RMNP is a national park, not a state park...
RMNP 2021 Reservation System
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- coneydogron
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Re: RMNP 2021 Reservation System
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- DavidK
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Re: RMNP 2021 Reservation System
I guess what I am trying to figure out is whether, if I asked some official person at RMNP whether I needed a timed entry permit if I planned to drive to, for example, Glacier Gorge TH at 4:00 a.m. (or Wild Basin TH at 7:00 a.m.), they would agree that I do not need a timed entry permit (separate and apart from the RMNP entry pass). I'm just trying to figure out if this early arrival practice is officially condoned, or just something that RMNP hasn't figured out how to stop yet...??
- jfm3
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Re: RMNP 2021 Reservation System
You do not need a timed entry reservation if you are going to those places at those times. Period. It's condoned/allowed because 95% of the vehicle traffic in the park on any given day arrives at a reasonable hour when the timed entry reservation is in effect. They won't miss your $10 reservation when it will be paid back 3 times over later in the day by some family on vacation from Missouri who only want to drive in and walk the paved trail to Bear Lake. I've done this three times already this summer and had zero problems.
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Re: RMNP 2021 Reservation System
They clearly state you don't need the timed entry early or late. This system is fairly new so might evolve, but entrance stations haven't been staffed before around 6 before this system started, so no one to check passes. Their intent was crowd control and most tourists and park visitors don't go in before sunrise, and they don't pay rangers to check in the wee hours for the dozen or so cars that may enter. As mentioned. they make their money off the 95 percent coming in during the day.
Wild Basin trailhead is almost as popular as Bear Lake, with much less parking and no shuttle. so I'd expect added restrictions there in the future, and it can fill by 7. Especially now with thw new reservation system for bear lake. Recent years they'd turn people back at the entrance station. Most of those visitors don't go past Ouzel Falls.
Wild Basin trailhead is almost as popular as Bear Lake, with much less parking and no shuttle. so I'd expect added restrictions there in the future, and it can fill by 7. Especially now with thw new reservation system for bear lake. Recent years they'd turn people back at the entrance station. Most of those visitors don't go past Ouzel Falls.
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- DavidK
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Re: RMNP 2021 Reservation System
Okay, thanks all. Very helpful.
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Re: RMNP 2021 Reservation System
Okay, more questions on the reservation system. I want to do a climb out of Bear Lake, but I don't want to start 1.5 hours before sunrise. That's just stupid this time of year. Please answer if you have direct knowledge or experience, rather than speculation. Thanks!
-Can you arrive after 5am and take the shuttle bus to Bear Lake w/o a reservation for Bear Lake?
-It looks like you can bike into the Park at any time w/o a reservation. What about personal electric conveyances such as an electric scooter or skateboard? Or, could you enter the Park by car after 5am, park somewhere and bike up to Bear Lake w/o a reservation for Bear Lake?
-Can you arrive after 5am and take the shuttle bus to Bear Lake w/o a reservation for Bear Lake?
-It looks like you can bike into the Park at any time w/o a reservation. What about personal electric conveyances such as an electric scooter or skateboard? Or, could you enter the Park by car after 5am, park somewhere and bike up to Bear Lake w/o a reservation for Bear Lake?
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Re: RMNP 2021 Reservation System
25% of permits are available online the day before.
- timewarp01
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Re: RMNP 2021 Reservation System
No.
Nothing electric, only self-powered (except e-bikes, which are permitted)
Yes.
And as an aside, there are still afternoon thunderstorms in the park this time of year, even though the sun rises later.
- trektheworld
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Re: RMNP 2021 Reservation System
You know when you look across trail ridge road at those lake basins? I once thought how nice it would be to have some easier access trail where starting at the bottom of all of those basins and walking up into them would be an awesome way to expand and spread out the usage of the park. Think of how great it would be to park somewhere up in that valley, leave the car and walk 5-10+ miles one way and get up into those basins more regularly. When I say that, I know that people do explore up in there and there are actually backcountry permit sites up in some of those areas, but the trip reports I've read are quite surreal, especially when people attempt to climb off trail back up to trail ridge road to their vehicle. I'm just thinking that something to this effect would possibly relieve some of that Bear Lake pressure. Don't get me wrong - I don't believe that paving over the wilderness is the answer, but maybe something along the lines of "expansion". I know that when the ski resorts get overloaded with people they expand. But those are private businesses rather than the US government we're talking about.
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Re: RMNP 2021 Reservation System
Most ski areas lease the land from the Forest Service though.trektheworld wrote: ↑Mon Sep 13, 2021 8:27 pm But those are private businesses rather than the US government we're talking about.
(Including Alta, which is on public land, and won't allow snowboarding on it. Deer Valley and Mad River Glen are private land)
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Re: RMNP 2021 Reservation System
I see where you're coming from, but I personally hate this idea. The wild areas are too few as it is!trektheworld wrote: ↑Mon Sep 13, 2021 8:27 pm You know when you look across trail ridge road at those lake basins? I once thought how nice it would be to have some easier access trail where starting at the bottom of all of those basins and walking up into them would be an awesome way to expand and spread out the usage of the park. Think of how great it would be to park somewhere up in that valley, leave the car and walk 5-10+ miles one way and get up into those basins more regularly. When I say that, I know that people do explore up in there and there are actually backcountry permit sites up in some of those areas, but the trip reports I've read are quite surreal, especially when people attempt to climb off trail back up to trail ridge road to their vehicle. I'm just thinking that something to this effect would possibly relieve some of that Bear Lake pressure. Don't get me wrong - I don't believe that paving over the wilderness is the answer, but maybe something along the lines of "expansion". I know that when the ski resorts get overloaded with people they expand. But those are private businesses rather than the US government we're talking about.