Donut Haus, the best donuts above 1,010 feet

This is a post from June, 2015 that didn't post. Just seeing the pictures makes me want to be back in the Rocky Mountains to eat a couple of these delicious donuts! I stopped here again in the summer of 2017, and given their long track record in Estes Park, I have no reason to doubt they're still doing very well.

Donut Haus in Estes Park, Colorado, offers some of the best donuts in the country.  They're certainly the best I've had above 1,010 feet elevation.  I've had the pleasure of stopping here about a dozen times over the past few years as I've worked on projects in the National Park just up the road. I've even driven well out of my way just to grab a bagful of their donuts for a long drive across the flatlands of the midwest or through the mountains out west.

The tiny roadside donut shop is just beyond a bend in the road as you leave 'downtown' Estes Park and head toward the entrance of Rocky Mountain National Park. At first glance, it seems unlikely that such a small building could produce large quantities of anything, let alone the vast quantities of heavenly pastries and donuts that are on offer each morning.  Like many small local eateries, the quality of this location is easy to spot as you drive by early in the morning and see a line of customers stretching out the door and, at times, down the street. Latecomers will be disappointed to see a sign in the window saying they've sold out for the day. When your parents raised you to never be late, they were training you well for a visit to Donut Haus. Don't be late, and you will be rewarded with some of the best donuts you've ever eaten.

The shop is almost always well staffed with eager workers ready to help. If there is any frustration here it is that I've often been asked what I want before it's possible to see what is available, since you enter the shop sideways to the glass display cases of donuts and only have a glimpse of what's available that morning before you fully get inside.  But that is also part of the charm, and I wouldn't change a thing. It's crowded, but everyone almost always seems to be happy to be there. Well, except for that grumpy tourist from Alabama who hasn't had coffee and hasn't acclimated to the elevation. But as soon as he's stuffed with a cream filled chocolate long john he'll be . 

Experience has shown that everything is good here, and there is usually some creative and fun spin on the traditional donut to make another stop worth your while. One favorite was the fruit-loops topped cake donut. Both raised and cake donuts are available in a variety of flavors. While I enjoy the cake donuts, I would argue that Donut Haus has perfected the raised donut to the point of art. My personal favorites are the apple fritters, bear claws, or bow-tie cinnamon roll-like creations whose name I can never remember because my brain is so focused on devouring said creation that I lose track of nearly everything else -- money, kids, car keys.  

Speaking of money, I'm also always shocked at how inexpensive the donuts are, especially for an established restaurant in a tourist town. The only donut shop I've found whose product I like better is the legendary Lamar's Donuts in Kansas City, Missouri.  But Lamar's easily charges twice what Donut Haus does for their products, and Lamar's raised Donuts often settle much heavier than these light and fluffy donuts from high in the Rockies.

Bottom line, it's well worth planning a vacation to Estes Park to grab a bag of donuts and a cup of coffee at Donut Haus. I also recommend stopping by Rocky Mountain National Park while you're in the area. But seriously. Come for the donuts.