Tom,

It is my understanding that the purpose is that there are public highways that go through National Parks. For Rocky Mountain National Park many people that live in Grand Lake drive through the Park to access shopping and jobs on the other side.


The rule is intended to benefit the locals. I doubt that it will have unintended negative consequences.

Th folks that think they need to carry to go into the backcountry now hike on Forest Service land. Some of those folks might return to the NPs, but I doubt any substantial change.