Colorado residents don't want tourists anymore

[wagonmaster2]

Not sure if this is the right place, but I just read in the Denver Post that Colorado residents (I know RVers are not in this group) are beginning to resent all us vacationers that come to the state to spend our hard earned money. We're using to many of their hiking trails, putting too much strain on the Parks, and causing too much traffic problems.

I was kind of wondering what would happen if we could all agree on the year and just go some place else that would appreciate our money for 12 months. I'm sure that as many Texans we see here if they all stayed home it would sure make someone sit up and take notice.

And all the hunters. Think how much money all the out-of-state hunters must bring into the state every year. Just all us Forum members might not be noticed but if someone who knew how could post it on Tweeter or Facebook it might really be noticed.

Don't take me wrong, I love the State and have been coming here on vacation once or twice a year for over 50 years from Oklahoma but I do like to be appreciated considering all the money I've left in the state over the years.

Just hope I'm not stepping on too many toes here.

[CardinalCamper]

This is our 3rd summer in Gunnison we feel welcome here during the summer.We like to fish so tried a fishing forum to try and make a few friends.Well that did not go so well.A few memebers were not very nice about transplants.One guy said that he hated all the transplants coming to his state.One guy said he is tired of all the potheads coming to his state.
I made a few post on the site to share my fishing day with useful tips several times only got a response from one person.I also replied to others post they thanked others but not me.I have closed my account on this fishing forum.Oh well I will just stay to myself and Mind my on business.

[ljr]

Padlin wrote:
It's the same in all tourist areas, too many people with too much time and money for the non shop owning locals. Been like that in the Adirondacks for years. NYC folks buying up town and lake property, driving up taxes and apartment rentals so much the locals have to move to somewhere more affordable.

I tend to avoid places with active NYC infestations too.

[Padlin]

It's the same in all tourist areas, too many people with too much time and money for the non shop owning locals. Been like that in the Adirondacks for years. NYC folks buying up town and lake property, driving up taxes and apartment rentals so much the locals have to move to somewhere more affordable.

[ljr]

During my last trip around CO i thought I picked up some negative vibes. I haven't been back and have no such plans in the foreseeable future.

Not really a big deal for me. It's a big country.

[dakasa47]

Thank you for info about the Front Range. Both my husband and I have a strong interest in the geology of the Earth. It is a fascinating subject and we enjoy visiting places and learning about how they came to be on this earth.

[padredw]

We have made two visits to Colorado in the past three months.

On the first trip we stayed in Cheyenne Mountain State Park and Mueller State Park, as well as stays in Commercial campgrounds in Woodland Park, Buena Vista and Vallecito Lake.

This month we stayed again at Cheyenne Mountain, then at a commercial campground in Estes Park before heading on up toward Great Teton National Park.


On the way back we stopped first at Rifle Gap State Park then on to Pa-Co-Chu-Puk campground in Ridgeway State Park. Today we towed over the Million Dollar Highway for the first time (through we have driven over it many times. We saw the most magnificent display of glowing, golden Aspens we have ever seen anywhere.

We had some tire trouble just as we pulled into Rifle Gap State Park. We were treated with the greatest courtesy by the staff at the Walmart in Rifle, Colorado and by the staff at Discount Tires in Grand Junction.

We try to show the same kind of courtesy to the people we meet in Colorado, and all we can say is: "Thank you for sharing your great state with us for over 60 years." (Yes, I am 84 and my wife is 80.)

[Thom02099]

Busskipper wrote:

dakasa47 wrote:
I have only been to Colorado once and I never heard the description Front Range. Can someone tell me what that means? It seems like it is a certain area of Colorado?????????

I-25 top to bottom - where the mountains start. Foothills to the Rockies.

Front Range

^^^^^ What Bill said.

H E R E is more information. It's the urban corridor, roughly defined as the area from Cheyenne WY south to Pueblo CO and the counties that this encompasses. Though it's actually the mountain range itself, it's become synonymous with the urban area as well.

[Busskipper]

dakasa47 wrote:
I have only been to Colorado once and I never heard the description Front Range. Can someone tell me what that means? It seems like it is a certain area of Colorado?????????

I-25 top to bottom - where the mountains start. Foothills to the Rockies.

Front Range

[dakasa47]

I have only been to Colorado once and I never heard the description Front Range. Can someone tell me what that means? It seems like it is a certain area of Colorado?????????

[coolbreeze01]

What paper do you like if not the Denver Post?

[Busskipper]

4runnerguy wrote:
Don't think I'm blaming out-of-state tourists for this problem. Let me give you another example of how crazy things have gotten in the mountains.

Two or three years ago, we went down to the Front Range for a 4th of July party. As we went by Avon before 10 a.m., we could see all the streets were jammed and the parking lots all full. At Vail, we saw more cars parked on the frontage road than any ski day during the winter. And there was a 1/2 mile line of cars on I-70 at the Vail exit waiting to get off.

At Frisco, we needed a potty break. It took us 45 minutes to go a couple of miles through town. Once past the tunnel, traffic westbound was packed, and by Georgetown, it was slow and go. Once past the Empire Junction (US 40), westbound was stop and go (mostly stopped), and past Idaho Springs, it was at a stabdstill. As we went up Floyd Hill, we saw people out of their cars walking around. Traffic wasn't moving at all until we got down to Evergreen.

So by noon or so, every town along I-70 from Avon to Evergreen was already full and there was 20 miles of I-70 full of cars essentially parked on the highway, trying to get somewhere. I don't know where they were going and once they got there, where they were going to park. Of course the fireworks weren't for hours yet, but when one is stopped walking around on the interstate, you know it's going to be a long day.

Now the vast majority of those people probably originated on the Front Range and there were few RV's in that backup. But with so many people in the Denver area heading to the hills every weekend, you can imagine the impact on the mountain communities.

Ken,

You are aware that the 4th in Vail is the Lacrosse tournament with people from all over the US and a number from around the world. Literally thousands of Kids/ and a number of Parents - I'd guess that what you are seeing - the fields are used Vail to Avon - there is never any parking - hence the roads are full of people parked on he shoulder to get to the fields.

It has gotten so bad that we no longer even try to go - (Again a Yogi is'em)

Twenty years ago you could get a House at less than 1/2 price of ski season - today it's full boat plus, Yes Colorado you have been DISCOVERED!

But IMHO it is still hard to beat any day in Colorado.

FYI,

[4runnerguy]

Don't think I'm blaming out-of-state tourists for this problem. Let me give you another example of how crazy things have gotten in the mountains.

Two or three years ago, we went down to the Front Range for a 4th of July party. As we went by Avon before 10 a.m., we could see all the streets were jammed and the parking lots all full. At Vail, we saw more cars parked on the frontage road than any ski day during the winter. And there was a 1/2 mile line of cars on I-70 at the Vail exit waiting to get off.

At Frisco, we needed a potty break. It took us 45 minutes to go a couple of miles through town. Once past the tunnel, traffic westbound was packed, and by Georgetown, it was slow and go. Once past the Empire Junction (US 40), westbound was stop and go (mostly stopped), and past Idaho Springs, it was at a stabdstill. As we went up Floyd Hill, we saw people out of their cars walking around. Traffic wasn't moving at all until we got down to Evergreen.

So by noon or so, every town along I-70 from Avon to Evergreen was already full and there was 20 miles of I-70 full of cars essentially parked on the highway, trying to get somewhere. I don't know where they were going and once they got there, where they were going to park. Of course the fireworks weren't for hours yet, but when one is stopped walking around on the interstate, you know it's going to be a long day.

Now the vast majority of those people probably originated on the Front Range and there were few RV's in that backup. But with so many people in the Denver area heading to the hills every weekend, you can imagine the impact on the mountain communities.

[JAC1982]

It's not just the tourists that "natives" don't like. I put natives in quotes as I know not all natives feel this way. But if you read the comment section on any news article about housing prices, traffic, roads, tourism, mountains, etc., you'll see plenty of people complaining about all the transplants. I understand where they are coming from, because, at least on the Front Range, housing prices have risen exponentially in the past few years, both for purchasing and for renting, and of course there is more wear and tear on everything due to the increased usage. Traffic is the worst.

I'm a transplant and so is my husband. I grew up in CA, lived in Chicago for a long while, then back to CA, and now here. Husband is from Wyoming, attended college here, then moved to AZ then back here. In 2008, I came out to Denver to see about maybe moving here as I was a bit tired of Chicago. I checked out some apartments in the Cap Hill area in Denver. Small vintage 1 bedroom apartments with no parking could be had for $550-$700. Those same apartments now are at least double the price. Shoot, even our old house, which my husband purchased in 2012 for $220,000, is now worth probably $300-$310k (we sold for $260k in 2014). So, I could see why natives are upset by that, especially since for the average person working an average job, the salaries haven't gone up to compensate for it.

[jmtandem]

Another example are schools. A fair percentage of the job growth in the last few years has been to support the tourist industry. That means more families and more kids. Our school district got voter approval for a bond issue to build a new elementary school, enlarge an existing one, and increase the bus capacity to serve students living in new housing further away from school. All of that money is coming from property taxes, not from tourists. (Maybe I should set up a GoFundMe page if you all would like to make contributions

Maybe my definition of 'tourist' is not the same as yours. Tourists tend to leave and go home not stay and go to school for the school year. I cannot see how tourists that visit need more elementary schools in your area. What the schools are responding to are new to your area residents that have kids that move to the area.
That is an entirely different issue and new residents do add to the need for infrastructure and services, but this thread is about tourists that leave as they live somewhere else and only visit your area. And residents are residents whether they support tourism or any other economic sector. As growth occurs it is inevitable that infrastructure and services will also grow. That is why people often leave an area after a time as the area has outgrown what they once considered to be a nice place to live. And even worse than growth is when an area is in decline, depressed housing prices if you can sell it at all, reduced incomes, less customers, and still all the infrastructure that was created when the demand was there but is now not being used as much or as efficiently. Be glad of the growth, it is really benefitting you.