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Reservations will be required to visit Maroon Bells this year

The reservations system is being continued in order to estimate and safely manage demand.

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.

Credit: Andy Konieczny - stock.adobe.com

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.” 

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