Entry No. 139 — the Denver file — filed under: key-collection
Seven Keys Lodge Key Room (formerly Baldpate Inn)
Built in 1917 and now operating as Seven Keys Lodge, this mountain inn's key room drips from ceiling to floor with over 20,000 donated keys from around the world — including claimed specimens from Westminster Abbey, Frankenstein's Castle, and Mozart's wine cellar — and admission is completely free. The collection began during World War I when guests, inspired by the inn's literary namesake (Earl Derr Biggers' novel The Seven Keys to Baldpate), started leaving their most unusual keys behind.
The move: Drive the scenic 7 miles south of Estes Park on Hwy 7 to Seven Keys Lodge, spend 30-60 minutes wandering the key room together hunting for the most outrageous key story (the Frankenstein key is a must-find), bring a spare key from home to donate and add your names to the collection, then grab lunch or a drink at the on-site restaurant before hiking the nearby South St. Vrain Trail.
📍 Before you go This is a true day trip — head about 7 miles south of Estes Park on Highway 7 to find the lodge perched near 9,000 feet, so dress for cooler mountain weather and pace yourself if you're not used to the altitude. It's a seasonal operation: the inn shuts down for winter and generally runs late spring through mid-fall, so check ahead before making the drive. It sits just outside Rocky Mountain National Park, directly across the road from Lily Lake, which makes an easy, free-to-enter pairing — no park pass needed for the lodge itself. Remember it's a working inn with overnight guests and a restaurant, so be respectful, and bring an old key from home if you'd like to add to the collection.
- 📍 Estes Park
- 💸 $
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 4900 S Highway 7, Estes Park, CO 80517
Hours: Mined 2026-06-07 — confirm current hours before you go.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · allestespark.com · Tripadvisor
last checked: 2026-06-07