Moraine Park Discovery Center
Small Park visitor center at the foot of Bear Lake Road with ranger-led hikes
- (970) 586-1363
- nps.gov
- 3 Bear Lake Rd, Estes Park
- Open now · closes 4:30pm
About
Just inside the Park, under a mile past the Beaver Meadows entrance at the bottom of Bear Lake Road, the Moraine Park Discovery Center is a small visitor center in a historic building. It sits at the edge of Moraine Park with mountain views all around, and elk are sometimes in sight from the lot.
Exhibits cover the Park and its wildlife, some of them interactive, and rangers and volunteers staff the information desk. Rangers also lead discovery hikes from here, and a nature trail starts outside. The hands-on displays keep small kids busy for longer than a parent might expect.
The gift shop gets as much attention as the exhibits. Food, drinks and pets stay outside, per Park rules. It is wheelchair accessible, easy with small kids, and a good way to spend a rainy hour while the trail waits. It keeps daytime hours, so it pairs better with a morning than an evening.
