Fast Facts

ATMs -- Although there are no automatic teller machines within the park boundaries, they are easy to find in banks and grocery stores in the gateway towns of Estes Park and Grand Lake. For instance, there is one at the Safeway grocery store, 451 E. Wonderview Ave., in Stanley Village Center (tel. 970/586-4447) in Estes Park, just minutes from the park entrance.

Car Trouble & Towing Services -- There are no towing or repair facilities inside the park. For towing and repairs on the east side of the park, contact Bob's Towing & Repair, 800 Dunraven St., Estes Park (tel. 970/586-3122), which offers 24-hour towing and road service and has equipment capable of towing motor homes, RVs, and other large vehicles.

On the west side of the park, 24-hour towing and emergency road repairs are offered by DJ Towing in Granby (tel. 970/887-9414), which can handle most motor homes and other large vehicles.

Emergencies -- Dial tel. 911 or park headquarters at tel. 970/586-1203. There are Emergency Call Boxes at Bear Lake Parking Lot, Cow Creek Trailhead, Hidden Valley Ranger Station, Lawn Lake Trailhead, Longs Peak Ranger Station, and Wild Basin Ranger Station.

Gas Stations -- There are no gas stations in the park, but just outside both east entrances in Estes Park, you'll find most major gasoline brands represented. In Grand Lake, just outside the park's west entrance, there are several gas stations; and you'll find a wider selection in Granby, about 14 miles to the south.

Laundries -- There are no laundry facilities inside the park. On the east side of the park, just outside the Fall River Entrance Station, there is a coin-operated laundry adjacent to the Fall River Visitor Center at Rocky Mountain Gateway (see "Supplies," below). You'll also find coin-operated washers and dryers, including machines that can accommodate sleeping bags and other large items, at Dad's Maytag Laundry, in Upper Stanley Village Center in Estes Park (tel. 970/586-2025), which also offers drop-off service, public showers, and a customer lounge with a television. From Memorial Day to mid-August it's open daily from 7am to 9:30pm; the rest of the year it's open daily from 7:30am to 7:30pm.

Medical Services -- On the east side of the national park, Estes Park Medical Center, with a 24-hour emergency room, is at 555 Prospect Ave. (tel. 970/586-2317; www.epmedcenter.com). Those with medical problems on the west side of the park will need to travel 14 miles from the park entrance to Granby Medical Center, 480 E. Agate Ave., Granby (tel. 970/887-2117), which offers 24-hour emergency care.

Photographic Supplies -- There are no camera-repair facilities in either of the park's gateway towns. You'll find film in many grocery and convenience stores. But for a better choice of film, and for photo processing, camera batteries, filters and other accessories, and cameras (including disposable), stop at Western One Hour Photo, 101 W. Elkhorn Ave., Estes Park (tel. 970/586-8522; www.western1-hourphoto.com).

Post Offices -- There are mail drops at the Beaver Meadows and Kawuneeche visitor centers. A full-service U.S. post office is located at 215 W. Riverside Dr., Estes Park, CO 80517 and at 520 Center Dr., Grand Lake, CO 80447. For the hours and the locations of other area post offices, contact the U.S. Postal Service (tel. 800/275-8777; www.usps.com).

Supplies -- The Country Supermarket, 900 Moraine Ave., Estes Park (tel. 970/586-2702), is located just 3/4 mile from the Beaver Meadows entrance to the park in a small shopping center. The store has a good stock of groceries, including fresh meats and produce, a deli and an ATM, ice and firewood, and a large RV-accessible parking lot. It is open daily from 7am to 10pm in summer, and from 7am to 9pm the rest of the year. Outside the Fall River Entrance Station, adjacent to the new Fall River Visitor Center, Rocky Mountain Gateway, 3450 Fall River Rd. (tel. 970/516-3183), contains a large gift shop, restaurant, convenience store with groceries, camping supplies, clothing, ice, firewood, and a self-serve laundry. Daily midsummer hours are 8am to 8pm, and hours are somewhat shorter the rest of the year.

Those looking for top-quality camping and outdoor sports equipment should stop at Outdoor World, downtown at 156 E. Elkhorn Ave. (tel. 970/586-2114), which sells all sorts of backpacking equipment and outdoor gear, including hiking boots, outdoor clothing, maps, and supplies. It also rents equipment, such as backpacks, day-packs, hikers' baby carriers, sleeping bags, tents, and snowshoes. Across the street from Outdoor World, under the same management, is the larger Rocky Mountain Connection, 141 E. Elkhorn Ave. (tel. 800/679-3600 or 970/586-3361; www.rmconnection.com), which carries many of the same items as Outdoor World plus a large inventory of casual and outdoor clothing. Both stores are open daily from 9am to 8pm in summer and close slightly earlier the rest of the year.

Another good choice for outdoor gear is Estes Park Mountain Shop, 2050 Big Thompson Ave. (tel. 866/303-6548 or 970/586-6548; www.estesparkmountainshop.com), which has a store with sales and rental departments and an indoor climbing gym. The retail sales department sells hiking and camping equipment, winter sports items, fishing supplies and licenses, and outdoor clothing. You can also rent camping gear such as tents, sleeping bags, snowshoes, cross-country skis, and downhill skis. The company offers fly-fishing and climbing instruction and guided trips both in and around the national park. It also offers a kids' outdoor adventure program in half- and full-day sessions. Daily hours are from 9am to 9pm year-round.

In Grand Lake, on the park's west side, the Mountain Food Market, 400 Grand Ave. (tel. 970/627-3470), and the Circle D, 701 Grand Ave. (tel. 970/627-3210), have good selections of groceries and picnic supplies. You can get picnic and fishing supplies, and almost anything else you might need, at Grand Lake Pharmacy, 1123 Grand Ave. (tel. 970/627-3465). Hours at these Grand Lake establishments vary; call for the current schedule.

Telephones -- There are public telephones at park visitor centers and museums, and at all campgrounds except Longs Peak. The park also has emergency call boxes (see "Emergencies," above).

Weather & Road-Condition Updates -- Within the park call tel. 970/586-1333 (recording) or tune your radio to 1610 AM. In Estes Park, you can call a local radio station (tel. 970/586-5555) for recorded information, which includes weather information for the town as well as the park; for statewide weather and road conditions, including road construction information, call tel. 303/639-1111 in Denver. Statewide road conditions are also available on the Web at www.cotrip.org.