Estes Park Transfer Station

Small transfer station in town for residents and anyone hauling household junk from Estes Park. Located at 455 Elm Road, it’s the local spot where trash is compacted and loaded onto trucks that go to a landfill elsewhere. People drop off everything from bagged household trash to oversized items rather than driving all the way to a distant landfill.

Pull up to an entrance booth and be prepared to wait in a short line during busy times; weekends and peak tourist season get the longest lines. Vehicles usually stop on a scale or at a weigh point, then are directed to a unloading area where items are tipped or set aside for compacting. The site looks industrial - concrete bays, compactors, and transfer trailers - not like a recycling center with neat bins. Plan on doing the unloading yourself and having to sort bulky stuff a bit as you go.