Elkins Distilling sits right on East Elkhorn Avenue in downtown Estes Park, combining a working distillery with a tasting room and mercantile shop. Founded by local entrepreneurs who wanted to bring craft spirits to the Rocky Mountain gateway town, this operation opened its doors to capitalize on Estes Park’s year-round tourist traffic while serving the local community. The distillery occupies a street-level space that feels more like a neighborhood gathering spot than a typical tourist attraction, with exposed brick walls and mountain-themed décor that nods to its location at the entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park. The founders saw an opportunity to create something authentic in a town that can sometimes feel overrun with generic tourist traps. They focus on small-batch production using traditional methods, crafting spirits that reflect both Colorado’s craft distilling movement and the mountain town atmosphere. The team keeps things personal—you’ll often find the owners or distillers themselves behind the bar, eager to talk about their process and the challenges of operating at elevation. Visitors get a genuine craft distillery experience without the pretension. The tasting room doubles as retail space where you can sample their spirits, buy bottles to take home, and pick up local goods from other Colorado producers. It’s the kind of place that works whether you’re a spirits enthusiast looking to discover something new or a casual visitor who stumbled in while exploring downtown Estes Park.