Seasonal Information
Wilderness campsites, cross country areas, and trails in the northwest section of the park are currently closed in response to the Cameron Peak fire (https://www.nps.gov/romo/learn/fire-information-and-regulations.htm).
Researcher access to closed areas will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
To request access, contact Lisa Cowart Baron at lisa_baron@nps.gov.
There has been a marked increase in bear activity this year within the park, and the hot and dry weather conditions are an added stressor to our small bear population. Bears have been active in campgrounds and have been getting into housing units and unlocked vehicles. To help the park minimize bear incidents:
- Please report all bear observations, encounters, or incidents to the park's wildlife response technician, Jonathan Lewis (e-mail us or call 911 if help is needed immediately).
- While in the park and away from your vehicle, please lock all doors, roll up windows completely, and keep food out of sight.
Major Construction Project has Begun at the Fall River Entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park
Fall River Entrance to RMNP is under construction. One lane is open to enter. Visitors are encouraged to avoid the Fall River Entrance and use the Beaver Meadows Entrance via U.S. Hwy 36. Expect wait times at both major east side entrances to RMNP.
General Information
ALL RESEARCH MUST BE CONDUCTED WITH MINIMAL IMPACT TO THE PARK'S RESOURCES. Collect as few specimens as practical. In no case should the continued survival of a population of any native species be jeopardized by your activities.
COLLECT AWAY FROM PARK ROADS, TRAILS, AND OTHER HEAVILY USED AREAS WHENEVER POSSIBLE. Permits as a rule do not authorize researchers to park outside of designated parking or pull-off areas. If your research will attract attention in heavily visited areas, you will be requested to wear researcher safety vests. Contact the Research Coordinator, Lisa Cowart Baron (e-mail us or 970.586.1262), at least one week ahead of time to arrange to borrow safety vests.
PROTECT THE PARK’S CULTURAL RESOURCES BY NOT DISTURBING OLD HOMESITES, CEMETERIES, STRUCTURES, AND OTHER CULTURAL FEATURES. Locate studies well away from these areas. Any digging into mineral soil requires specific approval. If approved, and artifacts are discovered, CEASE ACTIVITY, collect a GPS location of the artifact, and contact the Research Coordinator, Lisa Cowart Baron (e-mail us or 970.586.1262).
INSTALLATIONS SHOULD BE USED SPARINGLY AND MUST BE MARKED WITH YOUR PROJECT INFORMATION (PI Name, Permit Number, Property of). It must be out of sight of trails and roads during all seasons, and should not interfere with visitor enjoyment of the Park as a natural area. All traps, tags, etc. must also be marked and be as unobtrusive as possible. All research equipment/temporary markers must be removed upon completion of your research project.
LOCATIONS OF RARE SPECIES MUST BE KEPT CONFIDENTIAL. Rare species include federally listed (must have USFWS permit as well), federal special concern, state listed and state special concern, and taxa determined by Park biologists to be rare Park-wide and/or at risk of decline due to human activity. Contact the Research Coordinator, Lisa Cowart Baron (e-mail us or 970.586.1262), to report locality information and/or if you are unsure of the status of a species. Please inform the Research Coordinator, Lisa Cowart Baron (e-mail us or 970.586.1262), of inadvertent collection or disturbance of rare species. DO NOT PUBLISH SPECIFIC LOCATIONS, PUT ON WEBSITES, OR USE IN PRESENTATIONS! WE ARE SERIOUS ABOUT THIS!
SPECIMENS: All specimens collected for permanent retention, as well as their derivatives and by-products, remain the property of the National Park Service by law. If you collect specimens that are to be permanently retained those specimens must be accessioned and cataloged into the Department of Interior’s Collections Management System (ICMS), and must bear National Park Service (NPS) labels containing NPS accession and catalog numbers. Specimens can be turned into the park at the conclusion of the study, or arrangements can be made to loan these specimens to approved institutions for continued study. Contact Park Museum Curator (e-mail us), for more information. THE PARK REQUESTS DUPLICATE LABELED REPRESENTATIVE SPECIMENS for the park's own museum when available.
PLEASE BE DILIGENT IN PREVENTING CROSS-CONTAMINATION OF SITES IN THE PARK. Cleaning and disinfecting is required BEFORE working in the park and between working in wetlands, lakes, or water body sites within the park, due to wildlife diseases documented there. You are REQUIRED to clean, disinfect, and dry all coring devises, shovels, and other digging equipment BEFORE working in the park. Bringing soil, potted plants, or other organisms into the Park from outside, or transferring between sites within the Park, requires special permission and may be prohibited.
Last updated: December 6, 2022