Timed Entry Permits - Questions & Answers

Hiker viewing Bear Lake

NPS

 

Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) will implement a pilot reservation system using timed entry in 2024, beginning May 24.

The pilot is similar to that used in 2023 with two types of reservations available. One permit will be for the Bear Lake Road Corridor, which includes the entire corridor, as well as access to the rest of the park. This reservation period will be from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The second permit will be for the “rest of the park,” excluding the Bear Lake Road Corridor. This “rest of park” reservation period will be from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Permits issued using the reservation system will allow park visitors to enter the park within two-hour windows of availability, with no set time for departure.

The reservation system will apply to all areas of the park. The only cost associated with booking a reservation is a $2 recreation.gov processing fee. The Bear Lake Road Corridor timed entry reservation system will continue through Sunday, Oct. 20. However, the rest of the park reservation system will end on Tuesday, Oct. 15.

Reservations to enter the park will be available through
www.recreation.gov following the below schedule.

  • Beginning at 8 a.m. MT on Monday, May 1. This round of reservations will be available to enter the park from May 24 through June 30.

  • The next release will occur on June 1, for the month of July and any remaining days that have not been booked for June.

  • On July 1, reservations will be available for the month of August and any remaining days that have not been booked for July.

  • On Aug. 1, reservations will be available for the month of September and any remaining days in August that have not been booked.

  • On Sept. 1, reservations will be available for October and any remaining days in September that have not been booked. 

 

Questions & Answers on Timed Entry Permits - General Questions

Rocky Mountain National Park is one of the busiest national parks in the United States. The park experienced a 44 percent increase in visitation from 2012 to 2019. Rapid growth in day use visitation and changing use patterns have degraded natural and cultural resources, diminished quality of the visitor experience, increased visitor and staff safety concerns, and created a heavy strain on the park’s facilities and ability to perform daily operations. 

Between 2016 and 2023, the park piloted several day-use visitor management strategies to address crowding, congestion, and impacts on park resources. The park has piloted different versions of a timed entry permit system during the busy summer seasons of 2020-2023. Another pilot system is planned for summer 2024. Rocky Mountain National Park is also seeking public comment on an Environmental Assessment for the park’s Long-Range Day Use Visitor Access Plan.

Pilot programs are a non-permanent operating practice. Pilot systems give park staff an opportunity to develop and test different systems, gather data including visitor feedback, and make adjustments based on what works well and what needs to be improved. 

Due to the complexity of a park-wide managed access system, such as timed entry, a thorough evaluation of the system and the associated data collection on visitor use patterns is not possible in a single season. Pilots may run until the needed data collection is completed.   

Sprague Lake is part of the greater Bear Lake Road Corridor system. It is located approximately 6 miles from the beginning of Bear Lake Road. Sprague Lake is also one of the park’s most popular destinations. There are connecting trails and a shuttle stop at Sprague Lake, meaning this destination cannot be managed separately from other areas of the Bear Lake Road Corridor.

Having access to the connecting trails and the Bear Lake Road Shuttle without a Bear Lake Road Corridor timed entry reservation would make management within the rest of the corridor very difficult and unpredictable. 

Additionally, because Bear Lake Road is a one-way in and one-way out road, from a practical standpoint there is no way to manage traffic only going to Sprague Lake. During a past pilot, the park tried to allow traffic through to specific destinations, like Sprague Lake or Park & Ride. It was found that most visitors did not stop at the destination they specified. Instead, most visitors who indicated they wanted to drive to Sprague Lake or Park & Ride actually continued to locations like Glacier Gorge and Bear Lake Parking Area, which added to traffic and road congestion along the whole road corridor.

Park staff have experimented with a variety of locations to manage access along the Bear Lake Road corridor. The first attempt was at the Park & Ride/Glacier Basin Campground junction in the summer of 2016. There were significant safety concerns at that location and visitors began parking and walking along the road to reach the Park & Ride. Later that summer, the location was changed and a kiosk was placed just south of the Moraine Park Discovery Center on Bear Lake Road. When visitors were turned away from that location, Moraine Park, Cub Lake and Fern Lake Road areas saw increased congestion, crowding and resource impacts.

During the elk rut in the fall, Moraine Park receives even higher visitation with the residual impacts. In 2019, the kiosk was placed at its current location near the junction of Trail Ridge Road and Bear Lake Road in order to manage the corridor in its entirety.

Park staff have evaluated incoming and outgoing park entrance data. Based on visitor use patterns seen over the past 12 years, a timed entry permit is needed to meet visitor demands from late May through mid-October. This is particularly true along the Bear Lake Road Corridor. September and October weekends are among the most popular times of the year to visit Rocky Mountain National Park.

The ability to adapt the day-use timed entry reservation system to changing use patterns is a key element to any future systems.

Yes, we have heard from park visitors, including residents local to Colorado, that they are frustrated. We have also heard from visitors, including local residents, that they appreciate the timed entry system and that their visitor experience has been improved due to the pilot timed entry permit system.

Rocky Mountain National Park is a national park. Because we are a national park, we are unable to give preferential treatment or priority access for visitors living in Grand Lake, Estes Park or areas of Colorado over any other park visitors. Colorado’s front range continues to grow and many park visitors are from Colorado. All visitors to Rocky Mountain National Park have equal access to their national park.

Visitors who live close to Rocky are encouraged to take advantage of their proximity to the park and visit outside of the times of day when timed entry permits are in effect. For most of the park that is prior to 9 a.m. and after 2 p.m.

Prior to timed entry pilots, many local residents expressed their concerns about the park’s level of visitation and impacts not only within the park but in the surrounding communities and public lands. Many indicated they no longer visited the park or simply couldn’t access areas of the park in the summer because of crowding and congestion. Most visitors to RMNP whether they are Colorado residents or residents of other states and countries provide important economic benefit to the communities that are on the park’s doorstep. 

For visitors who are interested in driving over Trail Ridge Road from Grand Lake to Estes Park and vice versa, please know that a timed entry permit is not required if you enter the park any time before 9 a.m. or after 2 p.m.

Trail Ridge Road is not a state highway. This road is maintained and managed by the National Park Service and its primary purpose is to provide park visitors with access to high alpine tundra areas of Rocky Mountain National Park and the numerous services located along the road. These include trailheads, scenic overlooks, and Alpine Visitor Center.

Fragile alpine tundra encompasses one-third of Rocky Mountain National Park and is one of the largest examples of alpine tundra ecosystems protected in the contiguous United States. Protecting this tundra ecosystem is one of the main reasons the park was established in 1915. Managing use in alpine areas is an important part of the timed entry system to spread use out throughout the park and throughout the day and to decrease congestion and crowding on and along roadways, including Trail Ridge Road. 

Alpine and riparian vegetation is particularly sensitive to trampling and can take many decades to grow back from overuse.     

The America the Beautiful Interagency lifetime or annual passes cover your entrance fee to Rocky Mountain National Park, as well as hundreds of other national parks and public lands across the United States. These passes do not cover park camping use fees, timed entry permit fees, or other park amenity fees.

Timed entry reservations spread visitor use out throughout the park and throughout the day. All pass holders need to be part of the solution to help improve the quality of the visitor experience and to protect the park's resources. You are helping to solve this problem by reserving a timed entry permit or by visiting the park outside the times of day when reservations are required.    

The Recreation.gov contractor has many safeguards in place to prevent “gaming” of the reservation system. Their engineering and security team continue to monitor the system and make improvements to the Recreation.gov platform to prevent misuse, bots and cyber-attacks. Due to these safeguards, there are not significant cases of “gaming”, misuse, or unfair advantages to any users.

There have been some limited cases of visitors presenting counterfeit reservations. Those reservations are typically caught at the park entrances upon arrival during the scanning process. Any cases like this are investigated by park law enforcement rangers

Rocky Mountain National Park is committed to addressing socio-economic and diversity challenges to visiting the park. Some of the actions the park has taken include:

Timed Entry Permits
In 2023, a timed entry permit reservation system was required only for the dates of May 26 through October 22 and for only six hours a day (from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.) when visiting areas of the park located outside of the Bear Lake Road Corridor. This decision was made so that more visitors could experience the wonders of Rocky while still allowing park staff to manage for visitor crowding and congestion. Visitors coming to Rocky outside of the timed entry window did not need a timed entry permit to enter the park.

For visitors who have difficulty accessing a computer to visit www.nps.gov/romo or to reserve a timed entry permit, the park encourages those visitors to take advantage of services like using computers at local libraries or if traveling, computers offered by hotels/motels. To make a timed entry reservation, you can call the Recreation.gov call center (Toll-Free) at (877) 444-6777, the Reservation Line (International) at (606) 515-6777, or the Reservation Line (TDD) (877) 833-6777.  

Transportation
Based on data, we know that access to transportation is a major challenge for many visitors. In 2019, the park began working with the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) to offer new opportunities for people to visit Rocky. 

Bustang Buses, operated by CDOT, provide affordable service from Denver, Boulder and other locations along U.S. Hwy 36 to Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park on weekends from Memorial Day through early October. In 2023, a round-trip ride from Denver to Rocky was $15. Many visitors who did not have easy access to a car took advantage of this bus service.  

A timed entry permit was included with each Bustang ticket. Bustang passengers are required to purchase a park entrance fee. While the Bustang schedule for 2024 has not yet been released, the park is eager to continue working with CDOT on this important program. 

Park Entrance Fees
The cost of park entrance fees also create a barrier for some families to visit their national parks. Recognizing this, a number of fee-free days are set each year. These dates are set by the Department of the Interior. The fee-free days for 2024 will be:

  • January 15 - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
  • April 20 – First Day of National Park Week
  • June 19 – Juneteenth
  • August 4 – Great American Outdoors Day
  • September 28 – National Public Lands Day
  • November 11 – Veterans Day
 

Questions Related to Planning for Your Upcoming Trip to Rocky

It Depends! 

  • What time of day would you like to enter the park?

  • What areas of the park would you like to visit? 

For summer 2024, a pilot timed entry permit system will be in place similar to the system used in 2023. Beginning on May 24, 2024, a timed entry permit reservation will be required to enter Rocky Mountain National Park during specific hours of the day. There are two different reservation options available to choose from: 

  • One permit will be for the Bear Lake Road Corridor. This includes all destinations along the entire Bear Lake Road Corridor, as well as access to all other areas of the park. Reservations will be required from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Bear Lake Road timed entry permit will continue through Sunday, October 20.

  • The second permit will be for the “rest of the park,” excluding the Bear Lake Road. This rest of park reservation period will be from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. This option is best for those interested in driving over Trail Ridge Road, visiting Alpine Visitor Center, hiking on the west side of the park, or visiting any other areas of the park located outside of the Bear Lake Road Corridor. The Rest of Park timed entry permit will continue through October 15.

  • Both reservation options allow park visitors to enter the park within two-hour windows of time during the day. Reservation holders must enter the park within their reserved window of time, for example from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. 

  • Only one timed entry permit reservation is required per vehicle (not per person). A visitor may only reserve one timed entry permit during a single day. 

  • When visiting any area of the park located outside of the Bear Lake Road Corridor before 9 a.m. or after 2 p.m., a timed entry permit is not required. If entering the park without a timed entry permit, your vehicle must enter the park passing through the entrance station before 9 a.m. Timed entry permits are required to enter the park anytime at or after 9 a.m. 

  • Plan to arrive early, wait times to enter the park could be 30 minutes or longer. 

  • If you would like to visit destinations located along the Bear Lake Road and arrive before 5 a.m. or after 6 p.m., a timed entry permit is not required. Remember that you must enter the Bear Lake Road Corridor entrance before 5 a.m. If you arrive at the Bear Lake Road entrance at or after 5 a.m., a timed entry permit is required.

 To reserve your timed entry permits, visit www.recreation.gov. Timed entry permits are only available through Recreation.gov. They are not available in person at entrance stations or at the park's visitor centers. Reservations will be available following the schedule below:
 

  • Beginning at 8 a.m. MT on Monday, May 1. This round of reservations will be available to enter the park from May 24 through June 30.

  • The next release will occur on June 1, for the month of July and any remaining days that have not been booked for June.

  • On July 1, reservations will be available for the month of August and any remaining days that have not been booked for July.

  • On Aug. 1, reservations will be available for the month of September and any remaining days in August that have not been booked.   

  • On Sept. 1, reservations will be available for October and any remaining days in September that have not been booked.

To reserve a timed entry permit online, begin by visiting www.recreation.gov. If you have a tablet or smart device, you may also use the Recreation.gov moble app. Search for "Rocky Mountain National Park Timed Entry." 

If you do not already have a Recreation.gov account, visitors will be asked to create a new account. If you have an existing account, start by signing in to your Recreation.gov account. Visitors may also call the Recreation.gov Reservation Line (Toll-Free) at 877-444-6777, the Reservation Line (International) at 606-515-6777, or the TDD Reservation Line at 877-833-6777.    

Step 1: Decide which reservation option is best for you. When on Recreation.gov, select your desired timed entry reservation option.
Step 2: Select your desired date and time of arrival. 
Step 3: Add the reservation to your cart then check out. Once your reservation is complete, you will receive an email confirmation with your attached timed entry permit reservation. This is the document you will be required to show a park ranger at the entrance gate.

Remember to print out a copy of this document or take a full screenshot on your phone.

  • If taking a screenshot, make sure you capture the full reservation confirmation, including the dates and the reservation "QR Code." 
  • If you are planning to access an outlying area of the park during a time of day when permits are required, (like Lily Lake, East Inlet Trailhead, Lumpy Ridge, and more), you must have a printed copy of your permit displayed on your vehicle's dashboard.

There is a $2 Recreation.gov processing fee for each timed entry permit reservation. This will be paid when you complete a reservation on Recreation.gov. Timed entry permits are non-transferable and non-refundable. 

A valid park entrance pass is also required to enter the park. There are multiple options available. For all details on park entrance fees, visit https://www.nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/fees.htm.

Rocky Mountain National Park's timed entry permits are available in 2-hour blocks of time. This means that when you reserve a timed entry permit, a visitor must initially enter the park within the 2-hour window specified under the reserved permit.

  • Are you planning to visit the Bear Lake Road Corridor? With a Bear Lake Road timed entry permit, you must both enter RMNP through one of the main entrances to the park, as well as enter the Bear Lake Road Corridor during your reserved 2-hour window of time.
  • If you arrive outside of your reserved time frame, you may be notified by a park ranger that you have missed your reservation window and you will be asked to come back to the Bear Lake Road anytime after 2 p.m. You will be able to visit other areas of Rocky Mountain National Park located outside of the Bear Lake Road Corridor. 

Yes, there is no length-of-stay requirement. Timed entry permit holders are required to initially enter the park during their reserved 2-hour window of time. Once you enter, you may leave at any time.

Are you visiting destinations along the Bear Lake Road? Be advised that if you enter the Bear Lake Road Corridor and then want to exit and return to the Bear Lake Road Corridor later in the day, re-entry is only allowed after 2 p.m.

  • For example, if you enter the Bear Lake Road Corridor using at 7 a.m.-9 a.m. timed entry permit, and then want to leave and return later in the day, your party may re-enter the Bear Lake Road Corridor anytime after 2 p.m.

Currently, the reservation system allocates approximately 90 percent of the park’s maximum parking capacity. This is approximately 20,000 visitors per day, or 7,200 vehicles over a 24-hour period. Park staff will monitor and adapt the system as needed.

If you are unable to use your timed entry permit reservation, cancellations may be made up to 24 hours prior to your visit. The $2 Recreation.gov processing fee for timed entry permit reservations is non-refundable. Timed entry permit reservations are also non-transferable.   

No. All timed entry permits are non-refundable and non-transferable. 

Yes. During the times of day when they are in effect, a timed entry permit is required to enter ALL areas of Rocky Mountain National Park — including driving over Trail Ridge Road (US Hwy 34) or visiting an outlying area of the park — when arriving by vehicle whether a visitor parks within RMNP or outside of the park boundary. 

This includes, but is not exclusive to Lumpy Ridge, Lily Lake, Longs Peak, Wild Basin, East Inlet, and North Inlet. An entrance pass is also required to enter all areas of RMNP 24-hours a day, seven-days a week. Entrance passes can be purchased upon arrival at the park's entrance stations.

Yes. If you are planning to visit one of the park’s outlying areas (to include, but is not limited to Lily Lake, Lumpy Ridge, Longs Peak, East Inlet, and North Inlet), print and display a copy of your timed entry permit reservation confirmation on your vehicle's dashboard. Additionally, be prepared to show your timed entry permit and your park entrance fee to a park ranger if asked.

Yes. Timed entry permits are valid for one-day only.

If you are planning to visit the park for multiple days and also plan to enter RMNP during the times of day when they are required (for instance, anytime between the hours of 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. for most areas of the park), then your party will need to reserve one timed entry permit for each day of your visit. Alternately, visitors can enter most areas of RMNP before 9 a.m. or after 2 p.m. without a timed entry permit. To access any destination along the Bear Lake Road Corridor without a timed entry permit, visitors can enter Bear Lake Road before 5 a.m. or after 6 p.m. MDT.

The timed entry permit reservation system allows for some limited last-minute reservations. 40 percent of each day's permits will be released via Recreation.gov the day prior to a desired arrival date beginning at 7 p.m. MDT. It is best to plan ahead, night-before reservations do sell out quickly.

All timed entry permit reservations must be made in advance through www.recreation.gov. You can call the Reservation Line (Toll-Free) at (877) 444-6777, the Reservation Line (International) at (606) 515-6777, or the Reservation Line (TDD) (877) 833-6777. Timed entry permits are not available at park entrance stations, visitor centers, or through the park's Information Office. Many public libraries also have free computer or internet access available.

No. Timed entry permits are non-transferable. They cannot be gifted or transferred to another person, including parents, children or siblings. When arriving at the park's entrance station, the person whose name is on the timed entry permit reservation must be present in the vehicle in order to enter Rocky Mountain National Park. The permit holder will be asked to show their reservation confirmation and a valid photo ID. During the times when timed entry permits are in effect, only one timed entry permit is required per vehicle (not per person). If multiple people are riding in a vehicle, one timed entry permit will cover all passengers in the vehicle. 

 

Questions Related to Camping & Service Reservations

For visitors who have a campground reservation to stay overnight at Aspenglen, Glacier Basin, or Timber Creek Campgrounds, a timed entry permit is included with your campground reservation.

Campers will be able to initially enter the park beginning at 1 p.m. on the first day of their camping reservation, which is also the check-in time for all park campgrounds. Campers who plan to enter the park earlier in the day will have to enter the park outside of the times when timed entry permits are in effect (for example, before 9 a.m. for most areas of the park) or campers can make a reservation for a timed entry permit.

Park visitors who have reservations to camp at Glacier Basin and Aspenglen Campgrounds will have access to the Bear Lake Road Corridor as well as all other areas of the park. Park visitors who have reservations to camp at Timber Creek Campground will have access to most areas of the park, excluding the Bear Lake Road Corridor. 

Campground reservations are available through www.recreation.gov and they sell out in advance. There are no same day sales available at Aspenglen, Glacier Basin, or Timber Creek Campgrounds.

When arriving at the park's entrance gate, visitors with campground reservations must show their reservation confirmation to the park ranger at the gate. This can be a printed copy or a screenshot on a mobile device. If you take a screen shot, make sure to capture the full reservation confirmation. Partial screenshot images may not be accepted.

 

  • Campers should have both their reservation confirmation and a valid photo ID for the reservation holder ready before arriving at the park's entrance gate. Do not expect to open your Recreation.gov account on your mobile device at the park's entrance, cell service is not reliable at the park's entrance stations.

Visitors with wilderness backpacking camping permits will use those permits as their timed entry reservations. You may enter the park on the first day of your wilderness backpacking camping trip. Entrance fees apply and can be paid upon arrival at the park's entrance station.

Longs Peak Campground is a first come, first-served and tents-only campground that will open for the season in July. The overnight camping fee for Longs Peak Campground does not include a timed entry permit to enter the park. Campers will need to reserve a timed entry permit to enter the park. Alternatively, Longs Peak Campground users can plan to enter the park outside of the times of day when timed entry permits are in effect.

Glacier Creek Livery, located inside Rocky Mountain National Park, will be open this summer. Reservations for rides can be booked at Hi Country / Glacier Creek Stables (rockymountainhorserides.com).A horseback riding reservation will act as your timed entry permit and will allow reservation holders into the park and the Bear Lake Road Corridor up to two-hours prior to a scheduled horseback ride.

There are additional liveries adjacent to the park who also provide horseback riding opportunities into the park. For a complete list, visit Goods & Services - Rocky Mountain National Park (U.S. National Park Service).

 

Questions Related to Shuttles, Transportation & Parking

No. A timed entry permit guarantees one vehicle access to Rocky Mountain National Park on the specified day and during the specified time listed on your reservation confirmation. A timed entry permit DOES NOT guarantee parking at any specific trailheads or destinations.

It Depends! What time of day do you plan to drive over Trail Ridge Road?

  • If you enter Rocky Mountain National Park prior to 9 a.m. or after 2 p.m., then you do not need a timed entry permit.
  • If you are planning to drive over Trail Ridge Road anytime between the hours of 9 a.m. and 2 p.m., then you will need to log onto Recreation.gov and reserve a “Rest of Park” Timed Entry Permit.

When planning to arrive in the morning before 9 a.m., give yourself plenty of time to enter the park. Lines at the park's entrance stations may be 30 minutes or longer. Visitors who do not have a timed entry permit must enter the park through the entrance station prior to 9 a.m. or you will be advised to come back in the afternoon after 2 p.m. 

A valid entrance fee or park pass is always required to enter Rocky Mountain National Park, 24-hours a day, 7-days a week. This includes when driving over Trail Ridge Road. 

Shuttles are a critical part of the park’s transportation system. They work well in certain areas, but not as well in other areas of the park. Over the years we have investigated the option of adding shuttle service to new areas of the park, including Alpine Visitor Center, but there are several limitations that make a shuttle like this less helpful and would create new challenges. 

One of the single biggest factors is the cost of operating additional shuttle routes at a frequency that might make them successful. The park has seen a 25% increase in shuttle cost this year under a new service contract. There is also the issue of additional parking lots that would be needed to feed these new routes, either interior or exterior to the park and the associated shuttle stops at newly served trailheads.

Specific to offering service along Trail Ridge Road, the overall length of a trip has been found to be a downside for most visitors. There are also some safety/weather related concerns with having visitors waiting for shuttles above tree line. Exposure to lightning during summertime storms would be a concern. Additionally, the grades and mountain roads are hard on shuttle equipment. 

Expanded shuttle use was considered but dismissed in the park’s long-range plan due to these factors. Over the past several years a variety of small tour companies have begun to offer shuttle service along Trail Ridge Road for those visitors who do not wish to drive up Trail Ridge Road.

The Hiker Shuttle provides bus service to passengers from the Estes Park Visitor Center, located in the Town of Estes Park, to Rocky Mountain National Park's Park & Ride Transit Hub, located on Bear Lake Road, and back.

  • Reservations are required. To reserve Hiker Shuttle Tickets, visit Recreation.gov at https://www.recreation.gov/timed-entry/10088647

  • Visitors with Hiker Shuttle Ticket Reservations will board the Hiker Shuttle in front of the Estes Park Visitor Center.

  • The Hiker Shuttle does not pick up or drop-off passengers at any other locations in Estes Park or in Rocky Mountain National Park.

  • All riders in a party are required to have a Hiker Shuttle Ticket. One reservation for Hiker Shuttle Tickets is $2.00 and this covers up to 4 Hiker Shuttle Tickets in a party. When making your reservation, remember to change the number in your party to reflect the total number of people, including small infants and small children, that are in your group.

  • Parties with more than 4 people will need to reserve multiple Hiker Shuttle Tickets for their group. One Hiker Shuttle Ticket will cover up to 4 people of any age. 

For all details on the Hiker Shuttle, visit https://www.nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/shuttle-buses-and-public-transit.htm

Some visitors to Rocky Mountain National Park travel in groups with multiple vehicles, for example car clubs, scouting groups, and multiple-vehicle family groups.

  • If entering the park during the times when timed entry permits are in effect (9 a.m. - 2 p.m. for most areas of the park), then each vehicle entering the park will need a separate timed entry permit reservation.

  • One person may reserve only one timed entry permit per day. The person who books a reservation must be traveling inside the vehicle, as either the driver or a passenger. A driver or passenger in one vehicle cannot be the timed entry permit reservation holder for a separate vehicle.  

When entering any area of Rocky Mountain National Park during the time of day when timed entry permits are in effect, all vehicles, including motorcycles, are required to have one timed entry permit reservation per vehicle. 

A valid motorcycle entrance fee or park pass is also required to enter Rocky Mountain National Park, 24-hours a day, 7-days a week. This means that if you are traveling with multiple motorcycles in a group, one person on each motorcycle must reserve a timed entry permit for the motorcycle they are riding on. The reservation holder will be asked to show both the reservation confirmation and a valid photo ID to a park ranger at the entrance to RMNP. The person whose name is on the timed entry reservation confirmation must be present and riding the motorcycle.

If driving over Trail Ridge Road, motorcycle riders may enter the park before 9 a.m. or after 2 p.m. without a timed entry permit.

Visitors who enter the park via bicycle do not need a timed entry permit reservation. However, you will need to pay the appropriate park entrance fees at the park's entrance stations.

Commercial Use Authorizations (CUA), Special Use Permits (SUP), Concessioners and Commercial Tours do not need a timed entry permit reservation for their trips into the park. Their permitted use is already being accounted for in the overall reservation system.

A timed entry permit reservation is required to enter ALL areas of Rocky Mountain National Park during the times when they are in effect, when arriving by vehicle, whether a visitor parks their vehicle within RMNP or outside of the park boundary.

Last updated: December 14, 2023

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Contact Info

Mailing Address:

1000 US Hwy 36
Estes Park, CO 80517

Phone:

970 586-1206
The Information Office is open year-round: 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. daily in summer; 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Mondays - Fridays and 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Saturdays - Sundays in winter. Recorded Trail Ridge Road status: (970) 586-1222.

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