Rocky Mountain National Park reopens, rolls out online reservation system

Visitors to Rocky Mountain National Park will need to make reservations through a timed entry portal beginning on June 4 as part of the second phase of the park’s reopening.

“We are eager to welcome visitors back to their national park,” said Superintendent Darla Sidles. “This system will more safely manage the pace and flow of visitor use, reduce crowding, and provide an improved visitor experience in alignment with the park’s safe operational capacity.”

From May 27 to June 3, many outlying areas and park roads and trails will be open, but park staff may limit the number of entrants depending upon congestion. Starting on Thursday at 8 a.m., the park will open online reservations covering June through July. On the first of each subsequent month through September there will be new rounds of ticket sales.

Tickets will allow entry during two-hour windows from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. and are intended to minimize contact with park staff and other visitors. A maximum of 13,500 visitors per day, or 60% of the park’s capacity, will be allowed. Colorado’s “Safer at Home” order recommends that people recreate as close to home as possible during the pandemic.

Nearly 4.6 million people visited the park in 2018, and it consistently ranks among the most popular locations in the National Park Service. Ten percent of reservation slots will go on sale two days prior to the reservation date, and will be available for purchase up to the scheduled entry window, if not sold out first.

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Colorful spring sunset over Trail Ridge Road, winding along a steep ridge, with snow-capped peaks in Rocky Mountain National Park, CO. Photo Credit: SeanXu (iStock). (Colorful spring sunset over Trail Ridge Road, winding along a steep ridge, with snow-capped peaks in Rocky Mountain National Park, CO. Photo Credit: SeanXu (iStock).)
Colorful spring sunset over Trail Ridge Road, winding along a steep ridge, with snow-capped peaks in Rocky Mountain National Park, CO. Photo Credit: SeanXu (iStock). (Colorful spring sunset over Trail Ridge Road, winding along a steep ridge, with snow-capped peaks in Rocky Mountain National Park, CO. Photo Credit: SeanXu (iStock).)

Rocky Mountain National Park reopens, rolls out online reservation system

Visitors to Rocky Mountain National Park will need to make reservations through a timed entry portal beginning on June 4 as part of the second phase of the park’s reopening.

“We are eager to welcome visitors back to their national park,” said Superintendent Darla Sidles. “This system will more safely manage the pace and flow of visitor use, reduce crowding, and provide an improved visitor experience in alignment with the park’s safe operational capacity.”

From May 27 to June 3, many outlying areas and park roads and trails will be open, but park staff may limit the number of entrants depending upon congestion. Starting on Thursday at 8 a.m., the park will open online reservations covering June through July. On the first of each subsequent month through September there will be new rounds of ticket sales.

Tickets will allow entry during two-hour windows from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. and are intended to minimize contact with park staff and other visitors. A maximum of 13,500 visitors per day, or 60% of the park’s capacity, will be allowed. Colorado’s “Safer at Home” order recommends that people recreate as close to home as possible during the pandemic.

Nearly 4.6 million people visited the park in 2018, and it consistently ranks among the most popular locations in the National Park Service. Ten percent of reservation slots will go on sale two days prior to the reservation date, and will be available for purchase up to the scheduled entry window, if not sold out first.

Hikers in Rocky Mountain National Park. (MargaretW / iStock)
Hikers in Rocky Mountain National Park. (MargaretW / iStock)

Rocky Mountain National Park reopens, rolls out online reservation system

Visitors to Rocky Mountain National Park will need to make reservations through a timed entry portal beginning on June 4 as part of the second phase of the park’s reopening.

“We are eager to welcome visitors back to their national park,” said Superintendent Darla Sidles. “This system will more safely manage the pace and flow of visitor use, reduce crowding, and provide an improved visitor experience in alignment with the park’s safe operational capacity.”

From May 27 to June 3, many outlying areas and park roads and trails will be open, but park staff may limit the number of entrants depending upon congestion. Starting on Thursday at 8 a.m., the park will open online reservations covering June through July. On the first of each subsequent month through September there will be new rounds of ticket sales.

Tickets will allow entry during two-hour windows from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. and are intended to minimize contact with park staff and other visitors. A maximum of 13,500 visitors per day, or 60% of the park’s capacity, will be allowed. Colorado’s “ Safer at Home” order recommends that people recreate as close to home as possible during the pandemic.

Nearly 4.6 million people visited the park in 2018, and it consistently ranks among the most popular locations in the National Park Service. Ten percent of reservation slots will go on sale two days prior to the reservation date, and will be available for purchase up to the scheduled entry window, if not sold out first.

Colorful spring sunset over Trail Ridge Road, winding along a steep ridge, with snow-capped peaks in Rocky Mountain National Park, CO. Photo Credit: SeanXu (iStock). (SeanXu)
Colorful spring sunset over Trail Ridge Road, winding along a steep ridge, with snow-capped peaks in Rocky Mountain National Park, CO. Photo Credit: SeanXu (iStock). (SeanXu)

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Rocky Mountain National Park reopens, rolls out online reservation system

Visitors to Rocky Mountain National Park will need to make reservations through a timed entry portal beginning on June 4 as part of the second phase of the park’s reopening. “We are eager to welcome visitors back to their national park,” said Superintendent Darla Sidles. “This system will more safely manage the pace and flow […]


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