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Rocky Mountain National Park introduces proposed fee increases

Sky Hi Staff Report
Rocky Mountain National Park entrance. Byron Hetzler / Sky-Hi News.

Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) is proposing a change in its current entrance fees.

The park is proposing to add a single day pass to the existing option of fees.  The “Day Use Pass” would be available for a fee of $20 while the weekly passes currently available would increase from $20 to $30.

The Annual Park Pass would increase to $50 and eventually to $60 by 2017.



Park staff is proposing campground fees increase from $20 a night to $26 a night in 2016. 

“A sizable portion of Rocky Mountain National Park’s visitation is one day in length,” said Vaughn Baker, RMNP superintendent.   “Currently, all visitors who do not opt for an annual pass purchase a single entry pass that is valid for seven days.  As an alternative to the seven day pass, we are proposing to add a single day pass to the park’s option of fees.”



Basic park operations are funded by direct appropriations from Congress. The fee program is intended to provide funds for enhancements to visitor services and facilities.

The Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (FLREA) is the legislation under which the park collects entrance and amenity fees. The FLREA allows parks to retain 80 percent of the fees collected for use on projects that directly benefit visitors.  The remaining 20 percent is distributed throughout the Park Service.  Since the beginning of FLREA and its predecessor program the Fee Demonstration Project, the Park has spent over $66 million in repairs, renovations and improvements, according to Park officials. 

In 2012, more than 3.2 million park visitors contributed $196 million to the local economy and supported 2,779 jobs related to tourism.

“We are committed to keeping Rocky Mountain National Park affordable and we also want to provide visitors with the best possible experience,” said Baker.  “We feel that our proposed fee changes are still an incredible value when considering other family and recreational experiences one can enjoy.  Plus, 80 percent of those funds stay right here in Rocky to benefit visitors.  As we celebrate Rocky’s Centennial, these funds are critical as we move forward into the next one hundred years.”

Park staff are seeking feedback about the proposed fee schedule.  Email comments to ROMO_Information@nps.gov by Dec. 1.   The current park entrance fees have been in effect for the past nine years.  The park’s annual pass increased in 2009.

Feedback the park receives will help determine how and when a fee increase may be implemented.


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