A picturesque mountain community, Red Feather Lakes is nestled in a landscape of boulders and lakes west of Highway 287. The town was named for "Princess" Tsianini Redfeather, a singer who was part Cherokee and part Creek.

The town was originally called Westlake. Many of the lakes in the area were created in the early 1900s with a series of dams and ditches by businessmen who wished to develop the area into a mountain resort.

But before that, a school district was formed in 1895, and a post office was established in 1896 at the Peery ranch.

The first cabin on Ramona Lake was built by Nettie Poore, and the cabin still stands today. In 1923, the Red Feather Mountain Lakes Association was incorporated to develop the recreation area, and organizers set about renaming the reservoirs with Indian names such as Hiawatha, Red Feather and Apache. An elaborate development plan was drawn up, but few parts were actually carried out. A hotel was built in 1924, and a golf course also materialized.

In 1952, electricity came to the high country around Red Feather Lakes. A fire protection district was organized in 1959, a Catholic chapel opened that same year, and Chapel in the Pines was dedicated in 1963. A community building was complete in 1968.

Red Feather Lakes is now a favorite weekend destination, offering good fishing and many other recreational activities. About 500 families make the town their permanent home, with an additional 100 families living there in the summer months.