As part of the Keep Colorado Wild (KCW) Act of 2021, CPW and the Department of Revenue — Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) created an optional $29 annual state parks pass for Colorado residents, which can be added when registering passenger vehicles, light trucks, motorcycles and recreational vehicles. The Keep Colorado Wild Pass offers a 60% savings compared to a traditional annual state parks pass, and provides one-year entry into all 43 Colorado state parks by car, bike and foot.
The pass's purpose is to provide consistent, reliable financial contributions that allow the state parks system to continue growing with Colorado’s population while motivating and accommodating increasing demand for outdoor recreation opportunities. Since becoming available to purchase in January 2023, the Keep Colorado Wild Pass has raised approximately $100 million through June 30, 2025.
This funding supports CPW’s mission and goals to ensure affordable park access, increase staffing and resources for state parks, support search and rescue operations, enhance avalanche safety, develop new state parks, expand outdoor recreation capacity on federal lands, boost state trail programs, conserve vulnerable wildlife species, promote equity and inclusion in the outdoors, and fund regional outdoor partnerships.
In the most recent fiscal year, approximately 1.5 million Keep Colorado Wild Passes were obtained by Coloradans, generating $41 million to help protect public lands, a 3% increase in sales from the prior year.
Initial Keep Colorado Wild Pass revenue (the first $32.5 million) is dedicated to making the pass accessible and to state park maintenance and staffing. Remaining funds "spill over" to support $2.5 million allocated to the Colorado Backcountry Search and Rescue Program, $1 million to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC), and nearly $2.6 million in fiscal year 2025 (FY25) to both the Wildlife Cash Fund and the Parks and Outdoor Recreation Cash Fund for broader wildlife and outdoor recreation initiatives.
KCW funds are used in combination with several other funding sources to accomplish activities related to KCW Act goals. Key progress highlights include:
* CPW’s Recreational Trails Program continued efforts to fund trail maintenance, enforcement, planning and construction, awarding over $14.8 million in grants and supporting over 157,600 hours of trail crews in FY25.
* The annual funding of $1 million to the CAIC supported significant increases in FTE staff avalanche forecasts through a new forecasting software platform.
* CPW continued development at Fishers Peak State Park, expanded Sweitzer Lake State Park, and opened a new 20-site campground at Highline Lake State Park.
To learn more about the Keep Colorado Wild Pass at cpw.state.co.us/keep-colorado-wild-pass
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Check out our online trail guides:
- Glacier National Park: HikinginGlacier.com
- Grand Teton National Park: TetonHikingTrails.com
- Rocky Mountain National Park: RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
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