970-586-4031 | visit our website
Tucked into a forested hillside on the edge of Rocky Mountain National Park, the Hewes-Kirkwood Inn is a historic Rustic-style resort that has been converted to a highly regarded music center. In 1907, novelist and poet Charles Edwin Hewes homesteaded a wooded 960-acre parcel in the shadow of Longs Peak with his brother and mother. The family opened the Hewes-Kirkwood Inn for guests in 1914, many of whom came to prepare for (and recover from) the grueling hike up nearby Longs Peak.
Charles Hewes believed in building in harmony with nature; he used native stone and fire-killed timber to construct a lodge, dining hall and guest cabins. When not running the Inn, Hewes devoted his time to writing novels and poetry, including "The America," a 690-page epic poem that he worked on for 17 years. Hewes was a vocal opponent of the establishment of Rocky Mountain National Park, fearing it would bring commercial development to the area. This stance put him at odds with his well-known neighbor, Enos Mills, who championed the park idea as a preservation strategy.
In 1951, the Hewes-Kirkwood Inn became the home of the Rocky Ridge Music Center, founded by pianist Beth Miller Harrod and still operating today as one of the nation's premier music camps. Historic cabins house young musicians from around the nation during the summer months and the lodge and dining hall host performances and social gatherings. Weekly concerts, known as "Music in the Mountains," are open to the community. The entire historic complex has been maintained and rehabilitated over the years and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
Fun Facts to Know and Tell:
Charles Edwin Hewes believed that trees should be protected. Therefore, no live timber was cut to build the Inn. Only trees that had been killed in forest fires were used.
Estes Park was named for Joel Estes, the first permanent settler in the valley. He arrived in 1859 and built a cabin on Fish Creek.
The word "park" in the name "Estes Park" comes from the geologic description of a glacially cut level valley between mountain ranges and is not named for Rocky Mountain National Park.
Other Places to Visit:Estes Park Museum Estes Park Hydroplant MacGregor RanchThe Stanley Hotel, one of the Historic Hotels of America. Rocky Mountain National Park
Best Times to Visit:June 9 – September 22, 2008
Byways:Peak to Peak Scenic and Historic Byway Trail Ridge Road/Beaver Meadow Road (America's Byway®)
Toolbox: 
