What's up with Rocky Mt. National Park entry?

[okhmbldr]

I have a trip to Western Colorado planned for the last week of June. I will be staying at Westcliffe for a few days with friends, then had planned to go to Dillon for a night, then to Estes Park by way of the Rocky Mt. National Park, with a night in Loveland.
I just happened to check the website for the RMNP and noticed this new requirement for entry:

Reservations required to enter Rocky Mountain National Park
From May 28 through October 11, 2021, visitors to Rocky Mountain National Park will need a timed entry permit and an entrance pass to recreate in the park. Click "more" for details.

This "Timed Entry Permit" costs $25. My Senior Pass gets me into the park, but I have to pay and have a reservation to get in.

I guess I'm living in a bubble. My last trip to RMNP was 2004, just drove on Hwy 34 straight through the park.

I don't usually travel much during the summer months, mostly local trips, so maybe I'll just wait and go out of season. Less traffic suits me better.

[FWC]

dodge guy wrote:
Yep, they figured out a new way to make money from the NP’s we have already paid to use!

And it’s not just RMNP either!

To be clear, the parks are not making any money off this. The fee is $2 and it goes to the contractor that operates the reservation system. The park could pay the fee instead, but that would mean even less money for the parks themselves as the contractor still expects to be paid.

Same deal for the folks that are upset about this being charged to annual and geezer pass holders. This is a fixed cost to the park per visitor, would you prefer they take it out of their operating and maintenance budget?

[Lwiddis]

Not just RMNP. Necessary unfortunately due to the number of visitors. My only objection is the entry is no longer no charge to senior pass holders as was promised when I purchased the senior pass.

[BB_TX]

Basically a means of crowd control. Number of visitors to most all parks has soared over the years to the point the parks are becoming hard to manage, crowd wise. Far different from 2004.

[dodge_guy]

Yep, they figured out a new way to make money from the NP’s we have already paid to use!

And it’s not just RMNP either!