Your guide to timed entry in estes park

So you are planning a trip to Estes Park and youre probably hearing all these rumors about reservations and timed entry permits and it can get super confusing pretty fast. I know how it feels because even us locals get a little mixed up sometimes when the rules change from year to year. Estes Direct is your ultimate guide to everything estes so we decided to sit down and write this whole thing out so you dont have to stress about it. The last thing anybody wants is to drive all the way to the entrance station at Beaver Meadows and have the ranger tell you to turn around because you didnt buy the two dollar permit online. That is literally a nightmare scenario and I have seen it happen to people and the look on thier faces is just heartbreaking.

We want to make sure you have the best time in the mountains without worrying about logistics. This guide is going to cover basically everything you need to know about the system for the 2025 season. It is not actually that complicated once you get the hang of it but you do need to pay attention to the dates and the specific times because they are strict. Like really strict.

Why do they even have this system

A lot of people ask why we cant just drive in like the old days. I remember when you could just roll up to the gate at 10 am and cruise right in but those days are gone for now. The park just got to popular. Rocky Mountain National Park is one of the most visited parks in the entire country and the roads and parking lots just were not built for millions of cars.

If they didnt have the timed entry system the traffic jams would be backed up all the way into the town of Estes Park and nobody would be able to park at Bear Lake or even find a spot to pull over and look at an elk. So the park service put this reservation system in place to spread people out. It helps protect the tundra and the wildlife and honestly it makes your visit better because you arent fighting for a parking spot for an hour. It is a little bit of a hassle to book the ticket but the experience inside the park is way more chill now which is nice.

The two different types of permits

This is where most people get tripped up so read this part carefuly. There isn’t just one ticket for the whole park. There are actually two different access permits and you need to know which one you want before you go onto the website to buy it.

Park Access Plus Bear Lake Road

The first one is usually called “Park Access +” or sometimes just the Bear Lake permit. This is the golden ticket. It allows you to go absolutely everywhere in the park including the super famous Bear Lake Road corridor. That road is where a lot of the best hikes are like Emerald Lake and Dream Lake and Sky Pond. Because it is so popular this permit is harder to get.

You need this permit if you want to drive down Bear Lake Road between the hours of 5 AM and 6 PM. Notice that start time. It starts really early in the morning because the parking lot at Bear Lake fills up before the sun even comes up sometimes. If you have this permit you can enter the Bear Lake road during your two hour window and you can also go to the rest of the park whenever you want.

Park Access General

The second option is just called “Park Access” or general entry. This permit gets you into the park but it does not let you turn onto Bear Lake Road. You can still drive Trail Ridge Road which is amazing and go to the Alpine Visitor Center and see the Holzwarth Historic Site and explore the west side near Grand Lake.

You need this permit to enter the main gates between 9 AM and 2 PM. Outside of those hours you can come in without a reservation but we will talk about that loophole later. This permit is usually easier to get than the Bear Lake one so if the other one is sold out this is a great backup plan. You can still see like seventy percent of the park with this ticket so don’t feel bad if its the only one you can get.

Here is a quick breakdown to help you visualize the difference between the two options.

Permit Type	Access Area	Required Times
Park Access +	Everywhere including Bear Lake Rd	5 AM to 6 PM
Park Access	Everywhere EXCEPT Bear Lake Rd	9 AM to 2 PM

When do you actually need these

You dont need a reservation all year round. In the winter you can just drive in whenever you want because the snow keeps the crowds away. The timed entry system is for the busy summer and fall season.

For 2025 the system kicks in on May 23. That is the Friday before Memorial Day weekend. It runs all the way through October. The dates are slightly different for the two permits which is another weird little detail.

The Bear Lake permit (Park Access +) is required from May 23 all the way until October 20.
The General permit (Park Access) is required from May 23 until October 13.

So if you are visiting in late October you might still need a reservation for Bear Lake but not for the rest of the park. It is confusing I know. Just check the date on your calendar and if it is summer you definately need one.

How to buy the permits

You can only buy these permits online at Recreation.gov. Do not try to buy them at the entrance gate because they do not sell them there. The rangers at the booth will just tell you to go back to town where you have cell service and try to buy one on your phone but by then they might be sold out.

The cost is super cheap. It is only a $2 processing fee. But remember that this reservation is separate from your entrance pass. You still have to pay the entrance fee to get into the national park which is like $30 for a day or you can use your America the Beautiful annual pass if you have one of those. The $2 reservation just holds your time slot.

The release schedule

They release the tickets in two big batches. This is important if you like to plan ahead or if you are a last minute kind of person.

Batch 1: The Advance Release About 60 percent of the reservations are released way in advance. They usually drop them at 8 AM Mountain Time on the first day of the month for the following month. For example on May 1st they will release tickets for the rest of May and all of June. On June 1st they release tickets for July. If you know exactly when you are coming to Estes Park you should try to grab one of these as soon as they drop.

Batch 2: The Day Before Release This is the one that saves most people. They hold back 40 percent of the tickets and release them exactly at 7 PM Mountain Time the night before. So if you want to go hiking on Saturday morning you need to be on your computer or phone on Friday night at 7 PM sharp.

And I mean sharp. These day-before tickets vanish so fast it will make your head spin. Sometimes they are gone in two or three minutes for the popular times. You need to be logged into your Recreation.gov account and have your credit card saved and be refreshing the page right when the clock changes. It feels a little bit like trying to buy concert tickets but its the only way to guarentee you get in.

What if I dont get a reservation

Okay so lets say you forgot to book in advance and you missed the 7 PM drop or the internet at your cabin was too slow. Does that mean your vacation is ruined? No absolutely not. You just have to be willing to wake up early or stay out late.

The Early Bird Strategy

Remember how I said the reservations have start times? Well if you enter the park before that time you do not need a reservation.

For the Bear Lake Road area you can drive in if you enter the gate before 5 AM. Yes that is incredibly early and it will be dark and cold but honestly it is worth it. You can get to the trailhead and watch the sunrise over the lake which is one of the most beautiful things you will ever see. Plus you will get a parking spot which is rare later in the day.

For the Rest of the Park you can drive in before 9 AM. This is way more reasonable for most families. You can grab breakfast in town and head up to the Fall River entrance or the Beaver Meadows entrance at like 8:30 AM and cruise right through without a timed entry permit. Just make sure you are actually through the gate before 9 because the lines can get long and if you get to the booth at 9:01 they might turn you away.

The Afternoon Strategy

If you are not a morning person you can also go later in the day.

For the General Access areas the reservation requirement ends at 2 PM. So after 2 PM you can drive up Trail Ridge Road or go to Sheep Lakes without a permit. The lighting is really pretty in the afternoon anyway and the thunderstorms usually clear out by then.

For Bear Lake Road the reservation requirement goes until 6 PM. This is a bit tougher because in October it is getting dark by then. But in June and July when the sun stays up until 9 PM entering after 6 PM is actually a really nice option for an evening drive or a short hike.

The Hiker Shuttle

There is one other option if you dont want to drive your car. The park runs a Hiker Shuttle from the big parking structure in Estes Park near the Visitor Center. You do need a reservation for the shuttle too but sometimes those are easier to get than the driving permits.

If you get a Hiker Shuttle ticket it includes your timed entry. You park your car in town and hop on the bus and it takes you to the Park & Ride lot on Bear Lake Road. From there you can transfer to the smaller park shuttles to get to the lakes. It is a pretty stress free way to do it since you dont have to worry about driving the winding roads or finding parking at the trailhead.

Tips for a successful trip

Now that you understand the system here are a few extra tips from the Estes Direct team to help you out.

First of all create your account on Recreation.gov before you try to buy the ticket. You dont want to be fumbling with passwords when the tickets are dropping.

Second make sure you download or screenshot your reservation QR code before you get to the park. The cell service near the entrance stations is terrible. Like zero bars terrible. If you are trying to load your email at the gate to show the ranger your permit it probably wont load and you will hold up the line and everybody behind you will be annoyed. Just take a screenshot or print it out on paper to be safe.

Third be flexible. If you really wanted the 8 AM slot but only the 12 PM slot is availible just take it. There is plenty to do in town in the morning. You can walk around Lake Estes or grab some coffee or visit the Stanley Hotel while you wait for your entry window.

Also keep in mind that the entry window is two hours long. If your reservation is for 10 AM you can enter anytime between 10 AM and 12 PM. You do not have to be there exactly at 10. But you must enter before 12. Once you are inside the park you can stay as long as you want. You can stay until midnight if you want to. The reservation is just for when you enter the gate.

Why we love Estes Park anyway

Even with all these rules and permits we still think this is the best place in the world. The mountians are just spectacular and seeing a moose or a herd of elk makes all the planning worth it. The timed entry system might seem annoying at first but it has really helped manage the crowds.

When you are driving up Trail Ridge Road and you look out over the Forest Canyon overlook and feel that cold wind on your face you forget all about the website and the two dollars. It is just you and the rocky mountains and it is magic.

Estes Direct is here to help you navigate all of this. We want you to have an amazing trip. If you cant get a permit dont panic just use the early morning loophole or go explore the national forest areas nearby which are also beautiful and dont require any reservations. There is always something to do here.

Hopefully this guide clears things up for you. It feels like a lot of information but once you do it one time it is pretty simple. Just remember May 23 is when it starts and get those alarms set for 7 PM if you are booking last minute.

Enjoy your trip to the mountains and drive safe!

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