Estes Park.

Designing for the outdoors

Estes Park sits at the edge of Rocky Mountain National Park, a mountain town where trailheads, wildlife sightings, and alpine views are part of everyday life. I had the opportunity to help bring that spirit online not once, but twice. This project marked the second time I worked on the Estes Park website, and the team was ready to push the design further while building on the foundation of the original brand.

This time around we had more freedom to explore how color, typography, and photography could express the destination’s outdoor personality. The design leans more heavily into bold photography and a richer use of color, allowing the landscape itself to take a more prominent role in the experience.

As Creative Director, I helped establish the visual direction and guided the team through the design process, shaping both the experience and the look of the platform. From the beginning, it was important to ground the brand on the homepage. Once that balance between photography, color, and layout was established, the rest of the system fell into place.

The design reflects the scale and texture of the environment. Expansive imagery is supported by subtle nature-inspired backgrounds and landscape textures that add depth without distracting from the content. Those details help the site feel rooted in place rather than overly polished or generic.

Planning outdoor adventures was a central focus of the experience. The outdoor sections in particular had the potential to become overwhelming, so the design leans on clear calls to action and structured modules to guide visitors naturally between activities, seasonal content, and trip planning resources.

The strongest moments come from the combination of bold visuals and restraint. Large photography and confident color create a sense of energy, while the underlying system keeps everything easy to navigate. Subtle background treatments throughout the site add personality and cohesion, giving the experience a distinct feel without calling attention to themselves.

The direction came together quickly once the photography and layout rhythm aligned. The client response during the homepage presentation confirmed we were on the right path, and the finished platform was adopted by the tourism board and continues to support visitors planning their trips to the area.