The more people hear about Superintendent Darla Sidles' plan for a permeant reservation system in Rocky Mountain National Park, the more unpopular it is. And for good reason! Parks belong to the people.
Thanks for signing the petition. In less than three days, nearly 250 people have read it and signed it. And that's through just one advertisement in the local Estes Park papers. Here's what's going to happen next...
If everyone who's signed it so far can share can get just one other person to sign it (by sharing on Facebook, Reddit, Twitter, or just through email and word of mouth) we can get to 500 signatures in four days. That's nearly 8% of the population of Estes Park.
Share the petition now by clicking on this link and sending it to your contacts or posting it to social media.
The ad you may have read will reach tens of thousands more people tomorrow. It's running in The Greeley Tribune, The Loveland Reporter Herald, The Longmont Times Call, and The Boulder Daily Camera. And after that, we may try papers in Fort Collins, Denver, and Colorado Springs.
The point is this is a local issue for those of us in Estes. But it's a state-wide and national issue, too. This decision by Rocky could set a horrible precedent for all the Parks in the country. Don't be afraid to share it with anyone who values our public lands and believes access should be fair to all.
When the petition reaches 1,000 (or even 5,000 signatures) it will be sent to Congressmen Joe Neguse (in whose district Rocky lies) and our Senators in Washington. We will ask them to intervene with the Department of Interior and halt the Superintendent's headlong rush to permanent restrictions.
We'll keep you posted on what answers, if any, the Superintendent provides in the meantime. The Park says a process for public participation and comment will begin in mid May. When we know where, we'll let you know, so your voice can be heard.
In the meantime, thanks again for spreading the word. The Superintendent doesn't want the wider public to know about her plans. The more the public knows about the plans for RMNP, the less they like them. Entering the Park shouldn't be a special occasion. It should be an everyday one, open to all Americans regardless of economic or social status.
Thanks again for your support. Keep up the good fight. We can do this.
Dan
PS You can see from the attached photo (taken today at Lumpy Ridge) that the Park has been planning for reservations for some time. They may ask later what the public thinks. But they've already made their decision. The fee for 1-day passes and or a 7-day pass doesn't cover the reservation. That's still $2--if you can get one. There is a bigger sign at the entrance that says 'Entrance Pass Required.'