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Rocky Mountain National Park extends construction timeline at east entrance

Orange barrels sit around a booth at the Fall River Entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park during construction in April 2023.
Rocky Mountain National Park/Courtesy photo

Construction at the Fall River Entrance on the east side of Rocky Mountain National Park will not finish in June as originally expected, instead lasting until late fall, according to a park news release.

The entrance on U.S. Highway 34 saw construction begin in November, but unexpected site conditions and utility coordination challenges since then have pushed back the expected competition date.

During construction, the entrance will have one lane entering the park and one lane exiting the park open. The Fall River Visitors Center, Rocky Mountain Conservancy Nature Store, Gateway Gift Shop and Trailhead Restaurant near the entrance will remain open.



The Fall River Entrance is one of two entrances on the east side of Rocky, the other being the Beaver Meadows Entrance. The park news release states park visitors should expect extended wait times at both entrances.

Cars entering Old Fall River Road in Rocky Mountain National Park. Visitors should expect wait times at the entrance while construction takes place, which is expected to last until late fall.
Courtesy / National Park Service

Rocky’s original design for the Fall River Entrance looked to accommodate around 1.5 million annual visitors, but in the nearly 60 years since, attendance has risen to around 4.5 million visitors per year. The construction project aims to reduce traffic congestion and improve working conditions for park employees.

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