Timed entry to visit Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado—a bid to control traffic and crowding at the popular destination—will continue until late October, the National Park Service says.
RMNP officials also warn that park entrance passes and timed entry permits can only be obtained online. They cannot be purchased at the park’s gates or visitor centers. Both an entrance pass and a timed entry permit will be required to enjoy the park for several weeks to come.
Crowding has long been a problem at Rocky Mountain National Park. The east entrance gates are a mere 90-minute drive from downtown Denver in light traffic. The park is even more accessible from the booming communities of Fort Collins and Boulder.
To cope with the influx during the peak driving season, park managers enforced and expanded a timed entry system implemented last year. The two-permit system for entering the park began on May 26. The Park Service recently announced that the 2023 timed entry system at Rocky Mountain National Park is being extended to October 22, just before inclement weather is expected to make the higher elevations of RMNP inaccessible to normal vehicles.
Those with camping or horseback riding reservations will receive a timed entry permit with their reservations.
Scientists are increasingly concerned about the impact Denver’s sprawl may be having on the lakes, creeks, and preciously alpine habitats that make the park’s attractions like Trail Ridge Road must-sees for travelers. For instance, researchers have revealed that traces of Denver’s air pollution have been detected accumulating in Rocky Mountain National Park’s waterways.
Public Parks witnessed rangers struggling to keep a handle on the crowds and guests in line during a past visit to RMNP. One ranger was seen intervening to prevent a woman from taking a pine cone home with her. Another had to caution a couple against getting too close to a moose. The huge ungulates can be unpredictable and dangerous to approach.
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Park Info
Park Name:
Rocky Mountain National Park
Location:
Colorado, USA
More Information:
