Colorado Travel ~ Photos of Grand County Co ~ Dining at Rustic Grandlake Lodge

Colorado Vacation

This segment of my mother's and my Colorado travel vacation will pick up after crossing the Continental Divide of the Rocky Mountains from Estes Park (which had been our home base for several days) to Grand Lake. It will show some pictures of Grand County Colorado and our first stop was to check out the mountain resort of Grandlake Lodge.

The highest elevation that we had experienced on our Colorado vacation had been at a whopping 12,183 feet above sea level while on the famed Trail Ridge Road which had taken us over the Rockies.

Even though we had come down some in elevation, this Grandlake Lodge was still situated at an elevation of 8,769 feet above sea level.

It has been registered as a National Historic Landmark and was established in 1920. My mother and I decided to check it out and enjoy some lunch in their dining room.

(c) Peggy Woods - All Rights Reserved

Grandlake Lodge

Visiting historic structures is always fun when on vacation and this rustic beauty was no exception to the rule.

On a brochure that we picked up with information about Grandlake Lodge, they titled it "Colorado's favorite front porch" and we could understand why after seeing it.

One can see the majestic Rocky Mountains surrounding this site from three sides.

As one looks down one can see a portion of Shadow Mountain Lake adjacent to Grand Lake which is Colorado's largest natural body of water.

The area is also forested and the combination of these many things makes for wondrous views almost anywhere one casts a glance.

Many people seemed to be doing just that...rocking back and forth on the porch swings and enjoying the views.

Grandlake Lodge was built at the same time the Trail Ridge Road was completed and has obviously been the lodging of choice for many people vacationing and traveling to this part of Colorado.

My mother and I had made other plans but wished to linger here a while, enjoy lunch and absorb some of this Grand County Colorado scenery.

Whether staying here or just passing through, my recommendation would be to stop and check out the Grandlake Lodge for yourself.

We had a delicious lunch and the rustic beams, fireplace, decor and abundance of windows appropriately blend the ambiance of the Grandlake Lodge with the stunning views outside.

It is only open from early June to mid-September due to weather conditions, so plan any Colorado vacations appropriately.

Grand Lake

If you wish to see the "highest yacht club in the world" head on over to Grand Lake!

Whether one is a part of the yacht club set or merely a visitor who wishes to do some boating and fishing or hiking with lake views, this area could satisfy those vacation desires with aplomb!

We had made lodging reservations elsewhere and made our way over to Lake Granby which was our destination for the night.

Pictures were taken of some goats alongside the road who seemed to be happily munching away on the grasses and field flowers.

Circle H Lodge

Prior to my mother's and my Colorado vacation I had made all of our reservations in advance.

Despite the obvious attraction to staying at the historic Grandlake Lodge, I think that we achieved the best of the two different scenarios.

We had enjoyed dining and looking around at Grandlake Lodge, but chose to stay at Navarre's Circle H Lodge because it is situated right on Lake Granby and we knew that proximity was what we desired.

Looking at the Rocky Mountains and the Continental Divide as a backdrop, the lapping waters of Lake Granby were literally right at our feet when we ventured outside. This picture shows the scenery that we got to enjoy gazing out of our windows.

What could be prettier than watching a sunrise and a sunset in this type of setting?

Picnics

Having had a delicious and substantial meal for lunch, my mother and I decided to do some driving around Lake Granby and enjoy a picnic for our supper that evening.

Previously we had purchased some smoked trout at a delightful place in Estes Park and we had some crackers and wine to accompany it.

When we found a picnic table right on Lake Granby it suited our purpose perfectly!

There was no one else there and had that table been set with fine linens and crystal (verses our paper plates and plastic glasses) we could not have been made any happier.

It was the terrific setting that stole the moment!

My mother and I chatted about the terrific experiences we had been sharing on this vacation and sipped our wine and sampled our smoked trout while clouds flitted across the sky casting shadows across Lake Granby.

In addition to our voices, only the steady lapping of the waves, the chirps of passing birds and the whispering wind punctuated the silence.

It felt as though this majestic setting was ours and ours alone!

Bed & Breakfast

Navarre's Circle H Lodge is open year round and is conveniently located just 9 miles south of the Rocky Mountain National Park and only 2 hours northwest of Denver.

So whether it is boating, hiking and fishing that is the lure to visit this part of the country or winter sports such as skiing, snowmobiling, hunting and even ice fishing...everything is easily accessible from this destination point.

The rooms were most comfortable and the Bed & Breakfast hosts at the Circle H Lodge were congenial. Our breakfast was tasty. We hated to leave but visiting Georgetown..."the Silver Queen of the Rockies" was next on our vacation schedule.

Hopefully you enjoyed these pictures of some of the natural attractions in Grand County, Colorado. Whether it is dining at Grandlake Lodge, or spending time on beautiful Lake Granby while staying at the Circle H Lodge such as we did, Colorado travel opportunities await your next visit.  Thanks for visiting this hub. If you liked it, please leave a comment or cast a vote.  It will be much appreciated!