Visitations on the rise
Visitation numbers at Rocky Mountain National Park continue to climb as the park enters its peak season and the second full month of the 2021 timed entry reservation system. While numbers for June are still being calculated, the numbers for May are out and they are massive.
The year to date total visitation for the park increased from 398,273 at the end of May last year, to 949,157 at the same time this year. That is an increase of 138.3%.
The park tallies visitation at the Beaver Meadows and Fall River entrances near Estes Park and the Grand Lake entrance on the west side of the Continental Divide, with Beaver Meadows being the most highly trafficked, followed by Fall River.
Year to date, the Beaver Meadows entrance has allowed 445,580 visitors in, compared to just 173,580 last year. The Fall River entrance has allowed 205,746 visitors in, up 177.9% from the total let in at this time last year (74,027).
At this time last year the Grand Lake entrance had let 14,845 visitors pass though its gates, this year they have let in 205,746, a 146.7% bump.
An eye-grabbing statistic from May 2021’s numbers is the fact that visitation is up 431.5% over May 2020. Then you are reminded that, at the request of the local health department, RMNP closed to all visitors 24-hours a day/7-days a week on March 20, and there was no access permitted until the park began a phased reopening on May 27.
“This comparison encompasses five days the park was open in 2020 vs. the entire month the park was open in 2021,” said RMNP Public Information Officer Kyle Patterson.
A more accurate comparison comes from comparing this May’s visitation to the same months in 2019 and 2018, prior to the pandemic.
May 2021 was up 19.5% over May 2019, but the weather of that year may have dampened the numbers a bit.
According to RMNP officials, “Weather in the spring greatly impacts visitation. May 2019 saw several snowstorms, rain, and a colder, later spring. Trail Ridge Road opened later than planned; it was scheduled to open on May 24 but did not open until June 6 due to wintry weather and conditions.
In 2018, park officials say the weather in May was uncommonly warm and dry, but the visitation numbers for this May still topped 2018 by 9.5%.
These numbers continue the trend of RMNP visitation setting record highs year after year, cementing its place as one of the most popular National Parks in the countr y.
“On May 28, 2021, RMNP began a new temporary timed entry permit reservation to manage for significant increases in visitation to public lands as more people are travelling after the pandemic, including RMNP, along with continued Covid-19 concerns, ongoing park seasonal staff shared housing challenges and residual fire impacts in some areas of the park from 2020’s historic fires,” said Patterson.
The reservation system ends on Oct. 11.