New $1 increase on 6 high-visitation parks goes into effect January 1

 

Dec. 30, 2020 DENVER – Beginning Jan. 1, a $1 high-use fee will be added to the cost of daily vehicle passes at Lake Pueblo, Golden Gate Canyon, Staunton, Castlewood Canyon, Roxborough and Highline state parks. These parks join Cherry Creek, Chatfield, Boyd Lake and Eldorado Canyon state parks as areas with high-use fees. The high-use fee at these parks is necessary to mitigate the extra expenses and resource strain associated with a high level of use by visitors.  These parks have seen a huge increase in visitation numbers. In a year of record park visitation, record drownings and increased protocols for COVID-19, many of our high-use parks are in dire need of maintenance funds. CPW has relied on its volunteers in this year of unprecedented use at state parks for trash pick-up, extra patrols, and programs like the Trail Ambassadors at Cheyenne Mountain State Park to help with the increased demand.  At popular spots like Eldorado Canyon, the park hits vehicle capacity all summer long. In an effort to alleviate traffic, CPW began working with Boulder to offer shuttle service during the busy summer months. The park’s work on a Visitor Use Management Plan could become a model for how CPW helps control congestion at its most popular parks.  These efforts have helped, but increased financial support is needed. The additional revenue generated will help CPW with increased trash collection, increased resource damage, additional temporary staffing, additional wear-and-tear on facilities and other expenses which were not offset by normal vehicle pass fees.  These parks join Cherry Creek, Chatfield, Boyd Lake and Eldorado Canyon state parks as areas with high-use fees. Passes to Colorado state parks can be purchased at the parks as well as online at cpwshop.com. Visit CPW’s Park Entrance Pass Information page for more information on the types of passes available to access Colorado’s 42 state parks.     ###