ESTES PARK, Colo. — Rocky Mountain National Park is still closed due to the wildfires, but an Estes Park staple is back open -- just in time for Halloween.
The decorations at The Stanley Hotel aren't too spooky, but they thank firefighters for getting them through a scary week.
“It is fascinating to see that type of cavalry coming over the ridge to save the day. It’s like a 1930s western black-and-white except for some color or orange,” Stanley Hotel owner John Cullen said.
Almost all the fire crews left the hotel and the guests are checking back in.
“The employees are back. They’re back in force. Everybody’s in the house. We’re getting back to normal, whatever that is,” Cullen said.
Just in time for an important weekend for the Estes Park landmark.
“Halloween is like what the Christmas ski week is to Vail or Aspen. The Stanley has a great deal of enthusiasts,” Cullen said.
Spooky steaks are being prepped and ghost tours are back.
“I’m gonna pop in on a few of those today and have fun because the spirits love me when I’m dressed like this,” Stanley resident psychic Madame Vera said.
Because this is a day she really likes to celebrate.
“We’re doing the best we can with what we have right now. The hotel is been through a lot. The town has been through a lot. So this is still something fun for all of us to do,” she said.
It's not the same due to COVID-19, but it's a big step forward from the fires of a week ago.
“So we went from spending the last week trying to save the town, save the hotel, and today’s crazy effort is trying to save trick-or-treating,” Cullen said.