Study Finds Park Reservation Competition Favors Higher-Income Neighborhoods
A study by a University of Colorado Boulder economist indicates that competitive reservation systems for national parks in Colorado and the West, including Rocky Mountain National Park, disproportionately favor individuals from higher-income neighborhoods. The research analyzed permit bookings across several…
Colorado Springs Pueblo, CO, October 28, 2026 —
A study by a University of Colorado Boulder economist found that people booking permits for some national parks in Colorado and the West are more likely to come from ZIP codes with higher median household incomes when the permits are especially competitive.
The research analyzed permit bookings across several national parks, including Rocky Mountain National Park. It found an association between more competitive permits and bookings from ZIP codes with higher median incomes, raising questions about whether reservation systems provide equitable access.
The summary of the research does not identify the economist, provide the study’s publication date, or specify which parks beyond Rocky Mountain National Park were included. It also does not describe the study’s sample size, the reservation systems examined, or how the researchers defined permit competition. The findings therefore cannot be quantified further from the information provided.
The reported relationship is between permit bookings and the median household income of the ZIP codes associated with them. The summary does not establish why people from higher-income neighborhoods were more represented in bookings for competitive permits, or whether income itself caused the difference. It also does not state how the researchers measured household income or whether they assessed other factors that might affect booking access.
The findings point to a potential equity issue in access to park permits, but the available information does not include recommendations or details about changes to reservation policies. It also does not report how park agencies have responded to the research.
Without further details about the study’s methods and results, the extent of the disparity remains unclear. The summary indicates that the pattern appeared across several parks and was associated with permits described as more competitive, but it provides no figures on the size of the difference or the number of permits involved.
Story summarized from the original created by Seth Boster on gazette.com, see more information here.
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