The Estes Park Riverwalk
The Estes Park Riverwalk is another gem of a walk that you shouldn’t miss! Before this summer we had never walked from the Visitor’s Center up the Riverwalk to Performance Park. We had walked little parts of it and gone to different shops or restaurants, but we never knew the full magnitude of what it has to offer.
As you leave the Visitor’s Center on Highway 34 to walk into town, there is a very interesting tunnel that you have to walk through to get under Highway 36. As you approach this tunnel, you can see that it is made up of hundreds of brightly colored, hand-painted tiles all made into a mural. The title of this display of artwork is called “Community Unity” and was put up in 2005-2006. Each of these tiles was painted by community members of Estes Park 9individuals and students from eagle Rock School) with assistance from many PeaceJam students. (PeaceJam is a foundation dedicated to creating a new generation of young leaders committed to positive change in themselves, their communities and the world through the inspiration of Nobel Peace Laureates). These individual tiles were made possible from generous contributions from local clubs and individuals who helped to sponsor the project. Their goal is to connect people from different generations and diverse walks of life through art and also to beautify a public space with art as the individuals get to know each other. It is really impressive!
The Riverwalk meanders along the Big Thompson River. Occasionally you can see river kayakers practicing their strokes in the “hole” nearby. That is fun to watch! There is a small green by Kind Coffee where people can sit outside and enjoy the day. As you walk along the Big Thompson, the river is usually raging. It is amazing how much water goes through there from the mountains. You pass many little shops and restaurants where some have outdoor seating.
On the other side of the river, there is a beautiful, pristine hillside. This land, along with many others, is preserved by a permanent conservation easement which protects it as open space. These parcels of land, which total over 7,000, are conserved through the efforts of the non-profit Estes Valley Trust Fund. Wildlife and wildflowers are abundant.
Barlow Plaza sits between Poppy’s Pizza and Grill and Mama Rose’s Restaurant. Many nights you can hear live entertainment from the riverbanks as you eat a leisure dinner or just sit by the river to enjoy the evening. Down the way a bit (just past Casa Grande Restaurant) is a great place for kids to play and for parents to relax! There is a playground that is usually teeming with kids. Dairy Queen is close by for the last minute ice cream lovers. Many picnic tables are available nearby if you choose to have a picnic lunch or dinner. There are even public restrooms for those in need!
From there you have to cross East Riverside Drive. You can see where the Big Thompson River meets Fall River and flows into one. It is fun to stop and watch the river charge by. On the crest of the hill at River Plaza is a bronze Cougar which the kids love to see. This area, by the river, is also used for live entertainment in the summer months during the afternoon or evening. You can walk across the rock bridge; see a pretty man-made waterfall outside of the Wheel Bar and along the river up to the Park Theater Mall. The Riverwalk passes through the mall, by a Native American shop, Kelli-Nicole’s clothes shop, Colorado Hats and up to DeLeo’s Sandwich shop. If you’re hungry, it’s a good place to stop for big Reuboni! Or you can take a movie in at the Historic Park Theatre, which is the oldest continuously showing theater west of the Mississippi! The seats in there are really cool!
Again you cross the street at the pedestrian crosswalk at Moraine Ave. (Highway 36) and proceed along the river on Weist Drive, past the Chocolate Factory (which still sells ice cream!), Plum Creek Shoe Station, Chicago’s Best Pizza, Bob and Tony’s Pizza and the Grubsteak. There certainly is a lot to choose from! In the past year, this entire part of the Riverwalk has been renovated. It is very pretty, with seats along the way for you to sit and relax. As you near West Elkhorn Ave., you pass by some new shops that are fun to look into. Indigo’s clothing store moved from the other side of town and Un!nk is a new Graphics Shop who donated the new Enjoy Estes Park Decals. If you’re really tired, you can stop at the River Pointe Spa for a nice massage.
At West Elkhorn Ave., you can see the lines waiting outside of Penelope’s for their “World Famous” burgers. The old Water Wheel on the river still cranks through the water as people stop to watch. Again, there are public restrooms for those in need. From here you can proceed along Fall River up to Performance Park and enjoy one of their weekly Wednesday or Thursday night concerts. They are awesome and usually packed, so get there early and bring a chair!
No matter what time of day or what season of the year, the Riverwalk is always a great place to walk…just to be alongside the beautiful river, listening to it and enjoying mountain life. It doesn’t get much better!
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