Estes Park & The Bugling Elk!Estes Park is a noisy place in the fall. The elk are in their rutting season, and that means bugling. Visiting in September & October is a great opportunity to get really close to wildlife, as well as discover the unique city of Estes Park.
Recently I made the 2.5 hour drive from Colorado Springs to visit friends who had a cabin there for the week. And when I first heard the bugle of an elk, I thought someone's kid was screaming. "No, that's just the elk bugling," I was calmly reassured. About ten minutes later, no less then twenty female elk shuffled down the road with the bull following behind, letting loose an occasional bugle. The sound is a spooky one: part baby crying, part braying mule. The most interesting thing to me was how nonchalant the elk were in the presence of humans. They walk down public roads of Estes Park and meander through yards. 
I even saw an entire herd right downtown, hanging out by the traffic lights.They are in the midst of their mating rituals, and tend to look at us with indifference. Although I must stress something to photographers and wildlife lovers... Elk are still 800-pound wild animals! And because they are in the midst of "the rut," the males will defend against any perceived threat. That threat could be your Nikon camera zoom lens, and their defense might be to charge you with their four-foot antlers. So please be careful! You can't visit Estes Park without taking a trip through Rocky Mountain National Park. There is so much to do and see in this park, it's impossible to write about it all here. But if you've only got an hour or two, a good way to introduce yourself to the park is to take a drive up Trail Ridge Road (Hwy 34). It's accessed easily right from town, and after paying your park fee, you're on your way up the highest paved road in the country. It will wind and meander along the mountainside and provide plenty of sweeping views of mountain peaks, forests, and alpine lakes. There are several stop-offs for pictures, and plenty of wildlife to see on the way, from chipmunks to mule deer, to birds of prey soaring on the winds. And, of course, the elk. In the summer, the road goes all the way to 12,183 feet, but it usually closes around September due to the early arrival of snow. If you're planning on doing some hiking while you're there (who wouldn't?!) keep in mind that your best bet is to get there early in the morning to avoid afternoon thunderstorms and lightning, which is common all summer long. Check out Estes and Rocky Mountain National Park in the wintertime too, where the snowshoeing is outstanding. Bear Lake might be more fun when it's frozen!
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