Construction and Parking Updates for 2024
Getting Around Town
Estes Park has a couple of major construction projects going on which can make getting around a little tricky. Good news – with a little planning you can still enjoy everything the town and Rocky Mountain National Park has to offer!
Road Construction
The famous “Loop Project
All shops and restaurants are open, despite the construction. Be sure and support them while you’re in town!
You can get find updates on road closures and detours here.
Just west of the Loop Project on highway 36, near the iconic Dick’s Rock Museum there is also a second major project. This project will reinforce the integrity of the road along the Big Thompson River.
Along this stretch of road, traffic is down to one lane with alternating directions every couple of minute. This work is expected to continue all summer 2024.
What does this mean for me?
With these major road construction projects, plan for an extra 5-10 minutes to get through Estes Park on your way to the Beaver Meadows Entrance.
Beginning in early June, it will likely be faster to use highway 34 to enter Rocky Mountain National Park via the Fall River Entrance. Be aware that until the end of May, construction is taking place on the Fall River Entrance Station so it will be easier to enter at the Beaver Meadows Entrance.
Parking
New in 2024 there is a paid parking system in downtown Estes Park. From May 24 – October 20, you can pay for parking at kiosks around town or on the ParkMobile app. The cost is $2 an hour.
There are several free parking areas around town, including the parking garage located near the town visitor center. From there you can easily walk to most of the stores and restaurants downtown, or ride the free shuttles that provide access to several areas of Estes Park and RMNP.
View shuttle information here.