Tag: Estes Park

Local officials raise concerns about increased fees for foreigners at Colorado national parks

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LARIMER COUNTY — Elected officials in Estes Park and Larimer County are raising concerns about the upcoming increase in fees for international visitors at national parks, including Rocky Mountain National Park.

On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of the Interior announced the cost for annual passes for nonresidents will increase from $80 to $250 beginning on Jan. 1, 2026. Federal officials said foreigners without an annual pass will pay a $100 per person fee to enter 11 of the most visited national parks, in addition to the standard entrance fee. Annual passes for American citizens will stay at $80.

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Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum said the “America-first pricing” ensures “U.S. taxpayers, who already support the National Park System, continue to enjoy affordable access, while international visitors contribute their fair share to maintaining and improving our parks for future generations.”

Larimer County Commissioner Jody Shadduck-McNally said she has concerns about unintended consequences to small businesses near Rocky Mountain National Park.

“I understand the need for maybe increased fees to maintain trails and enforcement and paying park staff,” said Shadduck-McNally. “I hope that maybe they’ll look at unintended consequences of such a large increase, and maybe what this means, and what the impacts are on our small businesses.”

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She said the new policy is a quick change and has questions about how the fees will be implemented.

“What is the the why behind all of this? And also… where will these increase in fees go, and how will they be helpful to the park?” she said.

Gary Hall, Town of Estes Park Mayor, told Denver7 in a phone call on Wednesday he believes the new fee increases will drive down tourism and do the opposite of what the federal government intends.

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“The America first concept is the thing that really seems contradictory to me,” said Mayor Hall. “This is the opposite of what should be done. If you really want America first, the right thing to do would be to make it easier and more financially viable for Americans to come to the park.”

The latest data from the U.S. Travel Association shows national parks and monuments saw about 14.3 million overseas visitors in 2018.

Kati Schmidt, Communications Director for the National Parks Conservation Association, sent Denver7 the following statement in response to the fee increases:

There’s a lot to unpack in this announcement, including many questions on its implementation – all which NPCA will raise with the Department of Interior.

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Denver7 | Your Voice: Get in touch with Maggie Bryan

Denver7’s Maggie Bryan covers stories that have an impact in all of Colorado’s communities, but specializes in reporting on public safety. If you’d like to get in touch with Maggie, fill out the form below to send her an email.

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November 26, 2025
Alexander Mountain Fire burns acres of Sylvan Dale Ranch, including site for suicide prevention nonprofit

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LARIMER COUNTY, Colo. — As several evacuation orders were lifted in Larimer County Tuesday, those who live in the area of the Alexander Mountain Fire have just begun assessing the damage.

The burn scar can be seen from the historic Sylvan Dale Ranch, where an estimated 950 acres and several buildings were lost in the fire. The land that burned is managed by Silas Binkley, the director of programs and operations for the Heart-J Center.

“The Heart-J Center is a nonprofit that operates here at Sylvan Dale Ranch, on a 3,000-acre ranch. And the focus of what we do is place-based experiential programming for people of all ages, but at the heart of it is getting people outside, connecting them with nature, connecting them with themselves and their community,” Binkley explained.

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Several more evacuation orders lifted in Alexander Mountain Fire

The Heart-J Center has operated from Sylvan Dale Ranch for the past decade. The family who owns Sylvan Dale Ranch plans to one day transfer the ranch to Heart-J Center management.

“Currently, they transferred almost 1,000 acres a few years ago of backcountry land to the Heart-J Center, which is the land that I manage. And that’s the land that has been lost in the fire this week,” Binkley said. “One of our goals is to not only rebuild as a retreat center, but also as a research hub so that local universities and colleges can do research here and learn about wildfire science and prevention and the regrowth processes and all those types of things.”

Most recently, Heart-J Center partnered with the Combat Recovery Foundation, a nonprofit organization focused on effective suicide prevention efforts for veterans.

“I myself am a combat disabled veteran and have been impacted by the rate of suicide amongst veterans… We provide one-on-one peer support and coaching services to people who are struggling or in crisis,” said Marshall Spring, who founded the Combat Recovery Foundation. “My business partner in 2019 very unexpectedly shot himself, and so I sold my companies and started working in suicide prevention at that point.”

Spring served in the Marine Corps as an explosive detection dog handler and sustained brain injuries while in Iraq.

“It’s really difficult to adjust to a safe, normal, North American civilian life, after being in the Marine Corps and being in combat,” Spring said. “It took a long time for me to get to a place where I could trust people, be around people, and create friendships and relationships and just have normal interactions.”

Spring struggled with his mental health and said nature played a huge role in his journey. Combat Recovery Foundation hosts retreats for veterans at Sylvan Dale Ranch. Their next retreat was planned for September, but now they need a new location since the historic Cow Camp that would’ve held the group was burned in the fire.

“Our logo is a Phoenix. I think there’s a certain tragic poetry to the fact that our place we intended to use for retreats burnt and now we’re a part of watching that place and helping it to rise from the ashes better than it was,” said Spring.

The Combat Recovery Foundation organized a GoFundMe for the ranch, which states that money raised will go toward restoring the backcountry of Heart-J Center at Sylvan Dale Ranch.

Coloradans making a difference | Denver7 featured videos

At Denver7, we’re committed to making a difference in our community. We’re standing up for what’s right by listening, lending a helping hand and following through on promises. See that work in action, in the featured videos in the playlist above.

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Colette Bordelon

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August 6, 2024
Woodshop burned by Alexander Mountain Fire: 72-year-old evacuee shares his story

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ESTES PARK, Colo. Father and daughter, Bill Harvey and Jennifer Harvey-Betz, lean on each other to get through the hurt and damage the Alexander Mountain Fire has caused.

The beauty of Drake brought Harvey to the area, and for the past three decades, he has lived through his fair share of unknowns with multiple fires and a flood. However, the Alexander Mountain Fire has left him with grief and sorrow.

Harvey’s neighbors, who stayed behind, informed him his house was still there but his woodshop was gone. Inside were his creations, along with all of his tools which he has had for decades.

“Probably 20 years. Every time I sell a table or something, I go buy another tool,” Harvey said.

His passion for woodworking started during his high school years. Now at 72 years old, he has not stopped creating for others. Harvey turned the barn on the property into his woodshop so he could have a space to create.

“I make anything from coffee tables, end tables, plant stands, bookshelves, cutting boards, boxes, just about anything I can think of, ” said Harvey.

While Harvey has worked away on many creations and perfected his woodworking skills, he has gifted several items to his daughter, including a TV stand, end tables and boxes for keepsakes.

“There are things that I will keep for my whole life. It will be what I remember him by one day, so they’re very special to me,” said Harvey-Betz.

Some residents were able to get back home on Monday to see the damage from the Alexander Mountain Fire, but Harvey did not have access yet to his property. Harvey’s daughter reflected on the challenging week and the grief she has for her father and his neighbors.

“It’s the shock of the whole thing, knowing that a lot of our neighbors lost everything,” Harevy-Betz said. “I grew up on that mountain, and we’re all family friends. We’re all a very tight-knit community. We’re a very strong community, and we are storm out and strong, and we will help each other build back after this, as we always do. And that’s it breaks my heart for everybody, no matter how big or small the loss was.”

If you are interested in supporting Bill Harvey, his daughter has created a GoFundMe online fundraiser.

“My dad is a Vietnam-era veteran who does have Agent Orange,” Harvey-Betz, said. “He’s been battling multiple cancers for a few years and going through cancer treatment, so this is kind of a hit for him. You know, those were very important things for him to keep himself occupied and busy and things to pass on at some point. We could use all the help we can get”

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Maggy Wolanske

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August 5, 2024
‘It’s tearing apart the mountain’: Family learns from community their home burned in Alexander Mountain Fire

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ESTES PARK, Colo. — Since the Alexander Mountain Fire sparked on Monday, it has exploded to more than 8,000 acres in size. On Thursday, the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office estimated that “at least two dozen structures” have been damaged or destroyed in the fire.

Haley Shepard and her husband Jon bought their home in 2016. The two bedroom, two bathroom home is where their 3-year-old has lived his entire life.

Their home, described as beautiful, is exactly where the family wanted to be — along Palisade Mountain Drive near Drake.

‘It’s tearing apart the mountain’: Family learns from community their home burned in Alexander Mountain Fire

Haley gave birth to her young son Wade while the family was evacuated as a result of the Cameron Peak Fire.

“He was born in the Cameron Peak Fire, and we were evacuated when I was four days past due with him. We were out of our home for, I believe, a month. Had to drive up to deliver him in Estes,” Haley remembered. “Then got evacuated by the East Troublesome the next day, and then had to flee, like evacuate, down to Franktown, Colorado, at a family member’s farm to live there for a little bit.”

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At least 24 structures damaged, destroyed in Alexander Mountain Fire

Then, on Monday, Haley was at the house with her son and dog while her husband Jon was on a work trip in Ohio. She received a phone call around noon which alerted her to the mandatory evacuation for Storm Mountain.

“Then proceeded to look up, look outside, and the plume above our house was stretching across… I don’t know how I didn’t even see it, just walking around in the kitchen,” Haley described. “I contacted our neighbor, Oliver, who is a volunteer on the local firefighting department, and he came over and was very kind and told me to leave immediately. Another neighbor who was, I believe, on the police department, came up, came over, and then from there we packed up quickly.”

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In a state of shock, Haley first drove to Estes Park, then spent the night at a hotel in Longmont. She could see the fire from the valley.

Afterwards, she came up to Estes Park where her family is now staying with friends.

On Wednesday night, Haley said they got a call from friends who are working the fire, telling her about her home.

“It has been burnt to the ground. There is nothing left,” Haley said through tears. “They drove around. They saw our home. They made the call. I much prefer hearing from a community member… It helped to not feel uncertain, but there’s nothing there.”

The loss has devastated Haley and her family, but their pain is about more than just their home.

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“Storm Mountain is one of the most tight-knit communities I will ever experience. I will forever lose that,” Haley said. “I’ve lost what is the best community in this whole entire world, and I’m very sad about that. That’s very sad to me, that we can no longer call that home… It’s not just our house. It’s tearing apart the mountain.”

Haley said the family does not know what’s next for them, but she hopes to rebuild their home in the place they love.

Family of the Shepards started a GoFundMe for the young family, which says it will support them as they try to “replace clothing, toys, furniture, food, income… everything for at least the next 6 months.”

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Colette Bordelon

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August 1, 2024