Colorado Parks and Wildlife sold about 1.6 million Keep Colorado Wild Passes in Fiscal Year 2026, bringing in more than $43.2 million. The money pays for state parks, wildlife conservation and backcountry search and rescue across Colorado.

The agency shared the figures in its 2026 Keep Colorado Wild Act Report. The report shows how money from pass sales is used to meet outdoor recreation and conservation needs in the state.

Sales in Fiscal Year 2026 rose 5 percent from the year before. In Fiscal Year 2025, about 1.5 million passes were sold. That brought in $41 million, a 3 percent increase over the prior year.

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The pass first went on sale in January 2023. Through June 30, 2026, it has raised about $146 million.

The Keep Colorado Wild Act of 2021 created the pass. Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the Division of Motor Vehicles set it up as an optional $29 yearly state parks pass for Colorado residents. Residents can add it when they register passenger vehicles, light trucks, motorcycles and recreational vehicles. The pass gives entry to 43 Colorado state parks. It costs 60 percent less than a regular annual state parks pass.

The first $32.5 million raised goes to state park upkeep and staffing. After that, $2.5 million goes to the Colorado Backcountry Search and Rescue Program. Another $1 million goes to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center. The rest goes to the Wildlife Cash Fund and the Parks and Outdoor Recreation Cash Fund. Those funds support wider wildlife and outdoor recreation work.

"Colorado is known for our grand outdoor spaces, offering Coloradans and visitors an amazing variety of world-class outdoor recreational activities. In Colorado, we uplift and invest in conservation efforts to preserve our state parks for future generations, protect our ecosystems and make sure parks are accessible for everyone to enjoy," said Governor Polis.

The money helps the agency work toward 10 goals:

• The first goal is to offer an affordable state parks pass so Colorado's outdoors are welcoming and open to all.
• The second is to have enough staff and resources to manage and protect existing state parks.
• The third is to support the thousands of search and rescue volunteers who risk their lives in backcountry emergencies. This goal also covers building programs and campaigns that teach backcountry safety.
• The fourth is to protect winter visitors by supporting backcountry avalanche safety and awareness.
• The fifth is to build and maintain new state parks on a regular basis with local governments.
• The sixth is to grow the agency's ability to handle outdoor recreation beyond state parks, including on federal lands.
• The seventh is to raise state trails program funds for trail care, new trails and river recreation.
• The eighth is to set aside resources for the State Wildlife Action Plan, which protects at-risk species and habitats.
• The ninth is to support the agency's work on equity, diversity and inclusion in the outdoors.
• The tenth is to fund Colorado Regional Outdoor Partnerships. These groups support community-led conservation and recreation planning projects.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife runs mainly on license sales, state parks fees and registration fees. It manages 43 state parks and more than 350 wildlife areas covering about 900,000 acres. It also oversees fishing and hunting, wildlife watching, camping, motorized and non-motorized trails, boating and outdoor education. The agency's work adds about $6 billion in total economic impact each year across Colorado.

Learn more about the Keep Colorado Wild Pass at cpw.state.co.us/keep-colorado-wild-pass