ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK – A reservation system created to ease overcrowding that was implemented at Rocky Mountain National Park last year will continue in 2022.
The pilot temporary timed entry permit reservation system, which aims to counteract negative impacts to the park and visitor experience, will be in place starting May 27 through Oct. 10.
Just like last year, two types of reservations will be available: One permit will be for the Bear Lake Road Corridor from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m., and includes the entire corridor, as well as access to the rest of the park. The second permit, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., will be for the rest of Rocky Mountain National Park, excluding the Bear Lake Road corridor, according to spokeswoman Kyle Patterson.
Permits issued using the reservation system will allow park visitors to enter the park within two-hour windows of availability. The reservation system will apply to all areas of the park.
Reservations to enter the park will go on sale through www.recreation.gov at 10 a.m. Mountain Daylight Time on Monday, May 2. This round of reservations will be available to enter the park from May 27 through June 30, which each release for the following months happening on the first day of the month prior to the reservation (so reservations for July will happen on June 1, and so and on and so forth).
This year’s pilot reservation system allows for a greater number of reservations per day, according to Patterson.
Reservations will be based on approximately 90% of the park’s total parking capacity compared to last year’s system, which was based on approximately 75 to 85% of the park’s total parking capacity, officials said.
This system spreads use throughout the park and throughout the day to better utilize all parking/trailhead areas, Patterson said.
Rocky Mountain National Park isn’t the only national park using a temporary timed entry permit reservation system. Other national parks which have implemented these types of requirements include Arches National Park, Glacier National Park, Acadia National Park, Muir Woods National Monument, Shenandoah National Park, Haleakala National Park and Zion National Park.