Get outside and celebrate Colorado Public Lands Day on May 21
Travis Duncan
DENVER - Colorado Parks and Wildlife, along with partners from federal, local and state agencies, are all celebrating Colorado Public Lands Day on Saturday, May 21, 2022. Free events, stewardship projects and outdoor adventures are being offered across the state to highlight the importance of our public lands. Colorado Public Lands Day is an annual opportunity to give back to our lands and connect communities across the state.
“Not only do public lands conserve critical habitat for fish and wildlife, but they also sustain a vibrant economic engine for Colorado,” said CPW Acting Director Heather Dugan. “Whether it’s tourism, hunting, fishing, camping, hiking or dirt biking, our public lands are a vital part of Colorado’s allure and natural beauty.”
Colorado became the first state in the nation to establish its own public lands day in 2016 when Governor Hickenlooper signed the bipartisan bill into law. The purpose of this holiday is to celebrate the significant contributions that national, state and local public lands within Colorado make to wildlife, outdoor recreation, the economy and to Coloradans’ quality of life.
Some Colorado state park events on May 21 include:
- Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area: Annual Cleanup Greenup
- Lathrop State Park: Colorado Public Lands Day Geology Hike
- Mueller State Park: Hike to Dynamite and Cahill Cabins
- Barr Lake State Park: Park cleanup
Additional events can also be found at copubliclandsday.com.
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Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) is an enterprise agency, relying primarily on license sales, state parks fees and registration fees to support its operations, including: 43 state parks and more than 350 wildlife areas covering approximately 900,000 acres, management of fishing and hunting, wildlife watching, camping, motorized and non-motorized trails, boating and outdoor education. CPW's work contributes approximately $6 billion in total economic impact annually throughout Colorado.