Drake

Drake has a population of about 1,000 folks. For most Drake is the little summer town about half way between Loveland and Estes Park along the Big Thompson River road--HW 34.

There is a campground along the river appropriately named, Riverbend Campground close to town. If you take HW 43 just west of Drake there are some county roads and homes up the North Fork of the Big Thompson and eventually you get to the little town of Glen Haven. This whole area was seriously flooded during the recent 2013 floods.

North out of Drake there is Storm Mountain Road and a set of roads where there are beautiful properties and homes. This is pretty area and would be a great spot to buy land or build a cabin, not far from Estes nor Loveland really if you did not have to commute on a regular basis. There are a lot of tourists in the area sight seeing and camping in the summer months mostly because of the proximity to Rocky Mountain National Park.

The area has plenty of hiking trails and whitewater rafting/kayaking and fishing spots.

Drake is a small little stop along Highway 34 located in the Big Thompson Canyon. As a Colorado native, I have to pause when I hear 'Big Thompson Canyon' as it always reminds me of the horrific flooding and the lives that were lost here when I was a very little girl. Back in 1976 was the worst flash flood the state has ever seen. During a four hour period, the mountains around Estes Park received between 12-14 inches of rain. The normally 18 inch deep water quickly rose to a wall of over 20 feet, and went barrelling down the canyon. This was during a time when there were no cell phones and no way to warn those farther down the canyon since the wall of water tore out phone poles (along with power lines, bridges, and homes) as it went. A state trooper lost his life trying to warn others and guide them to safety. In all, 144 people lost their lives and another 150 were hurt. Homes were literally washed away as were cars, many found with people inside them. The flood cost the state over $35 million dollars in damage, and took months to fix and repair roads, bridges, and homes. In 2001, 25 years after the horrific flood, a memorial marker was placed near the town of Drake listing the names of those who lost their lives.

Although Drake is a beautiful area, it is in a canyon with roads that wind back and forth. The easiest access is to Loveland and Estes Park, although the road to Loveland would seem to me to be easier to travel. It's well maintained, even in the winter, but as with many areas of Colorado, if there's enough snow, it may just be better to wait a day or two. Due to the high walls and angle of the sun, most of this area gets plenty of sunshine in the summer, but in the winter it's hit and miss, depending on where you are.

The cost of living in Drake is high, and even some of the smaller rustic cabins can cost what an average house does in town. While there are some great views and good fishing, Drake does have a lot of traffic at times, especially during the summer months. There are some bed and breakfast places, campgrounds, and an RV park, but overall there isn't much in the way of businesses or restaurants. I think the area is just lovely, but it has such graphic memories for me I couldn't live there.