ASPEN, Colo. — For the second year in a row, reservations will be required to access Colorado's Maroon Bells Scenic Area.
Visitors will be required to make reservations if they are traveling by vehicle or by Roaring Fork Transportation Authority (RFTA) bus.
Parking reservations will be required for the entire season as soon as the road opens in mid-May. The exact opening date depends on snow conditions on Maroon Creek Road.
The RFTA shuttle bus will run from June 7 to Oct. 17 or 24, depending on weather conditions, and the shuttle runs every 15 minutes from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Reservations for the season may be made by visiting aspenchamber.org beginning Monday, April 12.
> Above video: Colorado's busiest U.S. forest saw record crowds.
The price of a parking reservation is $10 and the price of the shuttle is $16 with proposed discounted fares ($10) for children under age 12 and seniors over age 65. Group reservation options will also be available.
Paid parking is available at Aspen Highlands, or riders can catch the free RFTA shuttle from Ruby Park in downtown Aspen to Aspen Highlands.
“A working group comprised officials from the White River National Forest, RFTA, Pitkin County, City of Aspen, Aspen Skiing Company, and ACRA had been working on solutions to mitigate traffic, parking, and environmental impacts prior to COVID-19,” said Shelly Grail, Recreation Manager for the USFS Aspen-Sopris Ranger District.
“The reservations system put into place for the 2020 season worked to mitigate overcrowding and manage demand, while also providing safety for the public and the bus operators.”
> Top stories curated daily just for you! Sign up for the 9NEWSLETTER to get can’t-miss stories, Next and Broncos content, weather and more delivered right to your inbox.
SUGGESTED VIDEOS: How to Colorado
MORE WAYS TO GET 9NEWS
Subscribe to our daily 9NEWSLETTER
Download the 9NEWS APP
iTunes: http://on9news.tv/itunes
Google Play: http://on9news.tv/1lWnC5n
HOW TO ADD THE 9NEWS APP TO YOUR STREAMING DEVICE
ROKU: add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching for KUSA.
For both Apple TV and Fire TV, search for "9news" to find the free app to add to your account. Another option for Fire TV is to have the app delivered directly to your Fire TV through Amazon.