Ryan Zinke plans visit to Rocky Mountain National Park to survey needs
Visitors take in a scenic overlook off Trail Ridge Road, above tree-line at Rocky Mountain National Park, near Estes Park in 2014. The park is one of the most visited in the United States.
The nation’s national parks had 185 million visitors last year, including 4 million to Rocky Mountain National Park. But those guests likely experienced some rundown facilities.
Roads, bridges, trails, campgrounds and other infrastructure at 417 parks nationwide need almost $12 billion in services and the government can’t afford it.
In Colorado, $238 million worth of deferred maintenance, or services put off due to budget constraints, is needed at state and national parks. At Rocky Mountain National Park, one of the country’s busiest, $84 million is needed, according to the National Parks Service.
Read the rest of the story at Colorado Public Radio.
