Rocky Mountain National Park finalizes park visitor policy

The National Park Service has finalized a Day Use Visitor Access Plan for Colorado’s Rocky Mountain National Park. The plan manages day use visitor access in a way that protects the park’s resources, maintains positive visitor experiences, promotes safety, and supports the park’s ability to maintain daily operations.

The plan establishes two timed entry reservation systems from late-May through mid-October, one for the Bear Lake Road Corridor and one for the rest of the park. This is similar to what the park has piloted the last three summers and is the current operational plan for this summer. The reservation systems have been successful at spreading visitor use out throughout the day and throughout the park.

The ability to be flexible and adapt the timed entry reservation systems to changing use patterns is a key element of the Day Use Visitor Access Plan. Park staff will continue to learn from this year’s pilot program and adapt accordingly when considering future purchase lead times and reservation windows from year to year.

Approval of the Day Use Visitor Access Plan is the culmination of extensive planning, public engagement, and managed access pilots that began in 2016.

The Day Use Visitor Access Plan, Environmental Assessment, Finding of No Significant Impact, and other reference documents are available on the NPS Planning, Environment, and Public Comment website.

To learn more about Rocky Mountain National Park and to plan for your next trip, visit the park website, download the NPS App, or call the park Information Office at (970) 586-1206.

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