Sales of new DMV-issued state park passes reach $30 million

More than 70% of Colorado motorists who registered or re-registered their vehicles over the past eight months opted out of a new program that allowed them to buy a state parks pass for $29.

Still, as of Sunday, Sept. 10, more than a million Keep Colorado Wild passes had been sold through the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles, generating upward of $30 million in revenue for Colorado Parks and Wildlife, which oversees all 42 state parks. The annual goal for the Keep Colorado Wild program, which was implemented in January, is $36 million.

For the 29.4% who opted in, they were able to save $51 off the normal price of an annual state parks pass, which cost $80 when purchased directly through Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

CPW plans to use the first $32.5 million for park maintenance and development, according to its website. The next $2.5 million will be earmarked to support search and rescue teams, with an additional $1 million for the Colorado Avalanche Information Center.

Prior to the creation of the Keep Colorado Wild pass, the number of annual park passes sold totaled about 140,000 annually, while daily pass sales (which cost $10) ran around 1 million, according to CPW spokeswoman Bridget O’Rourke. For the fiscal year that ended June 30, CPW sold 86,000 annual passes and 890,000 daily pass sales.

Keep Colorado Wild sales accounted for another 769,000 after six months of sales. CPW officials expect Keep Colorado Wild pass sales will continue to reduce sales of passes sold through CPW, but they are unsure what the breakdown will be.

Here are some frequently asked questions regarding the Keep Colorado Wild pass program:

Why is there no windshield sticker?

When you buy a Keep Colorado Wild pass, your pass is your vehicle registration card from the DMV with a Colorado Parks and Wildlife logo printed on it. Your DMV registration becomes your state park pass, so an additional window sticker is unnecessary. Additionally, park rangers can run your license plate to determine whether you have a KCW pass.

How do you prove you have a pass at the gate?

Keep Colorado Wild Pass holders simply show their vehicle registration card with the CPW logo to enter a Colorado state park. If the park entrance is not staffed, you may enter but may be asked to show your pass at any time. Passholders also have the option to make their pass digital and display it on their phone via the My CPW app or the MyColorado app. The latter is a digital wallet for state-issued documents such as driver’s licenses, vehicle registrations, vehicle titles and vaccination records. CPW has step-by-step online instructions about how to link a Keep Colorado Wild Pass to a new or existing CPWshop.com account.