On Wednesday March 9th, the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission expressed support for a pilot timed entry system for Eldo. Those of you who have been following along over the last year may remember that this pilot was proposed in the draft Eldorado Canyon State Park Management Plan. We expect the commission to vote to approve the reservation system in May.
While we are committed to stewarding the crags we love and we appreciate the need to address the impact of increased use in all of our local climbing areas, including Eldo, we did not support the reservation system. However, we understood from the beginning that a pilot system was the likely outcome and we’re pleased that the new system takes into account most of the requests we made. We want to thank park staff for listening to our concerns and working with us to accommodate the unique ways climbers use the park.
There will still be opportunities for us to continue weighing in as the details are hammered out, and we also look forward to being a part of the evaluation of the pilot’s effectiveness at the end of 2023. In the meantime, here’s a round-up of what you need to know:
The program will operate from July 1- Sept. 15, 2022, and from May 15 - Sept. 15, 2023.
Reservations will only be needed for weekends and holidays.
Reservations only apply to entry by car. Entry by shuttle, bike, or walk-in does not require a reservation.
One reservation will cover everyone in the car, but the holder of the reservation must be in the car.
Each person may hold up to 4 reservations per month. That means you and your climbing partner can hold a total of 8 per month, covering the majority of weekend/holiday days in a month.
Reservations permit you to arrive at the park within a two-hour window – for example, between 7:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. – and there is no limit on how long you can stay.
10% of the slots will be made available at 3 p.m. the day before.
Reservations begin at 5:30 am, and we expect that users will not be allowed to enter before that time, ie, before sunrise.
Reservations are free, though you still need to pay the usual entry fee.
Reservations will be made using the Aspira reservation system at CPWshop.com.
That’s it for now. It’s still possible these details could change when the commission votes in May. Stay tuned and we’ll share updates, including when permits will become available, as we have them.
Photo Credit: Rob Kepley