Grand Lake, Colorado Short-Term Rental Market
Rocky Mountain National Park area STR market posted $395 ADR, 65.1% occupancy and $7,006 monthly revenue in September 2026.
Quick Answer: Grand Lake, Colorado is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Rocky Mtn Natl Park market area is 65%. average monthly revenue in the Rocky Mtn Natl Park market area is $7,006. average daily rate in the Rocky Mtn Natl Park market area is $395. the top operator in the Rocky Mtn Natl Park market area is Evolve with 225 listings. market score is 69/100 (grade C).
Market data reflects the Rocky Mtn Natl Park regional market, which includes Grand Lake. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Grand Lake.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Grand Lake sits at the western entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park, which draws roughly 4.5 million visitors a year. The performance figures on this page describe the Rocky Mountain National Park area STR market, a shared regional series that also covers Granby, Estes Park and Drake, Colorado. The same numbers apply to each of those towns, so read them as a regional benchmark rather than a Grand Lake only measurement. The latest data month is September 2026. In that month the average daily rate across all listings was $395, occupancy was 65.1%, and the average listing earned $7,006 in revenue. Year over year, occupancy rose 6.1%, ADR rose 4.9%, and revenue rose 9.0%, so growth came from both more booked nights and higher prices. The longer record shows the same direction. Average annual occupancy was 50.3% in 2024 and 50.8% in 2025, and the first nine months of 2026 are running at 53.0%. ADR over the same span climbed from $336 in 2024 to $351 in 2025 and $364 in 2026 to date. Average monthly revenue for 2026 to date is $5,535, against $5,073 for 2025 and $4,750 for 2024. Demand is outdoor driven. Summer brings boating, kayaking and hiking on Colorado’s largest natural lake, fall brings leaf viewing, and winter brings snowmobiling on trails that run through town. The town itself has a population of about 410, so the rental base depends almost entirely on visitors. Bedroom, channel and listing type counts are tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Grand Lake, so this profile omits them.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 34% |
| Feb | 42% |
| Mar | 47% |
| Apr | 34% |
| May | 53% |
| Jun | 71% |
| Jul | 76% |
| Aug | 65% |
| Sep | 62% |
| Oct | 49% |
| Nov | 35% |
| Dec | 45% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Grand Lake are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Rocky Mtn Natl Park market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Rocky Mtn Natl Park market as a whole, which includes Grand Lake, so these counts are not Grand Lake-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 225 | 15,838 | ★ 4.75 |
| 2 | Vacasa | 157 | 10,044 | ★ 4.52 |
| 3 | SkyRun Vacation Rentals | 141 | 10,759 | ★ 4.84 |
| 4 | Rocky Mountain Resorts | 98 | 10,160 | ★ 4.72 |
| 5 | WorldMark | 83 | 1,440 | ★ 4.82 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Grand Lake?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Grand Lake are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 24.4% |
| vrbo | 9.8% |
| both | 65.7% |
Home Value Trends (Grand Lake)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Grand Lake are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Booking Insights
Booking-window and length-of-stay analysis for Grand Lake — how far ahead guests book and how to price around it — is available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Short term rentals, called nightly rentals in Grand Lake, are legal but require a Nightly Rental License. They are regulated as Conditional Uses under Municipal Code Chapter 12, Article 2, Section 31B, and the rules below apply to the Town of Grand Lake only, not to the other towns in the regional data series. There is a one time application fee of $165. Applications are processed through GovOs and can take up to 10 business days. Since a December 2022 ordinance, licenses are approved administratively without board review, and they run 12 months from the issue date. The annual fee depends on maximum occupancy: $700 for 1 to 3 occupants, $900 for 4 to 6, $1,100 for 7 to 10, and $2,000 for 11 or more. A fire and life safety inspection is required before initial approval and at every renewal. Off street parking must be provided for guests. Owners must name a local contact who can respond within 45 minutes, up from 15 minutes. STRs are permitted in most residential areas. There is no owner occupancy requirement, no primary residence requirement, and no annual night cap, and no town wide cap on licenses was identified. Enforcement is rated moderate but is active. The maximum fine is $1,500 per violation, each day counts separately, three or more violations in 12 months brings a six month suspension, and five or more brings revocation. Taxes include a combined 9.2% sales tax (state 2.9%, county 1.3%, town 5.0%) and a 2.0% Grand County lodging tax, which rose from 1.8% on January 1, 2025.
Market Comparison
The Rocky Mountain National Park area STR market runs strong on rate in its busy months, with a September 2026 ADR of $395 and 65.1% occupancy. The picture is less favorable on an annual view. Occupancy for 2026 to date is 53.0%, and the winter and early spring months fall to between 34% and 47%. The market therefore earns its results through price and a concentrated summer rather than steady year round demand. July revenue of $7,440 is almost three times April revenue of $2,547. Growth is also positive, with revenue up 9.0% year over year. Operator and property manager concentration is tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Grand Lake, so this profile omits it. The practical comparison for investors is high rates, strong summers and a long quiet stretch, paired with a reasonable regulatory framework that requires a license but sets no cap on the number of licenses.
Frequently Asked Questions About Grand Lake, Colorado
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