DENVER (KDVR) — Visitors at Rocky Mountain National Park will once again need to make a timed entry reservation in the summer and fall of 2024, the park announced Thursday.
It’s not a new concept, as timed entry permits have been used there yearly since 2020 due to COVID concerns.
According to a release from RMNP, reservations in 2024 will work similarly to how they worked in 2023, with a few changes.
Reservations at Rocky Mountain National Park in 2024
Beginning May 24, 2024, timed entry permits, or reservations, will be required for visitors in all areas of RMNP, according to the release. There will be two permit options available.
Either way, guests will make a reservation for a two-hour window and enter during that time, with no set time for departure so they can leave whenever they want.
Option 1: Bear Lake Road
A permit for the Bear Lake Road corridor will include access to that entire corridor as well as the rest of the park. With this option, guests can make reservations to enter during a chosen two-hour window sometime between 5 a.m. and 6 p.m.
This reservation system will continue through Oct. 20.
Option 2: The rest of the park
The other permit will be for the rest of the park, excluding the Bear Lake Road corridor. With this option, guests can make reservations to enter during a chosen two-hour window between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m.
This reservation system will continue through Oct. 15.
Making a reservation at RMNP
According to the release, the only cost for booking is a $2 processing fee. Like in 2023, visitors will make reservations online ahead of time.
Reservations will open month by month in rounds as follows:
- May 1: Reservations open for May 24-June 30
- June 1: Reservations open for July
- July 1: Reservations open for August
- Aug. 1: Reservations open for September
- Sept. 1: Reservations open for October
Any days with remaining bookings available can still be booked during that month. For example, if there is still a day in August with a booking available when reservations open for September, guests can still claim that leftover reservation.
The night before, reservations will be available at 7 p.m. in 2024, instead of 5 p.m. like in 2023. RMNP said reservations are expected to run out quickly, so visitors are encouraged to plan.
