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The “pilot” timed-entry reservation system for Rocky Mountain National Park, first imposed in 2020 during the pandemic and continued in subsequent years as a means to restrict visitor numbers during peak periods, has been adopted as permanent by the National Park Service.
The NPS “finalized” the Day Use Visitor Access Plan, according to an NPS news release posted on Thursday, following a mandatory environmental assessment and an official finding that adopting the plan “will not constitute impairment of the resources of the park.”
The process of formulating a management strategy to flatten the explosive growth of park visitation began in 2016 under then-superintendent Darla Sidles. The finding of no significant adverse impact was signed by park superintendent Gary Ingram, who succeeded Sidles last August, and Katharine Hammond, NPS regional director.
“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,” the release states. “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 seasonal reservation requirement went into effect last week. Reservations for the Bear Lake corridor are required through Oct. 20. The reservation requirement for the rest of the park expires Oct. 14. Reservations are available through recreation.gov.
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