EPSD Board hears student philanthropy updates, academic progress, and major repair needs  Student leadership, facility maintenance, academic growth, and districtwide planning dominated the Estes Park School Board’s latest meeting, Monday night which stretched across several major reports. The tone…

Estes earns international award for partnership tackling housing, childcare crisis The Town of Estes Park received the International City/County Management Association’s Local Government Excellence Award in the Community Partnership category for its role in the collaboration with Visit Estes Park…

An EPH Board member raises concerns about accountability and transparency When I ran to serve on the Park Hospital Board last spring, it was on a platform calling for transparency and accountability, among other things. I called for fewer executive sessions and – following the example of the Estes…

Ray Northcutt Ray Northcutt was born in Emporia, Kans., on Dec. 13, 1930, and passed away peacefully in his sleep on Nov. 11, 2025. He graduated from Topeka High School, where he lettered in three sports. He then went on to college at Kansas State, the University of Denver, and Montana State…

EP’s deputy town admin talks sustainability at lunchtime panel discussion What exactly is sustainability, and why should we care? Sustainability and the reasons why communities like Estes Park should care were the focus of “Climate Smart - Future Ready,” a lunch-and-learn knowledge break on…

News briefs – Nov. 18 Applications open for Raven Avenue Habitat homes Habitat for Humanity of the St Vrain Valley is taking applications for four remaining single family 3- and 4-bedroom homes on Raven Avenue. Families earning 40% to 80% of the Area Median Income – roughly $60,000 to $100,000 –…

Estes Park news recap podcast in Spanish 18 de Noviembre Each week, David Hernandez provides a Spanish-language recap of the Estes Valley Voice for members of our community. Let us know how we’re doing. Do you have ideas for stories about stories that we need to cover? We want to hear from you.…

Shoulder season is no longer predictable — Are you ready? If you run a business in the Estes Valley, you already know this truth: The old patterns don’t hold anymore. What used to be a dependable arc of busy → quiet → rebuild has been replaced by a new reality: The shoulder season is no longer…

Sapienza to run for seat on Larimer Board of County Commissioners With the 2025 elections in the rearview mirror, the 2026 campaign season has begun in Larimer County. Fort Collins attorney Dan Sapienza threw his hat in the ring last week to run for the seat that County Commissioner John Kefalas…

An appeal to decency As I write, it is day 40 of the federal government shutdown. I hope that by the time you read this, our federal government will be open again—because people are going without paychecks and food. (The federal government shutdown ended on Thursday, Nov. 13. The shutdown began…

EPH board disagrees on need for executive session A meeting anticipated to last just one hour stretched to two on Thursday as Estes Park Health Board members spent the first 22 minutes haggling over whether topics on their agenda constituted legitimate reasons for entering yet another executive…

Trustees approve major changes to VEP Board make up In a 4-3 vote, the Estes Park Town Board of Trustees narrowly approved a revised intergovernmental agreement between the Town of Estes Park and Larimer County regarding the operation of the Town’s Local Marketing District, Visit Estes Park. The…

Initiative 300 raises questions for housing projects and the Estes Park community With the passage of Ballot Initiative 300 last week, the Estes Park Housing Authority is facing numerous unanswered questions regarding current and future development plans. A draft letter to the Town reviewed during…

EPH to EVMC: A look at the future under UCHealth The Park Hospital District directors are currently considering a 2026 operating budget of $415,750, a significant reduction compared to the $63 million approved for 2025. This adjustment is one of several substantial changes under consideration as…

Percy Jackson musical takes the stage at Estes Park High School The Estes Park High School Thespian Society will present “The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical” Nov. 13, 14, and 15 at 7 p.m. in the high school auditorium. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students.  The production,…

The Festival of Trees sparkles at the Estes Park Resort It’s beginning to look a lot like the holiday season in Estes Park with the Quota Club's Festival of Trees open house, which kicked off Wednesday evening at the Estes Park Resort. There were traditional trees, and modern trees, a Grinch Who…

A&E: This Weekend, Nov. 14-16 Here are our picks for A&E: this weekend, Nov. 14-16, in Estes Park, including a new art exhibit, live music, a holiday crafting workshop, and more.

Estes Park salutes it veterans on Veterans Day More than 100 veterans, spouses, Gold and Blue Star families, and members of the Estes Park community gathered this afternoon at the Veterans Memorial in Estes Park to salute those who have served. The sun warmed the chill of the November air and a…

County approves service plan to transfer EPH operations to UCHealth With only 20 days left until closing, Estes Park Health took one more step toward becoming a UCHealth-operated health facility on Monday when Larimer County Commissioners approved a revised service plan for operations. The…

The Feast of Friendsgiving: A perfect celebration for Estes Park newcomers, transplants, and locals In recent years, a new November tradition has joined the ranks of America’s cherished holiday celebrations: Friendsgiving. Blending the warmth of friendship with the familiar flavors of…

Lee’s memoir explores what it means to be Indigenous Joseph Lee is an Aquinnah Wampanoag writer based in New York City. He has a master of fine arts degree from Columbia University and teaches creative writing at Mercy University. His memoir, “Nothing More of This Land: Community, Power, and the…

The Estes Valley Voice asks Larimer County Commissioners to press the pause button today to implement a Mill Levy Stewardship Plan that will provide accountability and transparency to the taxpayers of the Park Hospital District. #UCHealth #EstesParkHealth estesvalleyvoice.com/2025/11/10/l...

Larimer County Commissioners have a chance to shed sunshine on the acquistion of EPH by UCH Today, the Larimer County Commissioners will decide whether to approve UCHealth’s acquisition of the Park Hospital District, which is set to take effect Dec. 1, 2025, 944 days after voters first authorized…

EVICS celebrates a night of fundraising and service ’Tis the season for fundraisers and galas, and Friday’s EVICS Family Resource Center soiree served both as a fundraiser and a kickoff to the local holiday party season. The gala was a time for elegant evening dresses, shirts, and ties. The…

Election results change for Larimer County Slight differences between election night unofficial results and those shown at 4:34 p.m. on Wednesday for two Estes Park Ballot Questions made no difference in the outcome. But for Larimer County and its childcare proposal, the difference made a huge…

An open letter to EP Trustees and Larimer County Commissioners Tourism is the economic lifeblood of the Estes Park community. No other sector contributes as much to our town’s prosperity, job creation, and long-term vitality. Estes Park’s success has always come from the collaboration of the…

News Briefs – Nov. 8 Learn with the League Town Administrator Travis Machalek will be the featured speaker for the Learn with the League on Monday, Nov. 10, from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the American Legion, 850 N. Saint Vrain. The topic is “2026 and Beyond: Priorities for the Town of Estes Park.”…

Transfer of EPH to UCHealth awaits approval of County Commissioners One of the last stops along the path of UCHealth's acquisition of Estes Park Health will occur on Monday when Larimer County Commissioners weigh in on whether to approve the proposed service plan for the health organizations. The…

Estes Nonprofit Network’s Philanthropy Day nominees announced The Estes Valley community will gather on Nov. 20 from 4 to 7 p.m. in Assembly Hall at the YMCA of the Rockies to celebrate this year’s Estes Nonprofit Network's Philanthropy Day nominees. This year, there are 28 nominees in five…

Friendsgiving gumbo dinner returns to support the chamber As the bustle of tourist season winds down, a beloved cold-weather tradition is warming up: the fifth annual Community Gumbo Dinner, a fundraiser for the Estes Chamber of Commerce, returns tonight from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Tavern at the…

A&E: This Weekend, Nov. 7-9 Here are our picks for A&E: this weekend, Nov. 7-9, in Estes Park, including First Friday Art Groove, live music at The Rock Inn, and more.

Estes Park School Board holds special meeting to reaffirm October decisions The Estes Park School District R-3 Board of Education held a special meeting Monday, Nov. 3, to redo actions from its Oct. 27 meeting, after realizing that the meeting wasn’t properly recorded, as required under Colorado…

Local Ballot Issue 300 passes, 300 fails Rezoning property or creating a planned unit development will be a lot harder to accomplish in Estes Park following Tuesday’s election, after 54% of those casting ballots agreed that neighbors should have a more direct say in the decision. At the same time,…

Bright Christmas is a community tradition over four decades in the keeping Bright Christmas, an Estes Park holiday tradition, will celebrate its 41st anniversary this year. Begun by Jean Austin in 1984 as a way to spread the joy of Christmas giving to families in need, the program provides gifts…

British author comes to Estes bringing ‘Boleyn Traitor’ The Estes Valley Library introduced locals to British author Philippa Gregory through a live online seminar in October. The event was open to library patrons across the country, including Estes Park, thanks to membership in the Library…

Local Estes Park Citizen Initiated Ballot Issue #300 giving neighbors a veto over rezoning appears to have passed by a 169 vote margin and Citizen Initiated Ballot Issue 301 provides a bonus density for developers to encourage workforce housing fails by 303 votes. Unofficial counts as of 8:50 p.m.

UCHealth will directly receive taxpayer dollars in Estes Park merger The Colorado Attorney General’s Office earlier this fall signed off on a merger between UCHealth and Estes Park Health, a critical access hospital, expanding the footprint of a system that has grown to be the largest health care…

Centennial state voters weigh spending and cost-of-living priorities today Colorado voters are deciding on more than 100 local ballot questions today, which are tied to taxes, growth, and affordability. Communities from the Front Range to the Western Slope are asking whether residents are willing…

Estes Park’s National Community Survey results provide data for community planning More than 8 in 10 residents rated Estes Park positively as a desirable place to live in the National Community Survey conducted by the Town of Estes Park this summer, according to Kate Miller, the Town’s public…

Town board hears 2026 budget details and report on National Communty Survey When the Town Board met last week, the Trustees had a 679-page meeting packet to review, which included information about the Town's 2024 and 2025 audits, as well as the Town’s 2026 budget. The Estes Park Town audit for…

News Briefs – Nov. 3 Vote! Tomorrow, November 4, is Election Day. Ballots must be received by 7 p.m. Voters in Estes Park can drop off their ballot at the Estes Park Municipal Building (Walk-Up/Drive-Thru), 170 MacGregor Ave, or at the Estes Park Vehicle Licensing Office (Walk-Up/Drive-Thru), 1601…

Letters to the Editor Estes Park is at a crossroads Two citizen-initiated ballot measures — Questions 300 and 301 — sound simple on the surface: give neighbors more say over rezoning and development. But beneath that appealing idea lies a policy that could paralyze our town’s ability to plan for…

La Voz Del Valle podcast 3 de Noviembre Estes Park news recap podcast in Spanish (3 de Noviembre) Escucha el podcast aqui: The Estes Valley Voice provides a Spanish-language recap of our top news stories each week with David Hernandez. Please let us know if you, your business, or organization…

Estes Valley Voice joins 2025 Colorado Gives Campaign Nearly 40% of America's local newspapers have disappeared over the past two decades, and more than 130 closed in the last year alone, according to “The State of Local News 2025,” a report released a week ago by Northwestern University's Medill…

Country Market’s perfect charcuterie and cheeseboard Charcuterie boards are a tradition that originated in France in the 15th century. The literal meaning of the word is "cooked flesh."  The process was a way to preserve and share food for the families. In today's world, there’s still something…

It is not unusual to experience a shift in moods as the seasons change and the days grow longer One thing many people often report struggling with at this time of year is the shorter days and longer nights. SAD, or Seasonal Affective Disorder, is, per the National Institutes of Health, categorized…

Roots in the rock: Notes on resilience Sometimes resilience doesn’t look like toughness at all. Sometimes it looks like tenderness that refuses to give up—like a twisted pine taking hold where nothing should grow, bending but not breaking in the wind. The twentieth-century mystic Etty…

Halloween on Elkhorn 2025 It was chilly, with temperatures that dipped to just under 40 degrees after the sun set, but hundreds of Trick-or-Treaters of all ages had a great time strolling Elkhorn Avenue Friday night. The Town closed off the street from traffic from the west end near the waterwheel…

Rocky Mountain Craft Spirits Festival returns with a 1920s speakeasy flair The clink of glasses, the sway of jazz, and the scent of bourbon barbecue will soon fill the Estes Park Event Complex. On Saturday, Nov. 1, from noon to 5 p.m., the Rocky Mountain Craft Spirits Festival returns with a…

A&E: This Weekend, Oct. 31-Nov. 2 Our picks for A&E: this weekend, Oct. 31-Nov. 2, in Estes Park, including Halloween fun, the Rocky Mountain Craft Spirits Festival, and lots of live music.