Timed Entry Permits Resume At Rocky Mountain National Park On Friday
ESTES PARK, Colo. (CBS4) - Timed entry permits resume at Rocky Mountain National Park on Friday. The timed entry will put a cap on about 85% of the park's capacity.
The park has experienced a 44% increase in visitors since 2012, and some people say they no longer visit the park because of the crowding and congestion.
Earlier this spring, the National Park Service announced it would have timed entry permitting throughout the season, through Oct. 11.
The Park Service says, "Park staff are managing for significant increases in visitation to public lands in Colorado, including Rocky Mountain National Park, along with continued COVID-19 concerns, ongoing park seasonal staff shared housing challenges, reduced shuttle bus capacity and residual fire impacts in some areas of the park from historic fires in 2020."
Permits will be capped around 75 to 85% of capacity. Permits are not needed before 9 a.m. or after 3 p.m.
The Park Service has begun a process to ask the public what should be done about high visitation numbers. More than 4.6 million people visited the park in 2019. Key concerns include trash, feces, illegal campfires, dangerous wildlife interactions as well as overcrowding.