Recently, I covered Jake Pelton, the man that used a combination of public transit and a bicycle to get to Red Rocks. His story loomed large in my head as I carpooled to my first show of a three night stretch, Incubus.
I dreaded the cost that the subsequent 2 nights, King Gizzard and the Wizard Lizard, would have on my wallet. The person I was seeing it with wanted to use Lyft to get back these nights, which would increase the cost of transportation both ways.
Current Options
On its official website, Red Rocks spends the first 3 paragraphs of the “Getting Here” section dedicated to discussing the parking situation. The only suggestion in regards to cutting down on single occupancy vehicles that the “getting here” section discusses is carpooling and rideshare, stating that “We recommend carpooling to Red Rocks and taking advantage of the benefits so you can save money on gas and help take care of the surrounding environment – not to mention cutting down on pre- and post-show traffic jams!”
To qualify, buses are mentioned throughout the “getting there” section, albeit briefly and only in reference to where they drop off people. Several bus options exist, with private shuttles that can be upward of $625 for 7 passengers depending on the pickup locations. Community Shuttles, then, seem to be the cheapest option for those who don’t want to carpool and can meet up at central locations. This could be anything from Bus Party, which has no membership fee and requires payment for every event, to Bustoshow, which generally picks up at Cheba Hut on East Colfax and Costs $38.50 after processing fees per person.
In regards to rideshare, I can speak more from personal experience. To get home from the first night From King Gizzard on Lyft, it was north of $100 after tip.
The second night was slightly better, with my friend paying $100, $80 to get to my apartment and an additional $20 to drop him off at Union Station to catch the last A Line to the Airport. Admittedly, this does contrast with my usual strategy, which comprises getting to the last stop on the W Line, Lyfting up to red rocks, and Lyfting back before the last eastbound W Line departs. Additionally, the cost of a Lyft is significantly better when scheduled, with the price being between $45-$50 when a ride is planned.
Cycling to Red Rocks is another option, though it would require a time commitment of an hour and a half to 2 hours depending on how fast you go. More specifics regarding this method are detailed in the article I wrote above profiling Jake Pelton’s ride.
A Public Transit Proposal
Currently, the going rate for a Regional Day Pass for the Regional Transit District (RTD), which includes the W Line, is about $10.50. With the lowest possible community shuttle prices being north of $30, creating a limited line similar to what BroncosRide used to be. Logistically, the best station for the shuttle to begin at would be the Federal Center Station: It has a significant amount of parking that remains unused on weekends and direct access to the W-Line. Perhaps partnering with the City of Denver and Anschutz Entertainment Group could help with funding this line.
Conclusion
I wholly realize that this proposal is unrealistic in the currently political mold we exist in. Distrust in RTD is at a high amongst people within the district, Denver has an outgoing mayor that doesn’t want to make political waves, and the system optimization plan is moving towards cutting several lines, including one of the main bus lines that goes to the federal center. That being said, with the opportunities that a new mayor and council could bring in 2023, along with turnover on RTD’s board in 2024, this proposal could become a reality sooner than one would expect. If a bus or fleet of buses could alleviate some of the traffic of the nearly 1.5 million people that attend the venue yearly, along with lowering the cost of of getting to and from the venue, it would be a good service and ambassadorship for RTD to people that wouldn’t ride transit regularly.
Featured Image is from Night 2 of King Gizzard and the Wizard Lizard
Colorado Car Free 
thank you for trying to dissect Red Rocks access; one thing that strikes me is Denver *owns* Red Rocks, so the venue should be reflecting Denver’s values, rather than just spooning pablum to concertgoers; even our outgoing mayor is a strong supporter of a “transportation revision”, so i think there’s a great opportunity to get the Red Rocks administrators to actively advocate for alternative transit access, and act directly on some of your suggestions, possibly forging ahead of what RTD is willing to do and then letting them play catch up
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