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

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

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

  • Avsnitt(281)

    217. How AllTrails Is Using Trail Data to Protect Public Lands with Pitt Grewe

    217. How AllTrails Is Using Trail Data to Protect Public Lands with Pitt Grewe

    In recent years, more people than ever have been heading outdoors—discovering new trails, exploring public lands, and connecting with nature in ways that are shaping the future of outdoor recreation. ...

    30 Mars 33min

    216. How to Use a Walk in Nature as a Meditation Practice with Brian Berneman

    216. How to Use a Walk in Nature as a Meditation Practice with Brian Berneman

    What do you think of when you think of meditation? Many people think of meditation as only sitting still and clearing your mind, but in reality, mindfulness can happen through movement, sound, and att...

    23 Mars 39min

    Oak Flat Transferred to Multinational Mining Company and Big Bend Border Wall Pushes Ahead - Public Lands News (March 9-20)

    Oak Flat Transferred to Multinational Mining Company and Big Bend Border Wall Pushes Ahead - Public Lands News (March 9-20)

    During this week’s public lands news briefing on the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, we have two feature stories for you. What we cover this week:1. Oak Flat, a sacred indigenous site and popular rock cli...

    20 Mars 25min

    215. What You Didn't Know About Trawling in Alaska with David Bayes

    215. What You Didn't Know About Trawling in Alaska with David Bayes

    What happens when one of the world’s largest industrial fishing fleets operates alongside small coastal communities that depend on the same fish to survive?In Alaska, trawl fisheries—especially those ...

    16 Mars 37min

    214. We Are Losing the Climate Crisis Narrative Fight with Maya Lilly

    214. We Are Losing the Climate Crisis Narrative Fight with Maya Lilly

    Climate change is one of the biggest stories of our time—but the way we tell that story hasn’t always kept up with how people actually consume media today. As younger audiences spend more time on soci...

    9 Mars 37min

    US/Israel's Holy War with Iran Explained with Leigh Larson

    US/Israel's Holy War with Iran Explained with Leigh Larson

    Holy war? Resource war? Either way, it's illegal. In this special bonus episode on the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, I am joined by Leigh Larson, who breaks down how and why Christian nationalism and re...

    6 Mars 39min

    213. Are We Ready for the AI Energy Surge? What Communities Need to Know About Data Centers and the Grid with Dr. Naeem Turner

    213. Are We Ready for the AI Energy Surge? What Communities Need to Know About Data Centers and the Grid with Dr. Naeem Turner

    AI has seemingly taken over our lives in so many ways. Personally, I’ve seen a huge shift in the writing and journalism field for both staff and freelance writers. But one thing we often don’t see is ...

    2 Mars 30min

    Building the Border Wall in Big Bend, Steve Pearce Stumbles During Hearing, and 2.1M Acres Open in Dalton Corridor - Public Land News (Feb 23-27)

    Building the Border Wall in Big Bend, Steve Pearce Stumbles During Hearing, and 2.1M Acres Open in Dalton Corridor - Public Land News (Feb 23-27)

    During this week’s public lands news briefing on the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, we have three feature stories for you. And no, this is not all that’s happened with public lands this week. So, as alwa...

    27 Feb 28min

    Populärt inom Politik & nyheter

    aftonbladet-krim
    p3-krim
    svenska-fall
    rss-krimstad
    spar
    flashback-forever
    rss-sanning-konsekvens
    rss-vad-fan-hande
    aftonbladet-daily
    motiv
    rss-aftonbladet-krim
    rss-flodet
    politiken
    rss-klubbland-en-podd-mest-om-frolunda
    rss-frandfors-horna
    rss-krimreportrarna
    grans
    krimmagasinet
    dagens-eko
    olyckan-inifran