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After the Flood: Colorado Resort Town Rebuilds in Time for Tourist Season (PHOTOS)
After the Flood: Colorado Resort Town Rebuilds in Time for Tourist Season (PHOTOS)
Nov 2, 2024 8:35 PM

Brownfield's souvenir and outdoor store in Elkhorn Avenue in Estes Park, Colo. suffered damage from the devastating floods on September 2013. The Colorado mountain town was cut off for days by the massive flooding. (Estes Park News)

In September 2013, the Rocky Mountain resort town of Estes Park, Colo. was ravaged by the state's worst flooding in almost 50 years. Roads were washed away, businesses were flooded, and homeowners displaced. For a town that relies heavily on tourism — Estes Park is the gateway to the Rocky Mountain National Park — the impact of the flood, which cut off the town for days, was devastating.

But the town has been rebuilding for the past several months, making sure access to Estes Park from Denver and other areas are rebuilt, and businesses are fully recovered.

(MORE:2013 Colorado Flash Flooding — How it Happened)

“The community of Estes Park and generosity of private individuals have come together in amazing ways to help raise funds and rebuild our village,” said Brooke Burnham, director of communications and public relations for Visit Estes Park. “Efforts at every level have been working together to rebuild highways, bridges and roads, returning direct access to Estes Park from Denver and other access points. These incredible efforts and collaborations have brought new life into Estes Park, making it an even better experience than ever for travelers just in time for the summer season.”

Some of the businesses that have fully recovered from the flood, a result of a week of heavy rain — 14.62 inches fell over Boulder in the span of five days, with 9 inches on Sept. 12 alone — include Kind Coffee, Wildlife Photo Art, Aspen & Evergreen Gallery, and Poppy’s Pizza.

(MORE: A Wedding Almost Washed Away by Colorado Floods)

To lure tourists back to the town, Estes Park has also worked opportunity to “expand and enhance the overall guest experience for travelers” with addition of new attractions and events for 2014.

Beginning in May, Kent Mountain Adventure Center will offer “cliff camping,” so that guests can camp, or have lunch, on the side of cliffs and enjoy the spectacular views overlooking Rocky Mountain National Park. Cliff campers will start by learning climbing basics; then a KMAC guide will assist participants in setting up a wall camp utilizing a portaledge.

There will also be new historic tours, a new Estes Park Events Complex, and a new adventure complex, complete with zipline experience., is scheduled to open on Memorial Day weekend.

MORE ON WEATHER.COM: Destruction from the September 2013 Floods, In Pictures

An M-923 U.S. military logistical transportation vehicle lies on its side in a ditch in Longmont after being washed away by floodwaters as local residents were cleaning up in the wake of heavy flooding on Sept. 16, 2013, in Longmont, Colo. (Marc Piscotty/Getty Images)

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