Editor’s note: This is part of The Know’s series, Staff Favorites. Each week, we give our opinions on the best that Colorado has to offer for dining, shopping, entertainment, outdoor activities and more. (We’ll also let you in on some hidden gems.)
A couple of previous experiences in the mountains have shaped my comfort level camping and lodging in Colorado.
On one hand, I had no issue sleeping in the back of my camper truck — when it still worked. (Rear-wheel-drive vehicles and ice don’t mix very well.) On the other hand, one weekend without Wi-Fi at a resplendent lakeside cabin had me climbing up the logs trying to get in touch with civilization.
Earlier this year, I found my sweet spot at Castle Mountain Lodge, a roadside inn with cabins and hotel rooms in Estes Park on the way to Rocky Mountain National Park. The lodge had almost everything we needed for a calming weekend getaway, whether our plan was to venture into the park, stroll the town or lie low and let hours go by.
Our excursion ended up being more of the latter. My wife recommended Castle Mountain Lodge as a destination for our “babymoon,” a getaway before our child is born, and a sort of redemptive opportunity after our last trip to the “Cabin with No WiFi.”
The lodge began with a single dwelling, purchased by architect Igor Polevitsky in the early 1950s. More cabins — including the Little Pines studio with kitchenette and fireplace where we stayed — were built by the adjacent Fall River.
Castle Mountain Lodge is now owned by Chris Wood and Michael Hodges, who also own McGregor Mountain Lodge nearby, according to the website. It has 29 units, a playground, a hot tub room and picnic area, said Joel Tramel, the inn’s manager.
It has not changed much over the years, according to Tramel, who did single out the addition of the laundry services and hot tubs to some cabins. “It has always been a very family-focused collection of cabins.”
The lodge is on the doorstep of Rocky Mountain National Park, where many of the guests head for the day, he said. Others stay near the lodge, casting for fish stocked in the Fall River, watching for grazing elk or walking by not-so-wild turkeys that roam the grounds. Black bear sightings are possible, though we did not come across one.
Since we are expecting, we were not looking for excitement, so we splurged on a babymoon package that included a couples massage. Our room came ready with a vase of roses, a basket of treats, a box of chocolates and firewood dropped off by the front door. In the basket was also a gift certificate to Bird & Jim, an American restaurant in Estes Park, that did not go unused.
While that package is no longer available, there are others: The “Sweetheart” deal comes with roses and chocolates, a snack basket, a certificate to Bird & Jim and extra firewood. The “Spa and Pamper” package adds a one-hour couples massage performed on-site by professional massage therapists.
Truly, I would’ve been fine just enjoying the serenity of the outdoors out on the deck, or streaming a baseball game on the television, or reading from inside our warm room, as we did.
The lodge is open year-round. Rooms and cabins are still open despite the busy summer and fall season, Tramel said.
Many longtime guests are familiar with Wanda Bauder, who has worked there for about 20 years and now assists at the concierge desk. Tramel has an even longer history with Castle Mountain Lodge, having worked there while attending college in Kansas between 1989 and 1993. He is now two years in to what he considers his “third act” in life as lodge manager.
“I had been coming to Estes Park since I was a little kid and always loved it,” he said. “I worked summers in college here, made friends and kept coming back out year after year.”
I don’t have the same history with this area as Tramel does. I can definitely see myself coming back, though.
Castle Mountain Lodge is at 1850 Fall River Road, Estes Park. Check online at for bookings and availability.
