Fall River Entrance Construction Project

NPS

On Wednesday, May 21, 2025, National Park Service staff were joined by elected officials, congressional staff, project contractors, the Rocky Mountain Conservancy, and other special guests to celebrate the completion of the Fall River Entrance Station construction project.

The project included three new entrance kiosks, a new office, an updated entrance sign, a dedicated transponder lane, and road widening. It also involved major improvements to utility systems: the wastewater and water systems serving the Fall River Entrance and the Bighorn Ranger Station were upgraded or replaced. A new on-site wastewater treatment system was installed, several water system components were modernized, and the water treatment building saw significant upgrades.

This project addresses aging infrastructure as part of a broader effort across national parks to reduce the agency's maintenance backlog. Funding came through the National Park Service Line-Item Construction and Repair-Rehabilitation programs, which are authorized by Congress to support critical visitor service investments.

More than a decade in the making, this marks the fifth iteration of an entrance station in the Fall River area - a reflection of the park’s continued evolution over its 110-year history.

 

Park rangers are ready to welcome visitors at Fall River Entrance, taken May 21, 2025

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Why Was This Project Important?

Originally designed only for summer operations, the previous Fall River Entrance Station was constructed in the 1960s. Those aging facilities no longer met the safety or operational needs of the park today.

When the previous entrance station was designed, the park had approximately one and a half million annual visitors. By 2019, annual visitation almost tripled, to over 4.6 million annual visitors. Critical infrastructure improvements were needed to improve visitor access and convenience, reduce traffic congestion, and provide a safe and efficient space for park employees.

 

New kiosks and entry lanes at Fall River Entrance

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Park Rangers are walking the line and talking with park visitors as they enter through the Fall River Entrance Station, taken in 1940

NPS/C.E. Humberger

 

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