Location: Estes Park, Front Range, Colorado, USA (90 Min. from Denver Airport, 5 Min. to Rocky Mtn. Nat. Park) View Map
Accommodations: House, 4 Bedrooms + Convertible bed(s), 3 Baths (Sleeps 0)
Keywords: House
A tranquil setting, convenient to the Rocky Mountain National Park and to the town of Estes Park. A five minute drive will put you at the Rocky Mountain National Park entrance. Five minutes will also get you to the center of downtown Estes Park. Most restaurants are within ten minutes and all of the fine dining within fifteen minutes of this property.
This 2700 square foot home sits at an elevation of 8200 feet at the base of Rams Horn Mountain. Natural beauty and Wilderness are right outside the door.
Elk,deer,hummingbirds,chipmunks,rabbits,ground squirrels,hawks and falcons are seen daily here.
We have named our mountain house "Dream Lake" after one of our favorite hiking trail stops. Hiking trails in Rocky Mountain National Park to Emerald Lake and Lake Haiyaha take us past Dream Lake. Our choice of name is also influenced by the brightness of the stars in the night sky,the Quiet,and the view so beautiful it seems surreal!
Vacation Rental Features
- Amenities
- Washer : Large Capacity Maytag. various brands of liquid and powder laundry soap provided.
- Dryer : Large Capacity Maytag. Dryer sheets provided. Iron and Ironing board provided.
- Linens Provided : King beds have 600tc Egyptian cotton sheets and pillow cases. Twin beds have flannel "lodge" print sheets or cotton north woods print sheets. All beds have a down filled blanket or comforter and a synthetic fill comforter.
- Off Street Parking : easy parking here
- Wood Fireplace : a small amount of firewood provided for guest use.
- Beds
- King Bed (3) : A log king bed with pillowtop mattress is in the master bedroom. A log king bed with pillowtop mattress is in one lower level bedroom. A new king bed replaces the full bed in lower level sleeping area.
- Queen Bed : Log queen bed with pillowtop mattress in second main floor bedroom
- Twin/Single Bed (3) : two log twins are in one lower bedroom, one log twin shares the other lower sleeping area with a king bed.
- Convertible Bed (3) : A queen and twin size sofa sleeper are in the main living area,and a queen sofa sleeper in the lower living area. 3" foam pads can be added to these beds for comfort.
- Child Bed : this is a twin size roll-away, stored downstairs by the laundry room. This bed can be placed in any room to accommodate a child or adult.
- Crib (2) : we have Two Graco pack-n-plays.which can serve as a crib, playpen, or bassinet. Also have two high chairs. One high end graco, and one wooden one like you see in restaurants and a "baby gate". Baby linens washed with Dreft provided.
- Entertainment
- Cable/Satellite TV (2) : Main living room TV is a 37" hi-def LCD flat panel with DVD.over 200 satellite channels with DVR. 120" high def surround sound theater in lower living area. The theater has its own satellite tv tuner and a separate DVD player and VCR.
- TV (No Cable/Satellite) : 25"tube tv with VCR is in the lower level Twin bedroom with a variety of children's features on vhs tapes. This TV is on a wheeled cart and can be used in any room.
- DVD
- VCR
- Video Library : Over 1500 movies are stored on Disc, accessed through a WDTV player with on screen menus and search.If you would like titles email me for a list.a few videos on DVD, and a few on the DVR. Netflix access through the Wii Plenty of movies are playing on the tv tuner to chose from, and DVD rentals are available in town. We watch movies on Netflix and the video library,and rarely watch broadcast tv.
- Video Game Console (3) : Wii with two controllers, Xbox360,and X-box Kinect are all connected to the 120" hi def theater. Kinect is on a 4g X-box of its own. no need to reconfigure for Kinect games.
- Video Games (10) : Wii sports and Wii resort, Rabbids, with two controllers for the wii console, and halo 1,2,3,Halo Wars, HaloReach,half-life and more for the X-box.Beatles Rock Band X-box Rock Band 3, Green day, 4 wireless guitars one wireless keyboard, Drums, 3 microphones, Kinect with two games.
- CD Player
- Stereo System
- Music Library : Over 100 channels of Sirius commercial-free stereo music can be played through the living room tv stereo, or the theater surround sound. The surround sound will fill the whole house with music that can be heard clearly,not loudly. You can easily carry on a conversation without interference from the music in the back ground. Our favorite channels for gazing at the view are 6007 and 6030.
- Kitchen
- Full Kitchen : two toasters,mixer,hand mixer, blender,malt mixer,2 coffeemakers,Donvier-style electric ice cream maker,two crockpots,one 8.5 qt and one 1.5qt,2 food processors, Bread maker, rice cooker,a capuccino/espresso machine, a coffee grinder, Waffle maker(flips),Deep fryer
- Cooking Utensils Provided : matching service for 16, plus plenty of everyday dinnerware.
- Refrigerator : 28 cu. ft.stainless french door with ice and water in the door. Water supply for fridge is reverse osmosis pure water.
- Dishwasher
- Microwave (2) : one microwave in kitchen, and one in lower living area.
- Ice Maker
- Outdoor Features
- Gas/Electric BBQ Grill (2) : two stainless grills a few steps from the kitchen, another grill on the covered patio downstairs for when it rains, or a change of scenery.
- Deck/Patio : Redwood decks off the north and east with log furniture seating for ten. south side of house has a picnic table with bench seating for six and a stainless propane grill. The covered flagstone patio off the lower level has log seating for four and a gas grill.
- View/Location
- Lake View : Mary's lake view from the decks, patio, master bedroom and lower living area.
- Mountain View : Spectacular view of white cap mountains of Rocky Mountain National Park from all bedrooms and living areas.Guests enjoy watching the clouds and weather change rapidly over the peaks.
- Communications
- Telephone : The house phone service is Vonage. Most Cellphones work fine here also. T- mobile works very well here
- Free Long Distance : free nation-wide long distance, Skype is on the computer for international and video calls. Bring your Skype account and password, or use ours.
- Computer : basic internet computer,windows7, has a CD burner. wireless Printer with color print/scan/copy.
- Broadband Internet : Fast and reliable Internet, capable of streaming video.
- WiFi (Wireless Internet) : Secure wireless network works throughout the house and on all decks. Printer, X-Boxes and Wii are on the wireless network.
- Other Amenities
- Our main dining table seats 6, but we have folding tables and chairs to extend the dining to seat 16 for a large group. some furniture rearranging is required to set 16 to 18 at one long table.
- Suitability
- No Pets Allowed : There are too many wild critters around to have a pet here. No pets, Please.
- Kid Friendly : Kids have a natural playground right outside the door.Older kids can walk roughly half a mile to Mary's Lake Campground store.A shuttle service runs in the summer and picks up at the store,travel to town or into the Park. It's free.
- Minimum Age Limit for Renters : 25 minimum, please
- Smoking Not Allowed : Owners are allergic.
- Activities
- Golf
- Kayaking
- Boating
- Biking
- Mountain Biking
- Cross Country Skiing
- Wildlife Viewing
- Fishing
- Live Theatre
- Miniature golf
- Horseback Riding
- Sledding/Tubing
- Hiking
- Rock Climbing
- Restaurants
- Cinemas/Movie Theaters
- Museums
- Other Activities
- One nine hole and one 18 hole golf course year round. Give way to Elk on Course. Horseback riding 365 days at Sombrero Stables. ATV trails/rental 15 miles south at Allenspark. Skiing/Snowboarding at Eldora Ski Area, a one hour trip south on a beautiful mountain drive. 42.8 miles from our driveway to ski lift.
Rate Details (In US Dollars)
May14-June 8 $1900/wk, June 9-August 13 $2200/wk, Aug 14-Sept 17 $1900/wk
Sept 18-Oct 16 1500/wk, Oct 16- Jan 29 1350/wk, Jan29- feb 26 $1100/wk
Feb 26- April 2 $1500/wk April 3- May 14 1350/wk
Thanksgiving and Christmas through New Years wkly only $1900/wk
3 Night low season only minimum,$300/Nt
Low season only -for less than a week a cleaning fee of $100 will be added.
Snow removal is contracted November through April. 4WD not required.
Note: Until confirmed, rates are subject to change without notice.
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Credit Cards Accepted:
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Map & Owner's Profile
Lake and Mountain Views, 4BR Private Home, Walk to Marys Lake!
Year Purchased: 2005
Why the Owner Chose Estes Park
It's all about the view! This area of the Rockies is one of the most beautiful places in the world, and one of the few very beautiful locations that has year-round activities.
The location and convenience are a nice bonus, but the views were the main consideration in choosing this property.Every room, every window in this house has a great view. We looked for years at Estes Park and Grand lake for a second home that would be an investment and eventually a retirement home for us. We saw lots of properties with no nice view, or tiny windows, or neighbors too close,too small,or too "inconvenient" to get to. This home is in a perfect, very quiet spot. Our neighbors are few, they are not close by, and do not spoil the view. Getting to the Park, the restaurants, and the shopping are easy from this location. On Summer weekends when the town is jammed with tourists, it is easy to bypass the traffic by using Peak View and Riverside drive.
We love to go hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park, and access to the park is quick and easy from this location. The drive to the Park from our property does not go through town and traffic is never an issue even on Summer weekends.
The Unique Benefits at this House
Sipping Coffee while sitting on the deck in the morning is a special experience. The air smells so fresh and clean because hundreds of square miles of pine forests and mountains surround Estes and the Park. The faint pine smell, the views, and the sky so blue because of the high altitude are all very pleasant.We like opening the windows and letting the fresh mountain air in!
Do you enjoy cooking? We do when we are here. The kitchen is well equipped and cooking is much more fun here.
We often dine out and have our favorites, but some times want to go somewhere new and there are over sixty restaurants in Estes Park to chose from. We usually use the computer to view menus to make a decision on where we would try next.
Owner's Map of Estes Park
Beautiful Bride Cindy and our silly puppies. We live an hour away in Fort Collins.
We have vacationed all over and often rented homes to stay in, and those were our best vacation memories.
Property Photos
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- You belong in this picture - Estes Park Lodging
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- A tranquil setting, surrounded by natural beauty yet conveniently located - Estes Park Lodging
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- hi-def theater with surround sound, satellite,DVR, VCR, DVD,X-box, yadda yadda - Estes Park Lodging
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- View to the North.The snowcapped mountains are in Rocky Mountain National Park.
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- comfortable living room
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- open floorplan, vaulted ceilings, and most important -the view!
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- north side of home, Rams Horn Mountain is south of property. great for hiking!
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- well equipped kitchen
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- Master Bedroom, king pillowtop bed. Mountain view to north, lake view to East
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- Second of four bedrooms, Queen pillowtop bed. Mountain view to North and West
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- bedroom 3, King bed with mountain view to the North
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- bedroom 4, two twin beds with mountain view to the North
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- Aspens in fall colors and the view to the west.
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- Twin size daybed and full bed in lower level living room
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- Rocky Mountain National Park is five minutes away
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- Everyone feels so welcome here!
Traveler Reviews (25)
A Labor Day Weekend Spent in Heaven!
Guest: Redhead76
(Ottawa, Kansas)
Date of Stay: 09/02/09
Review Submitted: 10/05/09
This is the perfect house for families, don't look any further!!! It was after much time and research trying to find the perfect house to accomodate the FIVE teenagers accompanying us on our Labor Day trip that we picked Gary's 'Dream Lake' house. We couldn't have been more pleased! The listing description is accurate, the home is very clean, comfortable, spacious and family-friendly. It came equipped with ample ammenities to accomodate our large group of 12. We felt so relaxed our entire stay. We had everything we could want, short of a hot tub! Hint, hint, Gary! The property management group and the home owner,Gary, were so easy to work with. Thank you all for taking such good care of us and making our trip a piece of cake to coordinate! This was my family's first time to Colorado and RMNP. All their suggestions really paid off, they have the "inside scoop" on Estes and RMNP! We went to Sweet Basillico's to eat our first evening there. They have a lovely outdoor deck and covered dining area built right by a stream. I highly recommend this restaurant for its atmosphere, excellent customer service and great food(: We had a blast walking downtown Estes Park, popping into the coffee houses and shops. The Stanley Hotel is beautiful and offers a fun ghost tour. It has a nice bar and restaurant too. Our hikes to Ouzal Falls, Bear Lake, Flat Top Mountain and Long's Peak were nothing short of amazing. Unparrelled beauty. We also enjoyed a drive along Trail Ridge Road, enjoying the views and stopping at the Alpine Visitor's Center to shop and sight see. We went on a two-hour trail ride from Sombrero Ranch up into the mountains. This was SO much fun and our guides took excellent care of us. The home's huge, movie screen/tv in the basement was such a luxury after our long days of hiking and sight seeing. It was a big hit with the kids to play Wii on! We all enjoyed the ease of this home's close location to the park and downtown, yet it couldn't have been built in a more lovely spot for its mountain and lake views. We sat out on its deck every chance we got. The views from the deck, especially at sunrise, are positively majestic....the sun rising over Mary's Lake, the cool mountain air, the herds of mule deer and elk grazing just below....it just fills your heart and soul with its beauty...we can't wait to go back. We fell in love with RMNP and Estes, everyone must experience this heavenly place atleast once! Thank you, Gary and staff, for all the memories!
Owner response:Thank you for your review! You spent a good deal of your time in Rocky Mountain National Park, which is the "real" attraction up here with its awesome natural beauty. We are lucky to have a location that makes it very easy to get to the Park or to town. You and your family had a wonderful vacation and I hope you can make it back. I am considering a hot tub with your suggestion for the future. Thanks, Gary
Recommended for:Romantic getaway, people with disabilities, sightseeing, pet owners, adventure seekers, girls getaway, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers.
V.Bailey
Guest: V. Bailey
(Arvada, CO)
Date of Stay: 01/27/12
Review Submitted: 02/03/12
The place was wonderful! Our family had a lot of fun with plenty of room to spare. They are planning a trip this summer to stay again!
Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, adventure seekers, girls getaway, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers.
A Christmas week at Mary
Guest: Kathy W.
Date of Stay: 12/26/11
Review Submitted: 01/05/12
My family of ten found the house,cabin, a wonderful retreat. We had plenty of space for all of us. The view was beyound belief. The grandkis, and adults, loved feeding the animals, most were named before we left. The kitchen was GREAT, as a foodie, I loved it. We can't wait to go back, maybe a different season, I would love to sit on the deck with my morning coffee and watch the sun rise over Mary's Lake.
Recommended for:
8 Days in Wonderland
Guest: JnG
(Georgia)
Date of Stay: 10/08/11
Review Submitted: 11/07/11
My wife and I spend 8 days here and it wasn't enough. Just outside the gates of Rocky Mountain Park, and withing close proximity to the town of Estes, you couldn't ask for a better location. Lot's of wildlife in the backyard! We filmed wild Turkey, and Mule Deer from the deck. They were close enough to touch. The kitchen was set up with everything and anything you could possibly want or need. The views are breath taking, and a photographers paradise. I could look out off the deck all day, and it wouldn't be enough! Gary is a pleasure to work with, and a nicer person you couldn't find... Stop looking and book this place. It has it all, and then some! But book well in advance as it stays rented more than most. We will be back!
Recommended for:Romantic getaway, people with disabilities, sightseeing, adventure seekers, girls getaway, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers.
Great base for a wonderful week of hiking RMNP
Guest: Bon vivant
(Mpls.,MN)
Date of Stay: 09/06/11
Review Submitted: 09/20/11
What a place! Beautiful views, lots of room and everything you could want for cooking, eating and being entertained. We've never experienced a better equipped kitchen from the new 3-door fridge to the Cuisinart blender and the professional waffle iron. And the movie library would be the envy of Roger Ebert. Highly recommended for any size group.
Recommended for:Sightseeing, adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers.
Wonderful time, wonderful place
Guest: Anne
(Kanss)
Date of Stay: 07/09/11
Review Submitted: 08/05/11
Thank you once again (our sixth time) for letting us stay in Dream Lake. It was a memorable stay celebrating the wedding of our daughter in Rocky Mountain National Park and the birthdays of two granddaughters. We have enjoyed the new stove and frig as well as the new bed linens. The house is so well set up, we cannot think of a single improvement on it. The Wii and big screen TV were hits with all the kids. And the expansive decks were the grown-ups favorite relaxing spots--great views and cool breezes. And we had what one of the granddaughters called a “wildlife extravaganza”—visits by bears on at least 3 occasions (never threatening), deer and elk too many times to count, a doe and her spotted fawn browsing in the front yard, watching a wren family grow up, and being buzzed by resident hummingbirds, plus the usual chipmunks, ground squirrels, and rabbits. Together with family events, great hikes, and trips to ride the Go-Karts, a grand time was had by all!
Recommended for:Sightseeing, adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers.
Vacation to Remember
Guest: Buckeye Fans
(Mason, OH)
Date of Stay: 03/25/11
Review Submitted: 04/23/11
This beautiful mountain home provided the perfect place for our family to start and end our adventures in and around Estes Park. The views were absolutely stunning! We had fresh snowfall several days which was just incredible. We went snowshoeing in RMNP with fresh powder on the ground. Unbelievable! We hiked and took in the beauty of nature and wildlife each day. It was amazing to see so much wildlife in the area. We also went horseback riding in the mountains which we would all recommend. The house was so convenient to everything yet gave much desired privacy as well. There was plenty of space for our family to spread out and relax. Gary provided everything we could have possibly needed and so much more! We have never stayed anywhere that was more accommodating. Thanks much, Gary! The Healy family, Ohio
Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, adventure seekers, girls getaway, families with young children, families with teenagers.
Breathtaking Views!
Guest: Melody
(Fayetteville, GA)
Date of Stay: 12/06/10
Review Submitted: 03/02/11
We decided to take a family Christmas vacation in Estes Park. Sometimes it is hard to find a place to stay that is decent and large enough for our family of 7 and within our budget. This place has absolutely everything that you could need and the pantry was packed full of goodies. Gary was very generous, he made sure that my kids had all the latest xbox games, they were very pleased. We really enjoyed just watching movies (Gary has the most extensive movie list I have ever seen, too many to watch)in front of the fire and the views from this house are just stunning. If you choose to stay here, you won't be disappointed.
Owner response: Christmas is a great time to visit Estes. The views are more spectacular with fresh snow on the mountains and trees, and we have time do extra things for guests, like a Christmas tree, putting out snow sleds, and stocking the pantry. The town of Estes is lit up with Christmas lights and the herds of Elk are wandering through town. The best "Elk watching" is in the winter time. I am glad your family enjoyed the new games! The X-box Kinect was a hot item before your visit,and I thought your kids would enjoy it. I did not know about the Kinect, but every store I went in that had a Kinect game set up had all of the teenage attention. I had to get it right away for the house! My family has "discovered" Rock Band, and we now have four guitars,three microphones, a keyboard, and drums for family and Guests to play. I think the big screen we have makes gaming really fun here. Three hour rock band marathons have been reported by guests, and I know our family and friends have done the same. When my family does a reunion here the kids play video and other games downstairs and the "adults" watch movies and enjoy the views upstairs. We also see guest's families doing the same thing, so the entertainment options have been adjusted to enhance both the "upstairs" and "downstairs" experience. Thank you for your review!
Recommended for:Sightseeing, adventure seekers, girls getaway, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers.
Beyond Expectations
Guest: Binkett
(Fort Worth, TX)
Date of Stay: 02/25/10
Review Submitted: 03/28/10
My parents and I found this wonderful retreat last year but due to a job issue I was unable to make the trip that I had taken part of planning. This year, after their rave reviews and a years worth of building it up, I finally got to spend sometime in this beautiful house on the side of a mountain. I must say that it was even better than I expected. The furnishings are comfortable, the beds provide great nights sleep with beautiful views, very large and well appointed kitchen (it really does have everything that you could possibly need and sometimes two of them just to be on the safe side), and the balcony (or covered porch depending on which story you are on) was just wonderful with absolutely magnificent views. The wild life in the area in the morning and evening really do come within a stones throw of the porch and was such a joy to experience. The only possible thing that this truly comfortable retreat is missing is a hot tub off the balcony up top...but of course that's just me. I can not recommend this home enough! In my many years of traveling this is by far one of my favorite retreats and plan on visiting again and again.
Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, adventure seekers, girls getaway, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers.
Guest Comment
Guest: Ed & Karen
(West Lafayette, IN)
Date of Stay: 12/24/08
Review Submitted: 01/02/09
The Dream Lake was just amazing. We was not disappointed at all with the view or wild life. We was sorry that we couldn't stay longer. We spent Christmas with the family and was very please with a wonderful real Christmas tree. Everything was provided that we could need, including the well needed wireless internet and washer and dryer. We will keep the place in mind for the next time when we want to get away.
Recommended for:Romantic getaway, tourists without a car, people with disabilities, sightseeing, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers.
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Vacation Rentals by Owner Listing #142543
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