Rocky Mountain National Park Summer / Fall 2021
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WELCOME Timed-Entry Permits Rocky Mountain National Park This visitor guide, Don’t have a timed-entry Can I leave at any time? often as needed for the rest combined with your park permit? It’s likely that entry There is no length-of-stay of the day. map, has the info you permits are sold out for the requirement, you may leave need for a fun, safe, and day. Visit recreation.gov the park at any time. The With a permit, am I successful visit to Rocky to view availablity. Or, you only restriction is when you guaranteed a parking Mountain National Park. can wait until after 3 pm to can enter the park. You must place? No. Your reservation enter the park (excluding enter within your reserved guarantees you access to the Bear Lake road). A limited 2-hour window. park during your reserved Page 2: Things to Do amount of permits will be time window. It does not Page 3: Pocket Ranger released daily at 5 pm for Once I’m in the park, guarantee access to all Page 5: Hiking Guide the following day. These are can I exit and re-enter? locations within the park. If Page 8: Fall Guide expected to sell out quickly Yes. Once you’ve entered you have a Bear Lake Road Page 11: Driving Guide and we encourage you to the park during your 2-hour Corridor permit, be flexible Back: Shuttles & Safety plan ahead when possible. entry window, you can exit and/or use the shuttle to and re-enter the park as access trailheads. Food, Water, and Restrooms It’s the Year of the Tundra! Food services in the destination. Water from This summer we are Looking for activities to do park are limited. Food lakes and streams isn’t celebrating all things while up on the tundra? is available at Trail Ridge safe to drink unless you alpine tundra! Did you Check page 3. For tundra Store and in the park’s treat or filter it first. know that one-third of closures, see page 11. gateway communities. the park is made up of Picnic areas are marked Trailhead and facility this unique ecosystem? on your map. restrooms that meet public health guidance You can help this area Safe-to-drink water is will be open. If you have thrive by watching your available at some to go but aren’t near a step and sticking to the facilities and trailheads. restroom, you must follow trails. Don’t assume water Leave No Trace principles. D O N ’ T T RAMPLE T HE TUN DRA will be available at your Never Approach Wildlife Weather and Altitude Keep a safe distance from wildlife—it’s the law. Lightning regularly Altitude sickness strikes in Rocky. No affects many visitors outdoor place is safe every year. Symptoms when lightning strikes. include headache, nausea, 25 yards Check the forecast before fatigue, dizziness, vomit- heading out. Plan activities ing, and even unconscious- 100 yards so you can quickly return ness. Altitude can also to your car if a storm aggravate pre-existing Never feed wildlife, If you see a bear or begins. If hiking, plan to conditions like heart and including birds and mountain lion, stop and return to the trailhead lung disease. Take your chipmunks. It’s illegal calmly back away. Never Summer / Fall 2021 before noon. Return to time, drink water, eat, and makes the animals turn your back or run the trailhead immediately and rest. The only cure for unhealthy. You could be away. Stand tall and raise if you hear thunder. altitude sickness is to go bitten, scratched, kicked, your arms to look large. down to a lower altitude. thrown, or trampled. Pick up small children. Need to Know Visitor services are limited. All visitors must wear a 7 pm to 7 am Sunday nights Moraine Park, be alert for: Some facilities and events face mask when riding the through Friday mornings. are closed or canceled. A Detailed info is available on • falling trees and limbs, shuttle. especially during periods reduced number of visitors our website. of wind will be allowed in facilities Maintain social distancing of • unstable slopes and at a given time. six feet whenever possible. Pets are prohibited on ALL rolling material such as park trails, tundra, and logs and rocks For those who are not fully During the summer, road meadow areas. • burned out stump holes vaccinated, face masks are construction will occur • bridges or structures that required indoors and in When in burned areas between Bear Lake Road may be damaged crowded outdoor spaces. junction and Deer Ridge like Forest Canyon, Spruce This includes narrow or junction. This 3-mile section Canyon, trails in the Fern Off-trail travel is not busy trails, parking lots, and of road will be closed from Lake and Cub Lake area, recommended in burned overlooks. the North Inlet Trail, and areas. Contact Us Trail Ridge Rd Status Park Information Emergencies Website Social Media (970) 586-1222 (970) 586-1206 Call or text 911 nps.gov/romo @RockyNPS Visitor Centers Park rangers may be Rocky Mountain available outside the Conservancy nature following visitor stores are open at centers: the following visitor centers: • Beaver Meadows • Alpine Beaver Meadows 9 am - 6 pm • Kawuneeche Fall River 9 am - 5 pm Moraine Park 9 am - 5 pm Rangers will not be Alpine 9:30 am - 5 pm staffing visitor center Kawuneeche 9 am - 5 pm interiors. Check locally and at go.nps.gov/RockyVCs Shop online at: Rosy paintbrush for the most up-to-date RMConservancy.org. Things to Do information. Rocky Pocket Ranger Become a Junior Ranger No ranger-led programs Junior Rangers at Rocky are being offered this have fun discovering summer. the natural world and learning why we need As an alternative, to protect our national we’ve created Rocky parks. Visit Junior Ranger Pocket Ranger, a Headquarters at Hidden number of fun activities Valley from 9 am to 4:30 for all ages to help you pm daily (May 23 - August learn about and explore 21). the park. Go to the next page to begin your Activity books for kids adventure. ages 5 and under, 6–8, and Mills Lake Trail 9+, are available at any contact station. Watch Wildlife All animals at Rocky are wild Elk Bighorn Sheep Mule Deer and unpredictable. They are not pets. Never feed or approach wildlife: you could be hurt or issued a fine (learn more on front page). If stopping a vehicle to view wildlife, pull completely off the road, with all four wheels past Black Bear Coyote Yellow-bellied Pika Marmot the white line. Visit go.nps.gov/RockyWildlife for more info. Learn why fall is a special time for some species on page 8. And More... Bicycling Camping Fishing Bicycles are allowed on all roads open to Campground operations will be different this A Colorado state fishing license is required. motor vehicles unless otherwise posted. You summer and fall to help prevent the spread Trout in the park include brown, brook, must ride single file. They aren’t allowed on of infectious diseases. You cannot stay over- rainbow, and cutthroat. Not all park lakes trails except the East Shore Trail near Grand night in vehicles along roads or at trailheads. have reproducing populations. Learn more: Lake. Learn more: go.nps.gov/RockyBicycling. Learn more: go.nps.gov/RockyCamping. go.nps.gov/RockyFishing. Holzwarth Historic Site Horseback Riding Wilderness Camping Once a lodge, this historic site on the Horses have been part of Rocky’s tradition Overnight wilderness stays require a permit. park’s west side is now preserved for your since its designation in 1915. Horses, mules, To learn more or make a reservation, visit the enjoyment. Explore the grounds and read ponies, llamas, and burros are allowed on Beaver Meadows Wilderness Office or visit educational signage on a short walk. Learn park trails. No goats are allowed on park go.nps.gov/RockyWildernessCamping. more: go.nps.gov/Holzwarth. trails. Learn more: go.nps.gov/RockyHorses. 2 Alpine Tundra Adventures! Rocky Pocket Ranger Tread Lightly Did You Hear That? What’s the Lowdown? In many places, you’re allowed Why are so many of the beautiful to walk on the tundra with flowers in the alpine so small? To special care. find out, you gotta get down! 9 Make sure you’re not in a tundra closure (see page 11). Yellow-bellied Pika 9 Walk on rocks or bare spots. Try Marmot not to step on the plants—even Two of the park’s most beloved though they’re small, they may animals live in the alpine and are be decades to centuries old! found best by listening first! A loud Alpine phlox 9 When traveling off trail in a whistle or chirp is the alarm call of group, spread out so you’re each the yellow-bellied marmot. Pikas taking your own path. Social will “meep” their alarm if some- distancing is good for the tundra, thing threatens their territory. too! 9 Don’t grind your feet as you Stay quiet while exploring alpine walk. These plants have enough areas. When you hear the alarm, Alpine forget-me-nots Moss campion challenges with the wind, intense scan the rocks around you. You solar radiation, and short grow- might see a marmot on the lookout Find a grassy or rocky area ing season up here! or a pika dashing for cover! where you can lay down without damaging fragile Pretend tundra is lava! How Find a rocky area along Trail plants.