Elk Central! Iconic Longs Peak Views, Wood Stove

Hike into Rocky Mountain National Park while your car charges, come home to movie night or BBQ, cozy up to a wood stove, & enjoy Estes` best view of Longs Peak (Permit 20-NCD0076). Elk are EVERYWHERE since it`s a block from the park boundary. En suite bathrooms in each BR.

+5 mins to town.
+ Huge remodel in 2023
+ Wraparound deck, epic views
+ EV charger
+ Wood stove
+ HD TV & game collection
+ Big kitchen, BBQ, laundry

Great for up to 8!

*** THREE IMPORTANT THINGS ***

1) The Hill House is connected to another of my listings, The Wood Shed. The Wood Shed sits atop the Hill House garage -- imagine a duplex -- but there are no shared walls or connecting doors. The garage is locked off for owner storage, but you do have neighbors next door and this is in a residential neighborhood.

2) The remodel in 2023 included the demolition of an outbuilding, with heavy machinery that tore up some of the grass. It`s been re-seeded and grass is growing, but as of June 1 it is not yet recovered. I expect it to start looking nice mid-July.

3) House Rules: Check in at 4pm or later; check out at 10am or earlier. No pets or smoking. Last, the cleaning fee is lower than about 2/3 of other units this size because guests start a load of dishes and towels on checkout. The savings is passed on to you.

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Onward!

My home is perfectly situated only a few hundred yards from the boundary of Rocky Mountain National Park. You can watch the sun rise over the mountains from bed, eat breakfast while elk and deer mill about, hike into RMNP from the front door, and come home and watch the stars over the high peaks from the deck. I am a photographer by profession and have decorated the walls with my favorite images of the area. I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed making them!

I invite you to stay in my gorgeous cozy cabin! You will love its warmth, cleanliness and authentic mountain feel.

It`s perfectly appointed with new, comfy furnishings as well as countless amenities so you can feel at home during your mountain getaway in Estes Park.

My guests here have raved:

`... This is an exceptional home with all the amenities you will need.`
`... Quiet location and we had deer to view on a regular basis.`
`... It was immaculate and clean, nicely decorated, and so comfortable during our stay!`
`... The view are just awesome!`
`... Remote enough that it is dark at night and can see so many stars!`

I renovated it myself in 2019, but it underwent further remodeling for months in 2023. The latest project included:

+ New flooring throughout
+ Granite counters & new appliances
+ New decking & outdoor furniture
+ Vintage Moroccan area rugs
+ New decor
+ New and massive washer and dryer

The original remodel included:

+ Fresh paint throughout
+ Modern couch, tables and chairs
+ Comfy reading chairs and lamps
+ Twinkly, cozy lights
+ A variety of beds (soft, medium and firm) for a great rest.
+ A 55” smart TV with lots of streaming options,
+ Super fast WiFi with no dead zones

My favorite feature is the huge wraparound deck, offering a straight view of Longs Peak glistening in the morning sunrise and glowing beneath the Milky Way at night.

BEDROOMS
My home offers 3 bedrooms, each with an attached private bathroom, plus sleeping for two more on sofa beds in the living room.

Bedroom 1 - The smaller main floor bedroom has the softer mattress of all three beds in the house, plus an attached 3/4 bathroom with toilet, sink and shower (no tub). I hand made a headboard out of reclaimed pine and added a floor to ceiling armoir for storage that has a cool cork door. My favorite part of this bedroom is that it opens directly onto the gorgeous porch.

Bedroom 2 - This is one of the two master bedrooms. It’s the eastern one at the top of the stairs and is the largest.

Bedroom 3 - The second master bedroom at the top of the stairs on the west side of the home. It has the firmest bed (my favorite), but is otherwise a near mirror image of the other master bedroom.

Bedroom 4 - Not really a bedroom, but the living room has two ottomans with pull out beds. If you push them together, you get a queen for the largest groups. Spare linens for it are in the dining room hutch.

LIVING & ENTERTAINMENT

Deck - This is the hallmark of my home, and it`s my favorite place to spend time. There’s a ton of seating out there, so you can relax, read, watch wildlife roaming around, stare at the mountains and stars.

Living Room - If it’s cold or windy, come on into the spacious and cozy living room, which has a huge window offering the same views as you’d get from the deck. I installed a 55” smart television on a floating stand I made of reclaimed wood, so you can stream pretty much anything you’d like with your friends and family. There’s a small library with books you can read or take with you (if you take one, please leave one behind), as well as dozens of puzzles and games for when you want to detach from technology. Two doors open from the living room onto the massive deck.

Dining Room - The dining room will become one of the central gathering points for your friends and family. It features a brand new birch table, seating for 8 on benches and stools, log cabin wood trim on the walls, and an antique wood burning fireplace for chilly winter nights. All combined, the mix of pine, acacia and birch wood gives you a very natural feel, and the cozy wood fireplace completes the scene. A massive door swings open onto the deck from here too.

WiFi - I moved the home’s WiFi location to provide a centralized access point with no dead zones on the property. You’ll enjoy a strong 100Mbs connection for streaming, entertainment and work.

LAUNDRY & COOKING

Kitchen - The kitchen is a chef`s dream! It features brand new granite counters and new appliances: g as range and oven, a full sized fridge/freezer, a microwave, dishwasher, a large island, lots of small appliances, cutlery, dishes, utensils, bowls/pots/pans and virtually anything else you may need or want. The island also features three bar stools so people can hang out and socialize.

Laundry - There`s a laundry room with a new and absolutely massive washer and a dryer that you are free to use. Please do! I try to keep the detergent stocked but don`t guarantee it, so it may be wise to bring a little of your own.

This is a fully furnished home with total access for you. That includes...

+ 1750 s/f home with...
+ 3 bedrooms with attached bathrooms
+ 1 common powder room with toilet
+ Wrap around deck
+ 2 private off street parking spots

I live in Estes Park and know the town and the National Park like the back of my hand. I moved here in 2006 and am a photographer specializing in weddings and family portraits. I have spent the years since climbing, hiking, skiing, cycling and adventuring in and around Rocky Mountain National Park and am happy to offer advice on the best hikes, drinks, dining and adventures in the area. I`m just a quick text or email away! Otherwise please be in touch with my co-hosts from The Wolf Rentals.

The Hill House is along Highway 66 only a few short minutes from the entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park. It`s a quiet area that sees little traffic, and the park boundary is within a quarter of a mile. This means elk, coyotes, foxes, bears, raccoons, hummingbirds, and mule deer frequently pass by.

The National Park is just out the backdoor and the entrance station is reachable without having to brave downtown traffic. You can even hike into the park on foot. If you want to go downtown and don`t want to deal with parking, the town offers a free shuttle service during the summer months with a stop about 10 minutes away by foot! That`s a super easy way for the entire family to head out to dinner or enjoy local farmers markets and festivals.

NO SMOKING, NO FIRES

My home was about a quarter mile away from one of the largest forest fires in Colorado history a few years ago, so we are a strict no-smoking property. No smoking inside, outside, and no outdoor fire pits (now illegal in Estes Park`s vacation homes). Charcoal BBQs are banned.

GUEST COUNT

Our permit is limited to 8 people max.

NOISE

Events, loud music and noises, and parties are strictly prohibited. Please be respectful of your noise level so I can maintain good relationships with my wonderful neighbors.

The house is equipped with Minut, which measures sound levels and temperature and alerts me if things are too loud so I can give you a heads up. It also lets me now about pipe freeze conditions. It does not record content (just decibels) so your privacy is 100% guaranteed. It is on the ceiling in the laundry room.

ROAD CONDITIONS

Estes has a great plow team and our driveway will also be plowed during storms, but if there`s a huge blizzard, they may not be plowed exactly when you need them to be. We cannot assist if you get stuck and we always recommend that people rent AWD or 4WD when visiting us from October to May. We are at 8,000 feet and this can be a snowy area!

AIR CONDITIONER
Like nearly every other home in town, there’s no A/C. Thankfully mountain air blows down from the high peaks and will cool down the place quickly in the evenings if you open the windows.

BEARS
Do NOT leave food in your car! Bears frequent this area and can break in!

GARAGE APARTMENT
There is an apartment above the garage that is rented separately. It`s its own private space with no shared walls.

* After booking, guests may be asked to review and accept a standard rental agreement covering house rules, safety disclosures, liability, and damage responsibility. This agreement does not modify pricing, cancellation terms, or refund policies presented on Vrbo and is intended to be consistent with Vrbo’s terms and the listing details.
A per-person guest fee applies after the first two people so ensure your guest count is correct.