horseshoe Park for wide open meadows that usually have elk dotting the landscape. you’ll need to pay the park entrance fee of $20 per car load. The best way to figure out where the elk are inside the national park is to ask the ranger at the front entry gate. From Estes Park, head west on either Fall River Road or on Moraine Ave until you get to the National Park.

If you get tired of watching the elk, head downtown to Bond Park to catch all of the events and activities planned for the weekend. Here is a list of all Elk Fest Scheduled Events.

The Estes Park Duck Race was another huge success today. Thousands of Ducks floated down the river toward the finish line with people congregating on the riverbanks to watch them go by. The Duck Race is one of my favorite events in the spring time in Estes Park.

You can find more information about the Estes Park Duck Race on my recent blog post announcing the event.

If you bought a duck and are looking to see if you won a prize, you can head over to the Estes Park Rotary’s Duck Race page where they will be posting the winners soon.

The Estes Park Duck Race is coming up this Saturday, May 2nd, 2009! Every year, the duck race raises money for local charities. This year, 66 local charities will benefit from the proceeds. Over $6,000 worth of prizes will be given away this year including 2 huge flat screen TV’s, a HP Laptop, and a whole lot more.

The festivities start at Nicky’s Resort at 11:00 with the ducks dropping at 1:00. The rest of the afternoon, the ducks meander through town to the finish line in Riverside Plaza.

The event is very exciting and tends to bring out the locals and tourists alike. Riverside Plaza buzzes with activity all afternoon. In the past, there has been live music, face painters, and clowns making animals out of balloons.

Don’t forget to buy a duck and support our local Non-Profit Organiziations!

Every thursday in March starting tomorrow March, 5th, 2009, twenty-three local Estes Park restaurants are teaming up to offer an incredible deal. Show up between 4:30 and 7 any Thursday in March at any of the restaurants and be treated to a small 5-6″ plate of specialty foods and a small glass of wine, beer, or soft drink all for only $3 per person. What a great chance to sample the cuisine of Estes Park!

Restaurants participating include Poppy’s, Mama Rose’s (not first Thursday), Pura Vida, Casa Grande, Local’s, Cisco’s, Ed’s Cantina, Lonigan’s, The Wild Rose, Grumpy Gringo’s, Hunter’s Chophouse, Village Pizza, Estes Park Pie Shop and Bakery, Estes Park Brewery, Grandma’s Mountain Cookies, LongZ, The Grubsteak, The Chocolate Factory & Malt Shop – Downtown, Wine & Cheese, Big Horn Restaurant, Cascades at the Stanley Hotel, Smokin’ Dave’s BBQ and Wapiti.

Check out the map to each of the locations on EnjoyEstesPark.com.

There’s even a drawing set up for those who fill out a punch card with 6 or more restaurants during the month.

Maybe I’ll see you there!

Thanks to EnjoyEstesPark.com for the information and photo!

Merry Christmas and Seasons Greetings!

May your Holiday Season be filled with Joy as we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.

If you missed Friday Nights Halloween celebration downtown Estes Park, the Hazeltons of Estes Park News took a little video to show off what being downtown is really like on the night of Halloween. To get a good picture of how popular it is, look in the background at how many people are are milling about on the sidewalks.

For those of you who don’t know about Halloween in Estes Park, traditional door to door knocking is replaced with a town-wide celebration blocking off several blocks of the main shopping area downtown. Local businesses hand out candy and the community really gets into it. Check out the video and see for yourself!

There are many issues on the ballot that you need to voice your opinion about. Not only is the presidential race important, but there are plenty of local issues that will effect YOU. Don’t forget to let your opinion be heard!

On my way back to the office today, I saw this huge Bull Elk on the side of the road. Yes, this is a drive by shooting with my blackberry so I apologize that the quality of the photo is not that great.

If you know Estes Park, you know that this isn’t that rare of an occurance. I just thought this would provide perfect opportunity to tell you about Elk Fest this weekend. Check out all that Elk fest in Estes Park has to offer this weekend. Better yet, come to Estes Park this weekend to see them in action first hand!

Best Spots for Elk Viewing In Estes Park

1. Believe it or not, the golf courses usually are the best places around to find the elk milling about. Estes Park has two golf courses. The 9 hole course can be found near the Information Center by the intersection of Hwy 34 and Hwy 36 right downtown. The best spots for viewing elk on the 18 hole course are found by heading south on Fish Creek Road from Hwy 36 on the east side of Lake Estes.
2. The north end of Estes Park is known for wide open spaces, huge views of the continental divide, large homes with acreage (here is one example…and its for sale, too) and is also popular with the elk. From downtown, head north on Hwy 34 past the Stanley Hotel and Take a right on MacGregor Ave towards Glen Haven. Follow Devil’s Gulch Road to H Bar G Road to the Right and then follow Dry Gulch Road back to town on Dry gulch which connects back with Hwy 34.
3. Last, but not least is the National Park. Check out Moraine Park or Horseshoe Park for wide open meadows that usually have elk dotting the landscape. There is a fee for entering the national park. Be sure to ask the rangers at the entry gates where to find the elk. They are great resources for information.