ARAPAHOE COUNTY, Colo. — Colorado Parks and Wildlife is considering charging out-of-state visitors an extra $5 fee for daily state park passes to increase revenue for its parks’ operating and capital costs.
The proposal, discussed at the latest CPW meeting, would require vehicles with out-of-state license plates to pay $15-$17 for daily park access, while Colorado residents would continue paying the same rate of $10-$12 depending on the specific park.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife estimates that approximately 10% of daily pass sales are purchased by nonresidents. Twenty-two states currently have similar rates in place for out-of-state park visitors.
Scripps News Denver visited Cherry Creek State Park to gauge reactions from both locals and visitors.
Brian Mumaugh, an Arapahoe County resident who visits the park on a regular basis, is all for the changes if ongoing maintenance issues are addressed with the added revenue.
"There's a bridge that's been in disrepair for at least a year and-a-half, and they haven't touched it," said Mumaugh. “If the money went to repair the paths and the trails and remove debris, five bucks is easy.”
Robb Manus, visiting from New Mexico, discovered the park by happenstance.
"I was out and about, and I thought I'd grab me a cup of coffee, stopped and saw this park on GPS, pulled it up, and here I am," he said.
The park won him over completel, he even said he'd gladly pay higher fees if it meant better maintenance.
"I don't mind the fee just as long as the funds is going, you know, to the parks and stuff like that all day," Manus said. "Most people complain about, oh, $5 here, whatever the fee is. But, you know, you get a cup of coffee, you know, it's about the same."
Colorado's state parks generated $140 million last fiscal year, with nearly half coming from licenses, permits, and passes.
A quarter of that revenue goes directly toward maintaining parks and trails.
A spokesperson for Colorado Parks and Wildlife told Scripps News Denver the additional revenue from the proposed fee hike would support operations and capital costs for maintaining and developing state parks.
“For the past several years, CPW has had a goal to continue to increase the revenues to conserve, enhance and support Colorado’s remarkable wildlife and state parks resources. This proposal, like the [Keep Colorado Wild Pass], provides for new revenues while keeping park entrance fees affordable."
Some of the planned improvements include:
- Sweitzer Lake State Park — creating a new archery range and 80+ campgrounds and converting the park from a day-use area
- Highline West State Park — new trails, upgraded beach facilities and expanded camping and picnic areas
- Pikes Peak and North Sand Hills — better management of recreational opportunities
- Cheyenne Mountain — expanding working partnership with the City of Colorado Springs
The proposal, which is still under consideration by the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission, comes two months after the National Park Service said it was going to start charging the millions of international tourists who visit U.S. parks each year an extra $100 to enter some of the most popular sites, while leaving them out of fee-free days that will be reserved for American residents.
Those changes went into effect at the beginning of the year.
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