Usually you don’t put “light” and “buffet” in the same sentence, but that is what you get at the Baldpate Inn on Fish Creek Road south of Estes Park.
The Baldpate is a historic B&B/restaurant that sits about 9000 feet up the side of Twin Sisters Mountain. The inn was named after the mystery novel “Seven Keys to Baldpate,” in which each of seven visitors thinks he or she has the only key to the inn. I haven’t read that book, but apparently, down through the years, a tradition has developed where visitors will bring a key when they stay at the Baldpate. As a result, the inn now boasts a collection of over 20,000 keys, which they keep on display in, where else, the Key Room.
They are also known locally for their soup and salad buffet. The salad bar is actually an old bathtub.
Soup and salad doesn’t sound like a lot of food, especially at $16.50 a head, but between the choice of two hearty soups (we had chicken noodle and an EXCELLENT buffalo stew), fresh desserts and LOTS of homemade bread, you’ll get plenty.
When you’re finished eating, take your time to stroll around the grounds or lounge on the porch. If you go over by the hummingbird feeders, you’ll be treated to one of my favorite sounds in Colorado (second only to waterfalls). Where I come from, hummingbirds buzz like giant bugs and make me nervous. Here in Colorado, they whistle. Give a listen to this:
That’s the sound I woke up to every morning on the deck of our cabin on the Big Thompson River.
Need a warmup for the mountain hiking you’re going to do later? How about a little street hiking in downtown Estes Park? Many of the shops along the south side of Elkhorn Ave. are also accessible from the rear along the Riverwalk, which is essentially one long park stretching about a half mile from the Visitor’s Center to George Hix Riverside Plaza, where the Fall River meets the Big Thompson.
If you like ice cream, there’s somewhere to get it roughly every 200 yards in any direction in Estes Park. Another fun place for refreshment is Rocket Fizz, a shop that specializes in unusual and retro sodas. Grab one out of the cooler and enjoy it at a table out back along the riverfront.
If you find yourself still puttering around downtown when dinnertime rolls around, check out the Grubsteak.
This pub is known for burgers, some of which trend to the unusual side. Elk burgers aren’t that weird, considering you are in the Rockies, which are teeming with elk. But have you ever tried a yak burger? If not, you need to. A slightly milder flavor than beef, but SO juicy!
If you’re wanting to get away from the tourist-packed downtown area, another place I recommend is Sweet Basilico for Italian.
Or if you’re in the mood for some BBQ, try Smokin Dave’s.
They have two locations. We ate at the one on Estes Park Golf Course, which has an awesome view of Long’s Peak.
I also recommend the roasted chicken, pulled pork and green beans at Smokin Dave’s. So go getcha some, and then come back for Parts 4 and 5, where we’ll talk about some day trips.