Where ‘Keep Colorado Wild’ pass money will be going

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- If you're about to renew your car registration, or if you just did, you may have noticed a new decision to opt-in or opt-out to a state parks pass. Also known as the Keep Colorado Wild Pass.

The main thing Colorado Parks and Wildlife wants to clarify is that this is strictly a vehicle pass. This means you and anyone else in your car will get into a state park for free, instead of having to pay the daily use fee.

This does not include state wildlife areas, federal parks, or camping. It's strictly for state park entrance only. State wildlife areas do not require a fee of any kind, but rather just that you possess a valid hunting or fishing license. Federal parks have their own sets of specific rules.

Also, you can only get the pass for the $29 price when you renew your vehicle registration. It's normally $80 if you go to a CPW office or online.

The goal of the pass is to generate at least $36 million annually. The first $32.5 million will go towards state park maintenance and development. $2.5 million will go towards search and rescue teams. The expected remaining $1 million will go to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center. Any revenue beyond that will go to wildlife projects and outdoor educational programs.

In our region specifically, Fishers Peak State Park near Trinidad might get a chunk of the development funding in our area, because it is still being established. As well as maintenance at Cheyenne Mountain or Lake Pueblo. Such as improving trails, bathhouses, or adding more cabins at Cheyenne Mountain State Park.

Learn more about the Keep Colorado Wild Pass here.

Residents can purchase Centennial passes at $14 in income-eligible state and federal programs here.

Situations may happen where current annual CPW pass park customers will have overlapping passes. To report issues on that click here.

Daily-priced CPW annual park passes are available here.