


Roe Emery, widely known as “the father of Colorado tourism” who once owned The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, had launched a popular scenic bus tour — the Circle Trip — from Denver through Rocky Mountain National Park, around Grand Lake and back. In order to provide bus passengers more than a passing glimpse of Grand Lake, Emery co-founded Grand Lake Lodge, a luxurious restaurant, lobby and collection of 70 cabins, all created from native lodge pole pine trees and located directly off Trail Ridge Road at the boundary of Rocky Mountain National Park, majestically perched above the lake.

With the passing of decades, numerous additional hotels and resorts sprang up in mountain towns throughout Colorado, but in many ways Grand Lake Lodge served as the prototype — if not the inspiration — for summer resort offerings that followed. Emery owned the lodge until 1953; it has changed hands a few times, including its four generations of ownership with the Ted L. James family, who helped the property reach National Historic Landmark status in 1993.


“I really can’t beat this view every morning,” Laake says. “I love the lifestyle. It’s a great place to work. It’s one of the few places in the country that can keep its original beauty because there’s not a lot of area to develop with the park on one side and the lake on the other.”


Opened only during the summer and early fall (through Oct. 4), the lodge’s Huntington House Tavern not only boasts one of the best views of any restaurant in Colorado, but is arguably Grand Lake’s most delectable fine dining haunt. Serving comfort dishes with fresh and creative flare, options range from gourmet burgers to filet mignon to scallop-topped crab cakes. In honor of its legacy, dinner is preceded with fresh baked rolls made from the lodge’s century-old recipe and its sumptuous cocktails include the One-Hundred-Year-Old Manhattan.
The Tavern also serves breakfast, delivered directly to your cabin, best enjoyed amid the smell of pines and wildflowers from the porch, perhaps with a moose strolling by, as the large creatures are one of many species of wildlife native to the area.
The lodge’s heated pool, hot tub and adjacent fire pit deck overlook the lake, which sparkles a couple of hundred feet below. These areas offer an ideal location for a relaxing hour or two respite after a day of hiking in the park or a round of golf at the nearby Grand Lake Golf Course. Families often entertain themselves all day at the lodge, which encompasses a picnic area, playground, horseshoe rings, volleyball and basketball courts.

With its assortment of private cabins, Grand Lake Lodge has proven an especially comfortable hub for visitors during the COVID-19 pandemic. Face coverings and social distancing are mandated in all public areas, pool time is made by reservation only and Tavern tables and fire pit deck chairs are spaced generously apart. The lodge has been buzzing throughout its centennial season and will likely continue to do so through its closing date of Oct. 5.