Christmas and New Years Office Closure
Colorado Parks and Wildlife offices will be closed on December 24, December 25, December 26 and January 1.
A trail crew working on a project in Indian Peaks
About the Grants
Non-Motorized Trails Grants
The Colorado State Recreational Trails Grant Program funds projects to continue to improve outdoor recreation opportunities, including trail construction, maintenance, planning, and support while protecting wildlife, habitat, and cultural resources. Funded by Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) and the Federal Recreational Trails Program (RTP), eligible project types include trail construction, maintenance, planning, and support.
Local, county, federal and tribal government agencies, recreation and metro districts, and charitable organizations (tax exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code) are invited to apply.
1000+
Colorado-based projects funded
$2
million available for grant opportunities each year
30+
years of improvements
A trail crew working on a project at Devil's Head Lookout
About the Grants
Non-Motorized Grant Program Manual
The manual is designed for both new applicants and existing grant recipients.
New Applicants: The manual provides comprehensive guidance on how to apply for funding, covering eligibility, required documents, timelines and the selection process.
Existing Grant Recipients: The manual outlines grantee responsibilities with regards to project management, required reporting and reimbursement procedures.
Property Ownership:
All properties on which State Trails’ funded projects take place must be under the control of the applicant or authorized agent, and open to the public for at least 25 years. A deed, easement, license, long-term lease or other documentation may be requested as proof of ownership or public access rights.
Grant Cycle 2025-2026
How to Apply
Choose a Project
- Trail construction projects include: new trail or trailhead construction, including the installation or creation of new facilities where none currently exists.
- Trail maintenance projects include: maintenance, re-route or reconstruction of existing trails and trailheads, and improvement of current trailhead facilities.
- Trail planning projects include: trail layout, design, engineering, feasibility studies, inventory, use studies, analysis of existing and proposed trails and master plans.
- Trail support projects include: building and enhancement of volunteer organizations, increasing volunteer capacity, and implementing trail training and education.
- Trail stewardship crews projects include (2026 pilot project): funding two to eight person trail stewardship crews who complete work on an existing trail system.
Project Requirements
- Construction and Maintenance – no minimum, up to $250,000
- Planning and Support – no minimum, up to $45,000
- Trails Stewardship – no minimum, up to $150,000
- 25% of the total grant request must be matched funds, 10% of that minimum amount must be cash
- Grantee insurance – required for non-governmental organizations only. Compliance with applicable federal and state laws, regulations and policies (including Build America, Buy America)
- All Federal permits must be completed by the applicant presentation date (early January). Other local permits and clearances must be completed prior to the grant award (finalized purchase order or contract.)
- Project completion within 2 to 2.5 years of grant award.
Begin by Emailing Your Letter of Intent
All applicants must send a letter of intent to trails@state.co.us. Include a basic project scope with a high level overview of your project and a project site map that outlines where work will be performed This information will be sent to the appropriate CPW Area Wildlife Manager to initiate a pre-application review for identification of potential wildlife concerns. This process provides time for applicants to consider and begin addressing any concerns raised by CPW before the application deadline in October.
Compile Your Full Application
You will need to include:
- your Unique Entity Identifier (UEI)
- letters of support (up to 5 in a single PDF)
- a signed letter of resolution
- your application (construction, maintenance, trail stewardship, planning, support)
- any maps or photographs (5 page limit)
- your project budget or multi-project budget
- either the federal environmental form or non-federal environmental form
- an environmental impact assessment from NEPA (for projects on federal lands only) approved and finalized before grants are awarded
Email your full application to trails@state.co.us.
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI)
If you haven’t already, register for a UEI.
Application Documents
Having trouble downloading Excel or Word files? Right-click on the link, choose 'Save link as' and download to your desktop or designated folder.
- Download the Construction Application
- Download the Maintenance Application
- Download the Trail Stewardship Application
- Download the Planning Application
- Download the Support Application
- Application Manual
- Detailed information on the program priorities and process of applying for a non-motorized trails grant.
- Download the Example Budget Form
- Download the Single Project Budget Form
- If you are applying for a single project, fill out this budget form.
- Download the Multi-project Budget Form
- If you are applying for multiple projects, fill out this budget form.
- If you are applying for multiple projects, fill out this budget form.
- NEPA Environmental Impact Assessment
- If your project is on federal land, you will need an approved and finalized NEPA Environmental Impact Assessment before grants are awarded.
- Wildlife Impacts Assessment Guidelines
- Read this document for more information on what to expect during preparation and full wildlife review.
- Wildlife Review Process
- Read this document for more information on what to expect during the pre-application and full wildlife review.
- Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP)
- Review the SCORP as you put together your application.
- State Trails Strategic Plan
- Review the State Trails Strategic Plan as you put together your application.
- Planning Trails with Wildlife in Mind
- This guide focuses extensively on collaborative approaches to problem solving to meet both conservation and recreation goals, and includes the current best practices and science to Colorado's land managers, trail advocates, and conservationists engaged in trail planning.
- Conservation Data Explorer
- Helpful to applicants as you prepare your applications
Review Subcommittee
Grant Application Review Process
The State Recreational Trails Committee and its grant review and ranking subcommittees meet to review the grant applications. These meetings are open to the public and provide a platform for verbal comments on the applications.
Grant Deadlines
Key Topic |
Description |
Date |
Time |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Application Opens |
Friday, August 1, 2025 |
||
|
Application Help Webinar #1 |
To help navigate the application process, a 45-minute webinar will be held to cover application requirements and commonly asked questions. |
Thursday, August 7th, 2025 |
9:00 a.m. MT |
|
Application Help Webinar #2 |
To help navigate the application process, a 45-minute webinar will be held to cover application requirements and commonly asked questions. |
Wednesday, August 13, 2025 |
2:00 p.m. MT |
|
Application Help Webinar #3 |
To help navigate the application process, a 45-minute webinar will be held to cover application requirements and commonly asked questions. |
Tuesday, August 19th, 2025 |
11:00 a.m. MT |
|
Letters of Intent Due |
Pre-application letters of intent are due by this date. |
Wednesday, September 3, 2025 |
5:00 p.m. MT. |
|
Full Applications Due |
Compile and email all required documents by this date. |
Wednesday, October 1, 2025 |
5:00 p.m. MT. |
|
Presentations |
Applicants are asked to make themselves available in January to provide a 15-minute presentation (10 minutes plus a 5 minute question and answer session) to the subcommittee. |
January 2026 |
|
|
Projects Reviewed |
Subcommittee scoring, ranking and funding recommendations to the State Trails Committee. |
January, 2026 |
|
|
Grants Awarded |
CPW Commission review and approval to award grants. CPW awards grants. |
March, 2026 |
|
|
Projects Start |
CPW commences contracting. Grantee may begin grant funded work once the contract or purchase order with CPW is finalized. |
April through June, 2026 |
Grant Decision and Award Process
Grant Submissions
The 2026 grant applications are posted for public review. Comments may be emailed to [email protected], no later than December 12, 2025.
2025-2026 Public Comment Meetings
Non-Motorized grant applicant presentations will take place in January, 2026. Details and webinar links will be posted prior to the events.
2025-2026
- Arroyos de Sol Trailhead
- Hogback Trail Construction
- Riverfront Trail Completion
- Bakers Park Trail System, Ph. 2
- UCCS Clyde Way Trail, Ph. 2
- Rio Grande Southern Trail and Pedestrian Bridge
- Chimney Hollow Open Space Trail
- Conifer High School Mountain Bike Trails, Ph. 2
- Mounts Shavano and Columbia Trail Reconstruction
- South Park Recreation Pathway Project
- Virginia Canyon Mountain Park Trail Construction
- Purgatoire River Preserve Trails
- Town to Lakes Trail 10th Street to Great West Avenue
- Ring the Peak Trail-Limber Pine Extension
- Fishers Canyon Open Space Trail Construction
- Rito Seco Overlook Trail Extension
- Stagecoach Trails, Ph.2
- Coal Creek Regional Trail Reach 2
- Soda Creek Trail Reroute
- Community Drive Connector Trail
2025-2026
- GOATS are Good Stewards (GGS)
- RCR HPBE Stewardship Crew 2026
- La Veta Trails 2026 Stewardship Crew
- Grand County Trail Crew 2026
- MRHI Collaborative Mountain Conservation
- SMT Countywide Trail Stewardship Crew
- Summer Teen Stewardship Program
- 2026 Crested Butte Stewardship Crew
- Wilder Bunch 2026 Stewardship Crew
- Trail Conservation Services 2026
- Cloud City Wheelers Trail Crew S
- Gunnison Trails_ 2026 Trail Crew
- Front Range Climbing Access Trail Stewardship
- Trail Conservation & Stewardship Crew
- Mesa County Trails Operational Support
- Clear Creek County Trail Stewardship
- RFMBA Seasonal Trail Crew 2026
- NM Wilderness Trail Crew
Maintenance Specific
- Larimer County Trail Stewardship - Awarded
- RFMBA Seasonal Trail Crew Program 2024 - Awarded
- Gunnison Field Office Trail Stewardship Crew - Awarded
- Wilder Bunch Stewardship Crew 2024 - Awarded
2025-2026
- Statewide 2026 CDT Maintenance and Stewardship
- Dolores Ranger District NM Trail Crew
- Blue River Trail Deck Maintenance
- Rock Creek Trail and Gorge Range Trail Maintenance
- Columbine Trails Partnership
- Pueblo Arkansas Trail Repair
- South Mesa Trailhead Redesign
- Hewlett Gulch Trail Improvement Project, Ph. 2
- South Cove Trail at Button Rock Preserve
- Spring Valley Trail Stewardship
- Meeker China Wall Trail System Maintenance
- Royal Gorge Regional Trail Maintenance Program
- Multiple Partnership for Trail Stewardship 2026
- State Hwy 7 Trail - ADA Improvements
- Brainard Lake Recreation Area - Trail System Improvements
- SCRGP Trail Stewardship Program
2025-2026
- Rons Loop
- Mintum Trails Planning
- Berthoud Pass Gateway Master Plan
- Parachute River Trail Planning Project
- Fourmile Canyon Study-Foothills Crossing Design
- Beaver Brook Watershed Planning
- Sunset Park and Monument Gulch Park Plan
- Cub Creek Park Trail Inventory - Trails Plan
- GMNC Trail Expansion Ph. 2
- Coyote Ridge Trail Planning Grant
Grant Applicant Locations
A map of the locations of the 2025 grant applications will be available in the future.
Contact
Please email any questions about non-motorized trail grants to:
State Trails Team
- Colorado Parks and Wildlife
- [email protected]
Trails Grants
Colorado Parks and Wildlife offers several trail grants to apply for.
Off-Highway Vehicle Grants
Eligible project types include trail construction, maintenance, planning, support and trail stewardship crews.
About Off Highway Vehicle GrantsSnowmobile Trail Grants
Purchase new or repair existing trail groomers, make trailhead improvements, create new or maintain maintenance facilities, or purchase signs and trail markers.
About Snowmobile Trail Grants