The $3-plus gas prices brought on by Hurricane Katrina may have kept some Colorado travelers from hitting the highways over Labor Day weekend.
The Eisenhower Tunnel saw its lowest four-day Labor Day weekend traffic since 1996, with a total of 153,605 vehicles passing through last weekend, 7,415 fewer vehicles than over the same weekend in 2004. But tourist destinations throughout the state felt the pinch.
The number of riders on the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad last weekend declined 6 percent compared with the previous Labor Day weekend, said sales manager Bob Morris.
“It is absolutely related to high gas prices,” he said. “They’re hurting us; they’re hurting everybody.”
Prices for regular gas rose by 43 cents per gallon last week in Colorado, according to AAA, but appeared to stabilize nationally Tuesday.
Great Sand Dunes Oasis, a private campground located just outside Great Sand Dunes National Park near Mosca, also saw fewer people than normal. The campground usually sells out its 20 recreational vehicle spots for Labor Day. Last weekend it had two free spaces, and its 100-site campground was less than half full, according to owner Patty Vittoria.
“The camping was slower,” she said. “I definitely think it’s related to the high prices at the pump.”
The Hot Springs Lodge & Pool in Glenwood Springs said it saw a nearly 10 percent decline in business Labor Day weekend compared with last year, but nearby Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park said business was up more than 40 percent.
It was the busiest Labor Day weekend in the adventure park’s three-year history, with more than 1,500 people visiting Saturday. Owner Steve Beckley attributed the growth to the four new attractions it opened this summer, such as the Canyon Flyer alpine coaster.
A pre-Katrina AAA forecast projected that 34.5 million Americans would travel 50 miles or more from home last weekend, but the actual number was probably lower, said AAA Colorado spokeswoman Mary Greer.
“People may have made different choices on how far they traveled,” she said. “But it’s too early to say if we’re going to see travel trends change. The big jump (in gas prices) really was an anomaly.”
Staff writer Julie Dunn can be reached at 303-820-1592 or jdunn@denverpost.com.
