Reservation system will open soon for Mount Evans and Brainard Lake

Mount Evans slated to open May 26, Brainard June 9

Visitors to Mount Evans and Brainard Lake, two popular locations on the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests, will need to make advanced reservations through Recreation.gov. Reservations for both areas go online this month.

Mount Evans Recreation Area is tentatively scheduled to open May 26, weather dependent. Reservations for Mount Evans can be made on recreation.gov starting 8 a.m. May 23, and reservations can be made up to 30 days in advance. Reservations are required if planning to park and visit one of the three developed sites (Mount Goliath Natural Area, Summit Lake Park, or the Mount Evans Summit) between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Brainard Lake Recreation Area is tentatively scheduled to open June 9, weather dependent. Reservations for Brainard Lake can be made on recreation.gov starting 8 a.m. May 26 and can be made up to 15 days in advance. Reservations for the upper elevation parking lots will go on sale in mid-June and the area is tentatively scheduled to open July 1. Overnight parking reservations for wilderness permit holders have been available since March 16.

Mount Evans and Brainard Lake are among the Forests’ most visited recreation areas, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors from all over the world. The timed-entry system is aimed at reducing wait times, lines, and crowding at these areas’ welcome stations and attractions. Dispersing visitors across the days and weeks reduces impacts on wildlife and the environment and improves available parking.

Mount Evans Recreation Area features the highest paved road in North America, which leads to the summit of one of Colorado’s famous 14ers. Along the way are stops that offer glances into life in the high alpine environment, including Mount Goliath and its demonstration garden managed by Denver Botanic Gardens. Mount Evans is managed in partnership with Colorado Department of Transportation, which oversees the road, and Denver Mountain Parks, which runs Summit Lake Park and Echo Lake Lodge. The lodge is closed for renovations, but a food truck will be stationed there this summer.

Brainard Lake Recreation Area is a portal to Indian Peaks Wilderness Area with hiking trails that lead into some of the area’s most rugged, high alpine terrain. The lake itself offers opportunities to picnic, fish and view wildlife within the stunning backdrop of the Continental Divide. The general area is open year-round but in the summer is managed by American Lands and Leisure, a private concessionaire contracted to provide daily maintenance and operations. Visitors with a campground reservation at Pawnee Campground will not need an additional reservation to enter the campground.

At each location, visitors will be able to select a reservation time slot from multiple windows throughout the day and decide on details about where they want to go (e.g. which parking area at Brainard and which sites on Mount Evans). Customers will be charged a $2 reservation fee by recreation.gov in addition to the standard fee. Annual and lifetime passholders will still need to make reservations and will only pay the $2 reservation fee. People who arrive without a reservation will need to return to a place where they can get a cell phone signal to secure a timed entry ticket, if available. Reservations are not required for biking and hiking into these areas.

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