After a stint as a high-altitude training camp for the military during World War II, the City and County of Denver leased the lodge to H.W. (Dawn Wilson/Estes Park Trail-Gazette)īuilt in 1926 by the City and County of Denver, the octagon-shaped lodge at 10,600 feet, provided accommodations to Denver Mountain Parks visitors. Echo Lake Lodge, built in 1926, will close at the end of the 2022 season as Denver officials determine the future of the property. Above the windows, more than a dozen hummingbird feeders attracted a plethora of birds to keep me entertained while savoring the tasty sweetness of the pie. I made frequent stops here after a morning of wildlife photography to enjoy a slice of apple, peach, blueberry or cherry pie, always picking a table along the east-facing windows. The first change is the closing of the historic Echo Lake Lodge below the peak of Mount Evans. Two things will happen in the next couple of years that will forever change my familiarity of this mountain. The closing of this year’s season brings a different feeling. The white-knuckle drive to the top of Mount Evans along the Mount Evans Scenic Byway ends at the 14,130-foot parking lot just below the summit where visitors have views of the Front Range lights to the east and a sea of peaks to the west. Considering the lateness of the season, it was odd to see so many bugs, but it was like they too knew the mountain top returned to them that evening. A flurry of moths filled the air in the enclosing darkness. This year was no different as I closed down the peak of the mountain watching a family of mountain goats as the sun set behind Mount Bierstadt and the other peaks to the west. Enjoy the peace and quiet this winter and I’ll see you next summer.” (Dawn Wilson/Estes Park Trail-Gazette)Įach year, Labor Day brings a sense of closure with a tender, “Goodbye, goats.
Mountain goats are a common sight near the top of Mount Evans. To put that in perspective, the hike to the top is about six miles roundtrip with a 2,113 elevation gain from Summit Lake or an 11-mile roundtrip bike ride along the Mount Evans Scenic Byway from Summit Lake to the parking lot near the peak. Although the road to Summit Lake stays open until early or mid-October depending upon weather, the only way to reach the peak now is by foot or bike.
Labor Day marked the end of the 2022 season for driving to the top of Mount Evans.
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