BY JOHN MEYER, JMEYER@DENVERPOST.COM

Hello, outdoors people,

I'm afraid this weekend could be insane at Rocky Mountain National Park because, while entrance kiosks have been staffed with rangers since the government shutdown began Wednesday, they have been waving visitors through without checking for passes or timed-entry reservations. This being a peak weekend with fall colors and rutting elk, I'm wondering if the park will attract crowds in numbers not seen since reservation requirements began in 2020. Please respect the park's resources if you go.

Heads up

After a warm Friday in the metro area with high temperatures in the upper 80s, a cool down is coming for the weekend. Saturday's high will be 82, dropping to 68 on Sunday. High temperatures in Breckenridge, Vail, Winter Park and Rocky Mountain National Park will be in the 50s on Friday and the 40s Saturday and Sunday. Some mountain locations may see rain and a rain-snow mix Saturday afternoon.

Visitors pass through kiosks to enter Rocky Mountain National Park during the shutdown of the federal government on Wednesday. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Your Weekly 5:

1. Rocky Mountain National Park remains open despite government shutdown
2. Vail Pass rest area reopens after 2-year construction project
3. Cherry Creek State Park closing nightly due to safety concerns, vandalism
4. Boulder Falls may never reopen after 2024 rockslide
5. Former national park superintendents urge Trump administration to close parks

Worth Your Time

Spanish uber-endurance athlete Kilian Jornet travels the so-called LA Freeway between Longs Peak in Rocky Mountain National Park and the Arapaho Peaks to begin his odyssey of linking all of the fourteeners in the Lower 48 states of the U.S. (Nick Danielson/Provided by NNormal)

Uber athlete Kilian Jornet nears end of odyssey climbing all 14ers in western U.S.

Renowned Spanish mountaineer climbed 56 Colorado 14ers in 16 days before heading to California, Pacific Northwest

Get Yourself Outdoors

The red and tan sandstone rock formations of South Valley Park, south of Ken Caryl, as seen from the park’s Swallow trail shortly before sunset. (John Meyer/The Denver Post)er Post file)

Enchanting Jeffco park is a hiker’s wonderland of colorful rock formations, welcoming trails

More Headlines

• Trump rollback of rule for public lands — including 13,000 square miles in Colorado — would reduce conservation role
• Trump’s administration can’t grasp that some American lands should remain wild, without roads or logging (Opinion)
• A prolonged US government shutdown could impact your travel plans

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