Outdoor Minimalist15 Sep 2025

197. Mountain Towns, like Estes Park, Face an Uncertain Economic Future

Estes Park, Colorado, gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park, has long relied on its outdoor recreation economy.

In fact, just a few years ago, it was outpacing the rest of Colorado in tourism growth.

But in 2025, federal policy changes, including mass firings at federal agencies like the National Park Service, are raising questions:

Will communities like Estes Park be able to weather the storm?

In this episode, we visit Estes Park to speak directly with business owners and guides whose livelihoods are intertwined with the health of public lands.

Despite economic pressures and staffing cuts, visitation to Rocky Mountain National Park is up.

But will that be enough to sustain local businesses?

And what role do national policies really play in the day-to-day reality of a mountain town?

Featured Guests:

Melissa Strong – Climber and Owner of Bird & Jim Restaurant & Bird’s Nest Cafe

Thomas Pemberton – Owner of Estes Park Tour Guides

Reed Woodford – Owner of KMAC Guides

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/outdoor.minimalist.book/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@theoutdoorminimalist⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Buy Me a Coffee: ⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/outdoorminimalist⁠⁠

Listener Survey: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://forms.gle/jd8UCN2LL3AQst976⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

-----------------

KMAC Guides: https://kmacguides.com/

Estes Park Tour Guides: https://estesparktourguides.com/

Bird & Jim: https://www.birdandjim.com/

Visit Estes Park: https://www.visitestespark.com/

Turner PR: https://www.turnerpr.com/

-----------------

Sources Used in Episode:

https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/layoffs-rocky-mountain-national-park-impact-estes-park-business-colorado/

https://estesvalleyvoice.com/2025/08/17/state-of-estes-park-business-climate-mixed/

https://www.visitestespark.com/transparency/dashboard-report-executive-summary/

https://www.axios.com/local/denver/2025/03/05/rocky-mountain-national-park-colorado-layoffs-trump

https://www.visitestespark.com/articles/post/new-data-shows-tourism-continues-to-positively-impact-economy-in-estes-park/

https://assets.simpleviewinc.com/simpleview/image/upload/v1/clients/estespark/Visit_Estes_Park_Annual_Report_2023_small_cfcacfba-3478-44b1-a422-d9938d7f17fa.pdf

https://www.rockymountainnationalpark.com/gallery/20250217/

https://irma.nps.gov/Stats/SSRSReports/Park%20Specific%20Reports/Monthly%20Public%20Use?Park=ROMO

Denne episoden er hentet fra en åpen RSS-feed og er ikke publisert av Podme. Den kan derfor inneholde annonser.

Episoder(298)

226. Is Dr. Bronner's Really Sustainable? with Greening Up My Act

Dr. Bronner's has long been considered the gold standard of sustainable soap. It's a staple in outdoor kits, zero-waste homes, and camping gear lists thanks to its versatility, plant-based ingredients...

6 Jul 45min

225. Can the Outdoor Industry Really Call Itself a Climate Leader?

In this solo episode, I reflect on my experience attending the Switchback Event and unpack a question I can't seem to shake: Can an industry built on perpetual growth truly call itself a climate leade...

29 Jun 25min

Does It Matter If I Pick Up My Dog’s Poop or Not? with Rose Seemann [REPOST]

This episode was originally posted on November 13, 2023. In episode 112 of the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, we will be talking a whole lot of shit. Our focus today is on a topic that I care deeply abou...

22 Jun 30min

Mike Lee's Roadless Rule Amendment, NPS Funding Diverted, and ORV Access Expands - Public Lands News (June 8 - 15)

In this week's public lands news briefing, we covered four stories:- Mike Lee pushes the latest effort to repeal the Roadless Rule, a landmark conservation policy protecting 58 million acres of nation...

15 Jun 31min

224. Finding Joy in a World of Bad News with Liz Crandall

It can feel impossible to find joy when the headlines never seem to let up.From attacks on public lands and environmental protections to growing uncertainty for the people who steward these places, ma...

8 Jun 1h 17min

Cyanide Bombs Return, MN Mining Push Continues, and Bill to Stop Firings Introduced (Public Lands News - June 1)

In this week's public lands news briefing, we cover three stories:1. Republican-controlled Congress includes mining leases for Twin Metals in Northern MN in the Fiscal Year 2027 Interior and Environme...

1 Jun 27min

223. The Outdoor Literacy Gap No One Talks About with Natalie Teboul

In episode 223 of the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, we explore the connection between outdoor literacy, geography education, and environmental stewardship with educator and creator Natalie Teboul, also ...

26 Mai 31min

Hiking in Bear Country? Bear Biologist, Sydney Stephens, Wants You To Learn to Coexist [REPOST]

Episode 140 featuring Sydney Stephens was originally posted on July 1, 2024. This episode is a repost.Now, two years later, hearing how to safely interact with bears feels more relevant than ever. We'...

18 Mai 41min