Governor Polis, the Colorado Department of Natural Resources (DNR), and the Colorado Tourism Office (CTO) have announced that Colorado will provide funding to keep two visitor centers open at Rocky Mountain National Park during the ongoing federal government shutdown.
“Rocky Mountain National Park visitor centers are very important to helping all visitors stay informed, stay safe, and enjoy nature. By taking this action, we are helping our local communities, and allowing visitors continued access into the park to enjoy the breathtaking vistas and activities Rocky Mountain National Park has to offer,” said Governor Polis. The governor highlighted that national parks, especially Rocky Mountain National Park, play a significant role in supporting rural economies across Colorado. According to data from the National Park Service, Rocky Mountain National Park saw over 4.1 million visitors in 2023, generating an economic output of nearly $889 million and supporting more than 7,800 jobs. In 2024, visitation increased slightly to over 4.15 million.
Eve Lieberman, Executive Director of OEDIT, stated: “The tourism industry contributes $28.5 billion to Colorado’s economy and supports over 188,000 jobs across the state. Keeping Rocky Mountain National Park and these visitor centers open promotes a positive visitor experience, helps protect our state’s incredible public lands and supports a critical sector of our economy. We are proud to partner with the Governor and the DNR to make this possible.”
Funding for keeping the Beaver Meadows and Kawuneeche Visitor Centers open will be shared equally between DNR and CTO at a cost of $3,200 per day starting October 24 for seven days. The state may extend funding if the shutdown continues beyond that period or receive refunds if it ends sooner.
Dan Gibbs, Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Natural Resources, said: “We appreciate the partnership with our regional National Park Service staff and all the local volunteer efforts to keep amenities in our national parks open, particularly Rocky Mountain National Park. National Parks are integral to the outdoor activities and beauty Colorado has to offer and the current shutdown has created uncertainty for park staff, visitors, and surrounding communities whose jobs and economies are closely tied to our national parks. We are hopeful the state’s contribution can provide some of the national park experience visitors expect until the Park is able to return to full operations.”
While all national parks in Colorado remain accessible during the shutdown, some services may be limited or unavailable.
The state’s ability to act comes from a 2023 Executive Order by Governor Polis directing DNR to work with other agencies on plans for keeping national parks open in case of a federal government shutdown.
