Activities
In the Area
Introduction
We do not have televisions, radios
or phones in our guest cabins. The reason is the same reason so many people
travel every summer to this spectacular landscape. After one brief glance
from the Grand Lake Lodge's front porch, you too will understand the draw
of our pristine mountain lakes, soaring peaks, or in the words of the late
John Denver, for the "Rocky Mountain Highs."
Activities Available On The Lodge Property
Despite the enormous landscape that will easily pull you away from the property, the Grand Lake Lodge is a full-service resort with plenty of offerings pass your time with.
Outdoors
- Heated Pool for those cool
days.
- Soothing Hot Tub.
- Horseback rides available right from property. One and two hour rides available. A one hour ride will take you around the back of our property while a two hour ride will let you explore the National Park. All rides are led by experienced wranglers. Longer rides are available in town from Sombrero Stables (see below).
- Volleyball court for those who miss the beach.
- Basketball court.
- Horseshoes
- Enjoy the view from one of our lookout decks and enjoy a local micro-brew.
- For overnight guests, a playground behind the main Lodge is available.
- And a picnic area with charcoal
grills for Lodge guests who want to cook their afternoon's catch.
Inside
the Lodge
- Cozy up by our famous circular fireplace.
- Enjoy a drink on the front porch in one of our historic rocking chairs.
- Musical entertainment is offered
nearly every night of the season in the bar.
- Shopping is plentiful in the Lodge Gift Shop, showcasing Colorado and Western crafts.
- Down the Lodge front steps, you'll find the recreation room with board and video games, ping pong, and a pool table. (And laundry facilities if that is your notion of fun or just plain necessary!)
Off
The Property And In the Mountains
Rocky
Mountain National Park
Take no more than a few steps
from the front porch of your guest cabin to enjoy the intense beauty of
the Rocky Mountain National
Park (link opens official site in new window). We are bordered
on three sides by one of the nation's oldest national parks. Activities
in the park include hiking, horseback riding, fishing, wildlife viewing,
photography and anything else that involves mountains, tundra, trees or
streams. Try taking a drive over Trail Ridge Road, the nation's highest
continuous paved highway. Go in the early morning or around dusk when the
greatest amount of wildlife is visible. Check out the Kawuneeche Visitor's
Center for an introduction to the park and surrounding wildlife.
For more information on the Park visit the links on our Related
Sites page.
Mountain Golf
The nearby Grand Lake Golf
Course is surrounded by Arapaho National Forest land and sits at an altitude
of 8,420 feet. The Never Summer Range provides the backdrop for this scenic
18 hole championship golf course. To make your mountain golfing holiday
go smoothly, overnight guests of the Lodge can make advance reservations
for the Grand Lake Golf Course through our reservation staff (more than
their standard 48 hours prior to play). About 30 minutes down the road
from Grand Lake, is the award winning Pole Creek Golf Course. In 1984 Golf
Digest named it the "Best New Public Course of the Year." Since then the
magazine has twice named it the "Best Public Golf Course in Colorado."
Hiking and Camping
With
hundreds of miles of trails in the National Park and the plenty of trails
in the adjacent National Forest, Grand Lake is the hiker's paradise. From
the steps of your guest cabin, numerous hikes into the National Park are
accessible to you. Some of the more popular hikes include Cascade Falls,
Big Meadows, Granite Falls. Hiking to the top of Shadow Mountain is summer
ritual for many guests to the area. From the top of this steady climb,
the commanding view of the lakes region and the towering mountains of the
National Park is something you'll savor. If you need suggestions for a
good hike try ask any Grand Lake Lodge staff member about their favorite
hike in the area.
Camping is also abundant
in the National Park and National Forests. Designated spots are available
along Park trails and they also offer a couple of drive-in camping grounds.
Many people also choose to camp in the Arapaho National Forest.
Mountain Biking
Some people come to hike,
some to relax, some to enjoy the wildlife and scenery. Others come for
the fast-paced sport of mountain biking. Grand County offers some of the
best trails in the state. The Arapaho National Forest is the place to ride,
with miles and miles of trails that will take you to the top of Blue Ridge,
among other places. The trails around the towns of Fraser and Winter Park
offer championship level trails and some of the greatest single-track in
the nation. For a more "relaxed" ride, you can ride the chair lift up at
Winter Park Ski resort and coast down to the bottom. For those that enjoy
the challenges of the asphalt, a favorite trip is up and over Trail Ridge
Road. No doubt you will see a few of them as you drive through the Park.
Horseback
Riding
For horse lovers, rides can
be taken directly from the Lodge stables. These rides last either one or
two hours and will take you into the National Park for some scenic views.
These rides can be booked through the Front Desk during our summer season.
Sombrero Stables in Grand Lake offers longer rides that include either
breakfast or dinner. A horse ride is a fantastic way to enjoy the scenery
of the area while enjoying a favorite pastime of the West.
White Water Rafting
This mountain sport continues
to attract young and old. Trips can be booked from the Lodge Front Desk
during our summer season for half and full days on the wild Clear Creek
River, the classic rapids of the Arkansas or the milder Colorado River.
The Colorado is the closest river rafting access to the Lodge, about an
hour away. Rafting trips can be ideal for family reunions and group get-togethers
since they involve everybody. No special skills are needed for the
gentle rides on the Colorado River and children from ages 4 and up can
join in. Rafting is always a blast but prepare to get wet (bring shoes
that won't get ruined by the water, as they are required by the raft company)
and beware of the water fight ambush!
Boating
If you came looking for water,
Grand Lake is the place. The two reservoirs (Shadow Mountain and Granby)
and Colorado's largest natural lake (Grand Lake) are the attraction for
many people. Boater's Choice Marina in town can outfit your group with
pontoons, kayaks, canoes or paddle boats.
Fishing
Anglers
of all types and all skill levels have plenty to choose from in the Grand
Lake area. Five species of trout provide the bulk of fishing available: the
native cutthroat, rainbows, browns, brooks and lake trout. Fly-fishing is
at its best on the Colorado and its tributaries. Grand Lake and its sister
reservoirs, Granby and Shadow Mountain, are popular for Mackinaws and Kokanee
Salmon. A Colorado State license is required for anyone over 16 and can be
picked up at most marina's or tackle shops. While you're at it, be sure to
pick up a copy of the Colorado Fishing Brochure that contains regulations
and information on the area.
After
a busy day exploring the mountains and lakes of the area, stop into Grand
Lake for a taste of what a small mountain town has to offer. While full-blown
18 hole golf is fun for the parents, the miniature golf courses in town rival
the big ones in ambition. Bowling and tennis are available to keep your stroke
practiced while on vacation. If you're escaping the big city but longing for
a bit of culture, the Rocky Mountain Repertory Theatre puts on four or five
different productions each summer. There are plenty of restaurants in town
to satisfy your appetite. World fares range in town from Swiss to American
to Mexican. A big appetite is what you need if you plan to dance the night
away in one of the mountain saloons that offer nightly entertainment in the
summer.
Camps for Children - Grand Lake Metropolitan Recreation District (GLMRD)
| High Mountain Adventure | Day Camp (Monday - Thursday) (970-627-8328) |
| High Mountain Adventure |
Early Education. For toddlers and preschool. (Monday - Friday) (970-627-8328) |
Phone
Numbers
(links open
in new window)
| Horseback Riding (available on property and off) - Sombrero Ranch | 970-627-3514 |
| **Pontoons, Canoes, Outboards - Boater's Choice | 970-627-9273 |
| **Four-Wheel Vehicles - ATV RENTALS - Spirit Lake Rentals | 1-800-894-3336 (or) 970-627-9288 |
| **Mountain Biking - Rocky Mountain Sports | 970-627-8124 |
| **Hot Air Balloon Tours - Grand Adventures | 970-887-1340 (or) 888-887-1340 |
| Rafting - Adventures in Whitewater | 1-877-321-RAFT |
| Rocky Mountain National Park Programs | 970-627-3471 |
| Rocky Mountain Repertory Theatre | 970-627-3421 |
| Grand Lake Chamber of Commerce | 970-627-3402 (or) 800-531-1019 |
| Grand Lake Golf Course
|
970-627-3967 (Grand Lake Lodge Number) |
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