Nestled in the pines on the banks of the Fall River, the Ponderosa Lodge is a place set apart. You feel it as soon as you turn down the drive, a one-lane road that winds through the pines and along the river. There is no hustle and bustle at the Ponderosa, just quiet relaxation with the river always murmuring at your doorstep. At night colored lights, a longstanding tradition at the lodge, transform the property into an enchanting home away from home. Cupped between rocky Castle Mountain and pine-covered Deer Mountain, the lodge also is host to deer, elk, raccoons, ground squirrels and a variety of mountain birds who visit daily to feed and to delight our guests. Occasionally coyotes and black bears wander across the property as well. A part of Estes Park since the mid-50's, the new Ponderosa Lodge was built in 1982 after the waters of the Lawn Lake flood completely destroyed the original buildings. Today the Ponderosa offers warm, individually decorated rooms, lots of summer flowers, and the cooling breezes of the Ponderosa pines for which the lodge is named. A riverside picnic area and a patio with gas and charcoal grills allow you to enjoy the outdoors at mealtime.