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 story
In 1917, brothers Charles and Gordon Mace opened a timber lodge seven miles south of Estes Park and named it after Earl Derr Biggers' 1913 mystery novel The Seven Keys to Baldpate. Biggers' plot turned on seven different characters holding secret keys to an empty, winterized mountain resort. To lean into the literary gimmick, the Maces handed out custom brass souvenir keys to every guest who checked in. Then World War I broke out, metal rationing sent production costs soaring, and the lodge abruptly halted the key giveaway.
Disappointed guests refused to let the custom die—they began bringing their own spare brass and iron keys from home to hand over at the front desk instead. Over a century later, that habit has transformed the lodge interior into a metallic forest of over 20,000 keys dangling from ceiling rafters and covering the hand-cut timber walls. Supported over the years by state historic preservation grants and cataloged into a database, the keys are sorted state-by-state and filed into index drawers across the room.
The collection straddles the line between genuine historic relics and total fiction. Hand-lettered tags claim ownership of keys to Westminster Abbey, Frankenstein's Castle, Mozart's wine cellar, the Pentagon, Fort Knox, and Hitler's bunker, along with lock keys for Peruvian monasteries, robbed bank vaults, and Hollywood dressing rooms. Bring a spare house key from your junk drawer when you go; hand it to the staff and they'll log your name and key details into the master ledger.
What it's like
Perched near 9,000 feet directly across Highway 7 from Lily Lake, the lodge operates strictly as a seasonal affair from late spring through mid-fall. You don't need a national park pass, a room key, or a dinner booking to walk past the porch rocking chairs straight into the key room, where thousands of brass tags clink softly overhead in the mountain breeze. Keep in mind it's an operating lodge with guests drinking at the bar, so weave quietly around the state-by-state racks to locate the Frankenstein key. If you just drove up from Denver, the thin air at 9,000 feet will test your lungs before you finish scanning the ceiling timbers, so pace your walk through the room.
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.
Pair it with
- The Birch Ruins — Pair your key-hunting outing with a short walk to these 1900s stone bungalow ruins hidden in Estes Park's Knoll-Willows Open Space.
- Sleepy Lion Trail to Button Rock Dam — Extend your drive along Highway 7 with a quiet foothill hike along St. Vrain Creek to a secluded dam near Lyons.
- Lyons Memorial Labyrinth — Stop along Highway 36 in Lyons on your way down the mountain to walk a stone labyrinth constructed entirely from 2013 flood cobbles.
Good to know
Is entry to the key room free?
Yes, viewing the key room is completely free and open to the public during operating months without needing a room reservation or park pass.
When is Seven Keys Lodge open to the public?
The lodge runs on a seasonal schedule, generally opening in late spring (late May) and closing down for the winter season in mid-fall (mid-October).
Can I bring my own key to donate to the collection?
Yes, visitors are encouraged to bring an old or unusual key from home to hand over at the desk, where staff will record its origin into their catalog.
What notable keys are in the collection?
The collection features tags claiming keys from Westminster Abbey, Frankenstein's Castle, Mozart's wine cellar, the Pentagon, Fort Knox, and Hitler's bunker.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · allestespark.com · Tripadvisor · historycolorado.org · cbsnews.com
last checked: 2026-06-07