Originally planned as a small clubhouse for friends, Professor Lowe's Alpine Tavern became the temporary end of track when funds for construction ran out, then became the principal tourist attraction, terminus of the Alpine Division, and premier hotel on the line. Opened December 14, 1895, the Alpine Tavern offered to its guests cozy rooms, a fine dining room and a main parlour warmed by a cavernous fireplace. After the destruction of the hotels on Echo Mountain, the Alpine Tavern was enlarged and soon became one of the most popular hostelries in Southern California. The Tavern offered all the amenities of city living. Guests could enjoy the band room, card room or circulating library. They could enjoy croquet, tennis, riding, biking, or miniature golf, and a silver fox farm was located nearby. The music room with its famed dance floor was the summertime home of the "Alpine Quartet." The Tavern's dining room was justly renowned, and curios from the souvenir shop are today treasured collector's items. Many bungalows and tent cottages were constructed around the Tavern. Guests could take their pick of fine riding and hiking trails, many of which survive today. This idyllic spot, long Southern California’s most popular tourist attraction, came to an abrupt and disastrous end on September 15, 1936, when fire destroyed the Tavern. The cottages in the surrounding area which were not damaged by the fire were subsequently destroyed by vandals. Today, the Mt. Lowe Trail Campground occupies the site of the Alpine Tavern.