At the turn of century, the Colorado & Southern Company conducted a stagecoach business with horses and coaches. They made a deal with the Johnson brothers to offer stagecoach rides from Loveland to Estes Park and back again, starting May 15, 1905. Frank Bartholf had anticipated the need of facilities for travelers up the Big Thompson canyon once the new road was finished. He had begun building an Inn, at the junction of the north and south branches of the river, when the road construction was first started.

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1905 was a year of brisk business for the Inn at the forks, as daily stage travelers had a meal while the horses were changed. Some travelers stayed overnight. That year, Frank Bartholf, with the help of State Senator William A. Drake convinced the Postal Service to establish a post office in his establishment. Because of this, the area became known as Drake. In the book Fort Collins & Larimer County: An Illustrated History, authors Thomas J. Noel and Ron D. Slader write, “The Forks Hotel offered good meals and respectable accommodations for travelers along the Big Thompson between Loveland and Estes Park. As Loveland was the nearest railhead to Estes Park, this route was heavily used. Originally tourists came in horse-drawn stagecoaches, but by 1909 many came in Stanley Steamers. Frank Alderdyce bought The Forks in 1906 and also became postmaster. The post office remained in the hotel until 1973 when it was moved into a modular building.”

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In those days, Estes Park was like a frontier town. Accomodations were sparce. The journey up the Big Thompson was a major part of the travel adventure, especially if a stop-over at the Forks Hotel was included. Not all travel to Estes Park was done commercially. Many people made the trip in their own horse drawn carriages.