Stephen Meyers

stephenmeyers@coloradoan.com

Rocky Mountain National Park is on pace to break last year's visitation record.

Through August, the park known for its peaks, vistas and elk has welcomed 3.15 million visitors, an increase of 230,000 visitors, or 7.8 percent from the same time period last year. Rocky Mountain celebrated its centennial last year, drawing a record 4.15 million visitors, making it the country's third most-visited national park.

Those numbers have skyrocketed this year. January and February broke the 100,000-visitor threshold for the first time in park history, and new visitation records have been set every month this year. The 912,507 visitors who flooded Rocky in July is an all-time high for any month in park history.

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Rocky Mountain public affairs officer Kyle Patterson said the increasing population of Colorado's Front Range, the rebounding economy and reduced gas prices have all contributed to the park's visitation boom.

With the aspens now popping in shades of gold and red and the bugling elk engaged in their mating season, Rocky Mountain won't see a slowdown in visitation any time soon. September is historically the park's fourth-busiest month, following the summer season.

Patterson suggests visitors get to the park early, as the Glacier Gorge trailhead routinely fills by 7:30 a.m., with Bear Lake filling by 8:30 a.m. Plus, the best elk rut viewing is done early in the mornings (or evenings).

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Fort Collins visitors planning a trip this fall to Rocky Mountain National Park should squeeze in their sight-seeing before the end of October, when U.S. Highway 34 will be closed between Loveland and Estes Park for nine months of reconstruction.

During the U.S. 34 closure, park visitors will have to take the alternate route on Colorado Highway 66 and U.S. 36, adding an extra 16 miles and 15 to 20 minutes to the trip from Fort Collins.

Xplore reporter Stephen Meyers covers the outdoors and recreation for the Coloradoan. Follow him on Twitter @stemeyer or @XploreNoCo.

Rocky Mountain National Park visitation

Park visitation is up 7.8 percent over last year, through August. New visitation records have been set in every month this year. The 912,507 visitors in July is the highest for any month in park history.

January: 115,207 visits

February:105,125

March: 135,053

April: 129,967

May: 285,868

June: 700,990

July: 912,507

August: 772,849

Total: 3.15 million

Source: Rocky Mountain National Park