Grand Lake is a small, relaxed town on the north-east shore of a big, deep glacial lake, the largest natural lake in Colorado, at about 8,400 feet. Boardwalks run along the main street, with wooden storefronts, ice cream shops and bait stores, and a cluster of old log buildings dating from the early days of the town. The lake itself is a dark, cold blue, ringed by forest, with the Never Summer Mountains standing behind. Boats, kayaks and paddle boards fill it in summer, and the local yacht club claims to be one of the highest in the world.
The history of the place is a rich mixture. The Ute and Arapaho people used the area for hunting, and the Ute held the lake sacred, telling of spirits living in its mists. The first white settlers arrived in the 1860s, and the town grew up around mining claims and then tourism. Today it is the western gateway to the national park, and a sleepy contrast to Estes Park on the other side of the mountains.
For riders, Grand Lake is a welcome end to the high-altitude section. The long descent from the Continental Divide brings you through the Kawuneeche Valley, a broad, flat-bottomed valley with the Colorado River as a modest stream beside the road. Moose are often seen here, especially at dawn and dusk, so keep your speed down and your eyes open. The road is smooth, with long, easy curves. Beyond the town, Highway 34 continues to Granby and the large reservoirs of the Colorado-Big Thompson project, which carries water under the Divide to the eastern plains.
There is fuel in Grand Lake, and Granby, about twenty kilometres away, has a larger selection of stations, shops and motels. Local restaurants serve burgers, trout and huckleberry pie, and a walk along the boardwalk is a pleasant way to stretch after the ride. The town can be crowded on summer weekends, and parking is limited.
Weather here is milder than on the ridge, though evenings are cool, and snow can fall in any month. The best season is late June to early October. At night the sky is very dark, and the stars over the lake are brilliant. A short stroll along the shore at dusk, with loons calling and the mountains turning pink, is a gentle end to a day on the high road.