Why Is It So Hard to Get To Red Rocks?

Red Rocks is gearing up for the busiest time of year. It’s concert season, and tourists are beelining from the city to climb up to the most attended outdoor amphitheater in the world, which hosts everything from concerts to movies to yoga and more.

“Visitor spending supports around 7,000 jobs, generating $216 million in income and $717 million in economic output annually,” according to a 2023 Denver Arts & Venues Economic Impact Study. “Additionally, it contributes over $20 million in tax revenue each year.”

Red Rocks pulled in 1.6 million people in the 2024 season, all before Oct. 1. Despite the millions of attendees, there is no designated route to the amphitheater. Frequent concertgoer Jade Borchers experiences difficulty as someone who resides in the Denver area, and explained that a tourist would have a hard time as well.

“You either have to carpool or drop a ton of money,” Borchers said. “Trying to get to Red Rocks without a car sucks. Uber prices are crazy, especially before or after the shows, and there’s no consistent public transit option.”

Uber and Lyft are the only consistent transportation options available to Red Rocks visitors. There are also designated hubs for private shuttles to retrieve Red Rocks attendees, such as the Convention Center and Union Station. Most tourists will ride share directly from their hotels or reserve a spot with shuttle companies, such as Red Rocks Shuttles. 

For the concerned tourist, the sacrifice lies between safety, convenience and frugal means.  The logistical nightmare surrounding the venue brings a clear market exploitation for tourists and locals alike. 

“I’m sick of getting gouged by ride share services or party bus companies to make sure I can get to the show or home safely,” said one  Reddit user on r/Denver.

The RTD Denver Office currently has a long waiting list of transit requests through its partnership program. “The RTD System Optimization Plan (SOP), which was adopted by the RTD Board of Directors in 2022, outlines service goals through 2027,” said Tina Jaquez, a spokesperson for RTD. “(The SOP) allocates grant money to local municipalities/partners interested in providing mobility options within a specific community.”

There is currently a drafted plan in place that could possibly resolve the issue.“Proposals for 2025 were recently submitted, and Jefferson County did submit an application for a service that would serve several locations within Jefferson County, including a stop at Red Rocks,” Jaquez said.  

However, that is not within reach this summer. Along with the other proposals submitted, they will have to wait until Aug. 1, when grant recipients are announced.

As of right now, the closest light rail option for visitors attending a show at the venue is the W Line to Federal Center Station, which is seven miles away from Red Rocks. The closest bus stop is at Highway 40 and Highway 26, which is still a two-mile hike to the theater. 

“People like to think that public transit will always be available,” said Brian Kitts from the Denver Arts and Venues office. “But there’s just a lack of momentum and resources.”

Apparently, the conversation about transit routes has been a circular conversation among representatives of Red Rocks, RTD, the town of Morrison and Jefferson County. “Going back several years, we have met with the county and the neighboring towns,” said Kitts.

Similar to ride share apps, Kitts provided a possible solution by mentioning a carpooling program that has been brainstormed in discussions with the Denver Regional Council of Governments. As far as efforts for future transit options are concerned, not much else was said. 

The venue has relinquished all authority over the issue into the hands of the RTD office. “Public transit, like RTD, decides,” Kitts said of how future lines are determined.

Given the circumstances, the Arts and Venues office has learned to accept its lack of options in terms of transportation. 

“The venue has been open for 84 years, and people find a way to get there,” Kitts said.

Responsibility, budgeting, infrastructure and ownership all lie in a colluded pile of red tape, which could explain confusion on the subject. Denver Arts and Venues sends its own staff to handle scheduled events, while third-party event staff are hired to assist with ushering, security and traffic. Denver Parks and Recreation has designated park rangers scattered across the trails and up the venue to assist visitors and enforce rules.

To make matters more confusing, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s office shares jurisdiction of Red Rocks with Denver County. Public information about the venue is subsequently severed and shared between a handful of offices like a game of telephone. 

The overall consensus, however, is that Uber and Lyft own the trail. “As far as public transit goes, you have to ride share,” said Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office public information officer Jacki Kelley.  

Navigating the winding turns near the entrance of Red Rocks requires a very aware driver. Many locals tend to carpool, provided the designated driver remains sober for the entirety of the excursion.

“If you do not have the awareness to drive safely, then you need to catch an Uber,” Kelley said. Avoiding a potentially fatal incident or a run-in with the State Patrol would be preferred. This incurs the money-gouging dilemma for most attendees, as Uber rides can cost anywhere from $30 to $90, depending on the time of day and traffic.

The preferred option for many tourists is the Red Rocks Shuttle, which has formed a unique alliance with Union Station and the Crawford Hotel. Multiple private shuttle companies choose Union Station as a meeting point to run profitable and economical tourism operations. The Crawford Hotel uses Red Rocks Shuttles and other third-party private transit, such as Bold Limo, for guests who arrive in hopes of attending a Red Rocks event. 

“Bold Limo service is going to be your more private chauffeuring. [Red Rocks Shuttle] is Red Rocks specific,” said Grace Whittemore of the Crawford Hotel. “They specifically pick you up from Union, take you to Red Rocks, and back from Red Rocks.”

However, the prices for either option are not cheap. Red Rocks Shuttles charges $65 per person on a round trip. Bold Limo can run fees of nearly $300, depending on the miles driven and the time commuted.

Shuttling companies have not been in contact with the Arts & Venues Office, but the city has silently thanked them for decreasing traffic. “They allow for more parking spots in the lots, and we welcome that,” Kitts said.

The average tourist will, however, get gouged by the high prices it takes to reach the Red Rocks Amphitheater. This discussion has been an issue for years, and there is no sure sign that transit will ever be an option, especially not now.

It is highly advised to prepare for an expensive commute to Morrison, unless you’ve got a car and a designated driver on hand. Frustrated with the current state of public transit, concertgoers are often forced to budget for the price of commuting to their trip.

“It would have been easier to bring Red Rocks to me than to take public transportation to Red Rocks,” said Bridger Nicholson, highlighting the limited current options visitors have to get to the iconic outdoor amphitheatre.