Have you heard the phrase "Fee Demo" in connection with National Parks? It is a program to allow parks to raise entrance fees, or charge some fees that were not charged in the past. The money raised from these increased fees is to be used to reduce the backlog of work that needs to be done in the national parks.
What does it mean to YOU at Rocky Mountain National Park?
It means old style vault toilets have been replaced with newer, easier to clean, better smelling SST models. Vault toilets are placed where there is no year-round water supply.
It means visitor centers are being updated to allow better accessibility.
It means conventional restrooms are being updated for better accessibility
It means improvements to campgrounds, such as installation of tent pads to provide a flat, smooth surface for tents while reducing impact on surrounding vegetation, improved water delivery systems, improved restroom facilities. It also means upgrading or replacing the audio-visual systems and amphitheaters for better presentation of the evening programs.
It means repairing and upgrading utility systems, so they will serve you better while you visit the park.
It means rebuilding the historic rock walls along Trail Ridge Road so they retain their CCC look, yet become functional safety barricades once again (decades of repaving had raised the road level to nearly the tops of the rock walls)
It means repairing, rebuilding or even replacing sections of trail that have eroded and deteriorated from overuse or the extreme weather conditions.
It means many large projects you will see when you visit the park. And, it means many small projects that you may not notice. All of the projects, large or small, are meant to help improve your visit to Rocky Mountain National Park. The Park hopes you can forgive the inconvenience during this trip, and that you will come back to see and experience the improvements.
So, when the ranger at the gate asks for your money, remember that the increase is going into projects to help make your visits more enjoyable and more memorable. Smile!
Thank you for visiting this page. I hope it has helped you understand the "Fee Demo" program. If you have questions about it, I will try to get you the accurate answers from the experts.
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