Echo Lake Lodge & Park

Echo Lake Lodge amongst a pine forest on a sunny day

As Echo Lake Lodge approaches 100 years old, Denver Parks & Recreation (DPR) will be undertaking a planning process to evaluate structural and preservation needs, and the right combination of potential uses for the building and the park as a whole.

DPR will use its long-term strategic plan, Game Plan for a Healthy City, along with the 2008 Denver Mountain Parks Master Plan and Outdoor Adventure and Alternative Sports Master Plan to guide decisions on how the lodge can best serve the recreational interests of Denver residents and visitors for the next 100 years.

About the Planning Process:

The planning process for Echo Lake Lodge dovetails with a series of planning efforts and capital improvement projects that DPR has implemented to better program and activate Denver Mountain Parks and make them more accessible, such as the recently renovated Red Rocks CCC Camp, the new basecamp and Patrick House trailhead at Genesee Park and docks at Evergreen Lake in Dedisse Park.

The first phase in the planning process for Echo Lake Park includes a thorough facility and needs assessment of the lodge. Funding for the initial part of the process is earmarked in DPR’s proposed 2023 Capital Improvement Project (CIP) budget. 

What's next?

In the interim, DPR anticipates that the lodge will continue to provide limited visitor services during the planning period and that some services will likely be available after implementation of the plan. Echo Lake Lodge is a well-loved historic building and DPR’s goal is to ensure its continued accessibility to Denver residents and visitors well into its second century. 

Frequently Asked Questions:

Echo Lake Lodge History & Ownership

Who owns Echo Lake Lodge? 

Echo Lake Lodge is owned by the City and County of Denver (CCD) and is managed by Denver’s Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR). Echo Lake Park was acquired by CCD in 1921 and the lodge was built in 1926. Echo Lake Park is a designated Denver Park and will remain within the Denver Mountain Parks system in perpetuity. 

Does Echo Lake Lodge have a historic designation? 

Yes, Echo Lake Lodge is listed in the National Register of Historic Places along with the entirety of the historic Denver Mountain Parks system. You can read the National Register nomination for the Denver Mountain Parks here (1990) and for Echo Lake here (1995).  

What is the history of Echo Lake Lodge and why does Denver own it? 

In 1921 the City and County of Denver acquired the land, including the lake, that is now Echo Lake Park. Echo Lake Lodge was constructed in 1926 and was designed by noted Denver architect Jules Jacques Benoit Benedict. You can read more about Benedict’s career and his designs throughout the Denver metro area here.  

The National Register of Historic Places nomination describes additional history as follows: 

The notion for a park near Echo Lake emerged in 1901 in conjunction with the wilderness and National Park movements. In 1916, the National Park Service developed a trail system including shelter houses in what were then parts of Pike National Forest. By 1921, the City and County of Denver acquired 600 acres of land including the lake. This acquisition resulted from a landmark State supreme Court decision... 

In the fall of the same year, Echo Lake was opened as part of Denver’s Mountain Park system. A lodge was completed in the winter of 1925/1926 as an “integral part of the scenery,” to provide shelter, food, and lodging for visitors of the Mount Evans region. Plans to enlarge the building with a dining room and dance hall soon followed the opening and were implemented in 1927. 

Changes Coming to Echo Lake Lodge

What is changing at Echo Lake Lodge? 

Echo Lake Lodge will enter an interim operations period from 2023-2025 to accommodate historic preservation work and upgrades to accessibility and mechanical systems. Limited visitor services will be available at Echo Lake Lodge during this time.  

The interim operations period will allow DPR to work with historic preservation specialists to conduct a full assessment of the building in order to evaluate its condition and determine the best and most sustainable combination of uses for the space that meets the mission of DPR. During this time, visitors will have access to a food truck vendor at Echo Lake Lodge, and some visitor services will be available in the lobby. If construction necessitates full closure of the building during the interim operations period, services will be temporarily moved outside as practicable. 

Is Echo Lake Lodge closing permanently? 

No. Echo Lake Lodge will continue to be a publicly accessible landmark on the Mt. Evans Scenic Byway. During the interim operations period from 2023-2025, limited services will be available to accommodate historic preservation, upgrades to accessibility, mechanical system upgrades, and long-term planning. 

Will Echo Lake Lodge be demolished or significantly changed?  

No. Echo Lake Lodge is a cherished treasure in the Denver Mountain Parks system and, as the 100-year anniversary nears, DPR intends to maintain and protect its rustic mountain character and setting well into the next century.    

Will Echo Lake Lodge be remodeled? 

Limited interior remodeling may be required to accommodate restoration, improved accessibility, and upgraded mechanical systems. The scale of this will be limited to necessary upgrades and code compliance. DPR will prioritize the historic character of the building and follow the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties and Denver Mountain Park design guidelines. DPR will work with qualified historic preservation architects on any necessary changes. 

Repairs & Interim Operations

Will Echo Lake Lodge be open in 2023, and will I still be able to visit in the future? 

Echo Lake Lodge will have limited visitor services during the interim operations period from 2023-2025, some of which may be temporarily relocated to the parking lot to accommodate preservation and construction efforts. 

Why is Denver Parks and Recreation making this change now? 

The need to conduct repairs and re-imagine the use of Echo Lake Lodge was identified 14 years ago in the 2008 Denver Mountain Parks Master Plan, which calls for the following efforts: 

  • Rehabilitate Echo Lake Lodge to protect its architectural historical character, upgrade its appearance, and better accommodate its visitors.  
  • Study the feasibility of a new recreation role for the Lodge, including winterization for expanded seasons, overnight accommodations, etc. 

  • Undertake a comprehensive rehabilitation of the exterior setting of the Echo Lake Lodge including its connection to Echo Lake. 

  • Rehabilitate Echo Lake Lodge highlighting its historical and architectural significance.  

  • Create a stronger marketing program. 

DPR carried out an exterior rehabilitation project in 2012 with the support of a Colorado State Historical Fund grant. Significant additional work is still required to meet the goals specified in the 2008 master plan. 

The existing concession contract expires at the end of 2022 and DPR will use the following three years to implement critical preservation and planning efforts. DPR will providing limited visitor services for the interim operations period from 2023-2025 to accommodate necessary preservation and assessment work identified above, as well as accessibility and mechanical system upgrades, with a goal of fully re-opening for the building’s centennial anniversary in 2026. 

Why are the bathrooms closed? 

Increased use and visitation at Echo Lake Lodge, combined with outdated plumbing systems, overwhelmed the septic system and caused it to fail. DPR is currently working with engineers to increase septic capacity and repair the system. The interior bathrooms will remain closed to the public until necessary repairs can be made to the septic system. Portable toilets will be available in the parking lot until repairs are complete. 

Has Denver Parks and Recreation contracted with or chosen another concession operator to run the lodge?  

DPR has not contracted with another concessionaire to provide the same services that have been available at the lodge. In October 2022, DPR published a request for proposals for a food truck to provide food and beverage services to the public and reduce pressure on the septic system. All qualified vendors are eligible to submit proposals. 

Will future concession contracts be available? 

DPR anticipates that additional contract opportunities will likely be available in the future. DPR will follow the city’s established procurement process for competitive selection if the department determines that additional services are needed at Echo Lake Lodge. 

Why can’t Echo Lake Lodge continue to operate as it always has during long-term planning? 

The existing concession contract expires at the end of 2022, and the lodge and adjacent site need improvements to meet current park needs. There is a narrow construction window at such high elevation which will result in significant impacts to operations within the building. Architects and engineers will need unrestricted access to evaluate and access the building and its mechanical systems. Contractors must also be able to work on the building (the plumbing system in particular) without risk of freezing. DPR’s desire to re-open the lodge in 2026 and the concession contract that expires at the end of 2022 would not provide for this flexibility and would unreasonably impact operations and the assessment and improvement schedule. 

How will Echo Lake Lodge be used after the interim operations period? 

DPR will use the interim operations period from 2023-2025 to undertake a planning process to determine the best and most sustainable combination of long-term uses for Echo Lake Lodge. Long-term plans will be shaped by the limitations of the building (including the septic system) and may include some combination of mission-based visitor center, education and research facility, outdoor recreation hub, event space, or similar public park purpose. Continued food and beverage service and retail have not been ruled out, and the planning process will determine a reasonable and sustainable scale for such services. 

Will Echo Lake Lodge be included in planning efforts for Echo Lake Park? 

Yes. Echo Lake Lodge is a key feature within the park. Future planning efforts that stem from the Outdoor Adventure and Alternative Sports Master Plan and the 2008 Denver Mountain Parks Master Plan will consider how Echo Lake Lodge can support meaningful and sustainable year-round recreation. 

  

 

Location

CO-103 & Mt Evans Rd, Evergreen, CO 80439,  80452  View Map

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