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Lottery To Dole Out Backcountry Permits At Rocky Mountain National Park

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Published Date

March 19, 2021

Sometimes technology isn't all it's cracked up to be. That seems to be the case with the online backcountry reservation system at Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado, where officials are turning to an old-fashioned lottery, sort of, for this summer's precious backcountry camping permits.  

Twice this year the online reservation system crashed under great demand, and so now park staff is turning to a random drawing for permits for July through October.

Information on how to enter the random drawing can be found at this page.

If you want a backcountry permit for these months, you need to enter your name for the random drawing by 5 p.m. Sunday. These submitted names will be randomized and drawn for access to the online reservation request application, a park release said.

If your name is drawn, you'll be granted access to the reservation request application and may then submit a trip request(s) for July through October. 

Instructions on how to enter the drawing are found in the link above. This drawing submission is not a race; names will be selected randomly, not in the order received, and you can enter between now until Sunday at 5 p.m. Mountain Time.

On Tuesday morning, March 23, the park will randomize and draw the first group of names and send those individuals an email with instructions on how to complete the reservation request application.   

There is the potential for further names to be drawn.  There will be no need to submit a name again for subsequent drawings as names will be drawn from the original applicants. The timing of future drawings will be based on the volume of applicants.    

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