Free entrance to Colorado state parks for military and veterans in August
Joey Livingston
DENVER – As a thank you to U.S. military members, Colorado Parks and Wildlife offers active duty military, veterans and the National Guard free admission to all state parks for the month of August. Military members and veterans, resident and nonresident, can pick up a free August Military Pass at any Colorado state park or CPW office by showing proof of service. Passes become available on Aug. 1, 2023 and are available for service members only.
The free park pass provides a chance to experience Colorado’s state parks and the diverse wildlife and landscapes the state provides. All other park fees remain in effect, including camping reservations, boat and off-highway vehicle registrations, and hunting and fishing licenses. The pass is not valid for accessing State Wildlife Areas and State Trust Lands.
To help plan a unique Colorado adventure, visit the CPW park finder. State park outdoor recreation activities include:
- Water sports- boating, kayaking, paddle boarding and swimming
- Wildlife and wildflower viewing, birdwatching and tours with naturalists
- Hiking, horseback riding, biking and rock climbing
- Stargazing and geocaching
- Accessibility programs are available to people with disabilities
CPW offers several additional military benefits to active duty military, veterans and disabled veterans. Programs include:
- Free admission to state parks on Veterans Day
- Year-round free entry to all state parks to residents with Colorado Disabled Veteran and Purple Heart license plates
- Free lifetime small game and fishing combination license for qualified disabled veterans
- Free Independence Pass which provides unlimited access to all Colorado state parks year-round to Colorado resident veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities
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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.