ESTES PARK, Colo. — Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) will implement a new pilot timed-entry reservation system beginning on May 28.
The new reservation system will allow the park to admit 75% of its total capacity compared to last year's 60%.
Two different timed reservation types will help the park manage significant increases in visitation, COVID-19 concerns, park housing and bus capacity challenges, said RMNP.
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One permit will be for the Bear Lake Road Corridor including the entire corridor and access to the rest of the park and will grant access from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m. The second permit will be for the rest of Rocky Mountain National Park, excluding the Bear Lake Road corridor and will grant access from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Permits issued using the reservation system will allow park visitors to enter the park within two-hour windows of availability and will apply to all areas of the park.
Reservations to enter the park will go on sale through recreation.gov at 8 a.m. on Saturday, May 1.
Reservations will be available to enter the park from May 28 through June 30. The next release will be on June 1 for the month of July and any remaining days that have not been booked for June. This pattern will continue until October.
Twenty-five percent of permits will be held and available for purchase the day prior at 5 p.m.
In 2020, RMNP was the fourth most-visited national park in the country with a 28% increase in visitation in November and a 38% increase in visitation in December over those months in 2019.
Face masks are required in all park buildings and facilities. Masks are also required on National Park Service-managed lands when physical distancing cannot be maintained, including narrow or busy trails, parking lots, pull-offs and overlooks.
Details and updates on park operations and services will be posted on the park’s official website at nps.gov/romo through social media @RockyNPS or call the park’s Information Office at 970-586-1206.
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