People interested in collecting firewood in Rocky Mountain National Park should sign up for a firewood collection permit by next Monday, according to a park spokeswoman.
Winners will be selected by lottery, said spokeswoman Kyle Patterson.
According to Patterson, firewood collection sites vary and will be provided to lottery winners when they pick up their permit. In most areas, the firewood has already been cut into manageable lengths and can be loaded into pickup trucks. Some areas will allow trailers and chainsaw use while others will not.
The firewood is the result of the removal of what are deemed hazardous trees within the park.
Patterson said that firewood collection times will vary but collection will normally not be allowed on weekends or holidays.
A $20 non-refundable administrative fee will be charged for removing up to five cords of firewood on the east side of the park and $10 for up to five cords on the west side.
To sign up for the lottery for a firewood permit, applicants are asked to email the following information to ROMO_Firewood@nps.gov by Monday:
Name, address, phone number and first and second preference as to the east or west side of the park.
Names selected for the lottery will be posted on the park’s website on Wednesday morning, Sept. 15. That website is”
Lottery winners can obtain permits in person at the backcountry office adjacent to the Beaver Meadows Visitor Center near Estes Park or at the Kawuneeche Visitor Center north of Grand Lake beginning Sept. 15.Howard Pankratz: 303-954-1939 or hpankratz@denverpost.com.
