If you’ve renewed your vehicle registration, you might have noticed a $29 fee at the bottom of your registration. This new fee in 2023 was added as a Keep Colorado Wild (KCW) pass.

The $29 pass fee is included automatically, but it’s optional. But before you choose to opt out, let’s cover the details and why it could be beneficial to keep it.

It costs $80 to purchase an Annual Affixed Vehicle State Parks Pass and $40 for each additional affixed vehicle pass. An annual Family Park Pass runs $120. That’s saving between $51 and $91 per park pass.

If you’re thinking, “Well, I don’t hike, camp, snowshoe, or cross country ski. Why do I need a state park pass?” If you’re reading The Mountain-Ear, there’s a good chance that you, at the very least, spend some time in the mountains driving, eating, shopping, dining, visiting, attending a festival, or taking photos.

When you’re in the mountains, there’s a chance that the forest you’re picnicking on or taking photos of is part of or attached to a state park in one way or another.

Entry to Colorado’s State Parks isn’t all you get for the year. Fees support state parks systems, search and rescue teams, avalanche safety programs, and wildlife conservation efforts and helps keep our landscapes healthy for current and future generations.

You can only purchase the KCW pass at a discount during vehicle registration. If you opt out and later change your mind, you will have to purchase your pass through the Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) site and pay the full price for the annual pass.

According to a study conducted by the CPW, 92% of Coloradans participate in some form of outdoor activity at least once every few weeks, including visiting a state park. The new fee gives all Coloradans an easy way to support Colorado’s outdoors, wildlife, and local communities.

Paying the $29 KCW pass fee is an easy way to show your support for the beauty we all love so much about our state. The pass is not transferable between vehicles and is linked to your license plate and registration card. The pass provides car, bike, and foot entry into all Colorado State Parks.

If you’ve already registered your vehicle and are not sure if you paid for the KCW pass, look for the Colorado Parks and Wildlife logo printed on your registration card. For more information, visit https:// cpw.state.co.us/aboutus/pages/keepcolorado-wild-pass.aspx.