Keep Colorado Wild Pass generated millions for Colorado Parks and Wildlife last year 

Over 1.5 million Coloradans opted to purchase a discounted state parks pass on their annual vehicle registration over the last year — bringing in $41 million for Colorado Parks and Wildlife. 

The Keep Colorado Wild Pass was created in 2021 by the state legislature to generate additional revenue for Parks and Wildlife to use for state park maintenance, local search-and-rescue organizations, and the Colorado Avalanche Information Center. 

It launched in 2023, adding the pass, which grants access to all Colorado state parks, for a $29 fee on annual vehicle registrations. A traditional state park pass costs $80 annually. 

In its first two years, sales of the pass have exceeded the state’s expectations — when created, Parks and Wildlife hoped sales of the Keep Colorado Wild Pass would generate $36 million. 

In the first fiscal year of pass sales ending on June 30, 2024, revenue hit $39.7 million. 

In the second year, pass sales generated $41 million, with 28% of Colorado vehicle owners opting into purchasing the pass, according to the Colorado Department of Motor Vehicles records. 

While Keep Colorado Sales have increased around 3.3% in its second year, traditional annual and daily state park pass sales continue to drop. 

In an August presentation to Parks and Wildlife’s Commission, Justin Rutter, the agency’s chief financial officer, reported that sales from the annual and daily passes were down 19%, representing a decrease of $2.1 million in revenue. Overall, Rutter reported that the agency’s revenue from all hunting and fishing licenses, passes, fees, and permits — which accounts for the majority of Parks and Wildlife’s revenue — was relatively flat, with a 2% increase over last year. 

The largest chunk of the Keep Colorado Wild Pass revenue — $32.5 million — goes toward state park maintenance and development, including updating facilities like boat decks, bathrooms, parking lots, picnic areas and shade shelters. In a news release, Parks and Wildlife said it plans to use some of the funds to make accessibility improvements, in line with the Americans with Disabilities Act, at state parks. 

The next $2.5 million raised from sales of the pass goes to local search and rescue organizations across the state for rescuer training, mental health programs and team equipment. 

Colorado is home to around 50 Search and Rescue organizations, which are 100% volunteer-based and provide search-and-rescue services free of charge to individuals lost, injured, or stranded in the backcountry. While these organizations are county-based and coordinated through county sheriffs or county governments, Parks and Wildlife provides support and funding from the statewide level. 

The next $1 million raised by the Keep Colorado Wild Pass supports the Colorado Avalanche Information Center. According to Parks and Wildlife, pass sales supported the center’s new forecaster staffing model and allowed it to add specialized support roles in communications and technology and build a modern forecasting platform. 

Any remaining funds generated by the pass — around $7 million in the most recent fiscal year — go toward wildlife projects and outdoor accessibility and education programs. 

The pass is offered on passenger vehicle, light truck, motorcycle, and recreational vehicle registrations. Keep Colorado Wild Passholders are granted car, bike, and foot entry access into any of Colorado’s 43 state parks.