For a second year in a row, sales of the Keep Colorado Wild Pass have surpassed initial projections.
Sales of the pass in its second year exceeded $41 million, with an estimated 1.5 million Colorado drivers choosing not to opt out of the $29 fee included in their vehicle registrations. That is about 203,000 more drivers than the debut year of Keep Colorado Wild Pass sales in 2023, which generated $39.7 million for Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
When CPW first planned the Keep Colorado Wild Pass, the agency set a goal to raise at least $36 million a year. The plan was to funnel $32.5 million a year into Colorado’s 42 state parks while directing $2.5 million toward the Colorado Search and Rescue Fund as well as individual county rescue teams and $1 million for the Colorado Avalanche Information Center. Revenue beyond $36 million supports new state parks, outdoor recreation beyond parks, state trails, wildlife, equity and diversity, and regional outdoor partnerships.
A fiscal note that accompanied the 2021 Senate Bill 249 that created the pass estimated 75% to 85% of Colorado drivers would opt out of the $29 fee. Before the Keep Colorado Wild Pass, CPW collected about $22.9 million a year from selling its $80 park passes.
In the first two years of sales, more than 70% of drivers who register some 5.5 million eligible vehicles opted out of paying the $29 parks pass fee. They check a box and manually deduct the cost from the registration fee mailed every year.
A 2022 CPW survey of 2,217 residents determined that annual pass revenue would grow if the pass was priced between $14 and $29 but would stagnate or decline if it was priced higher. That survey included a comparison with Montana, where lawmakers launched a $4 parks pass as part of all vehicle registration fees in 2003. That parks pass is now $9 and about 20% of drivers opt out of paying that fee.
Michigan has a $12 pass that drivers can choose to pay — versus choosing to not pay, like Colorado and Montana — and about 67% of drivers opt out. Similarly, about 63% of Washington’s drivers choose to not pay for a $30 annual parks pass as part of their annual registration.
There has been no indication from CPW that it would lower the price of the pass to persuade more drivers to keep the fee as part of their vehicle registration.
“We hope that more Coloradans will continue to opt in and take advantage of this pass, which is an exclusive offer for residents to save 60% on a traditional $80 annual state park pass,” CPW spokeswoman Bridget O’Rourke said in an email. “But it’s more than a state park pass; the money generated from the pass also helps fund our local search and rescue volunteers, avalanche forecasters and community outdoor education.”
Last year CPW distributed $1.5 million in Keep Colorado Wild Pass revenue to the Backcountry Search and Rescue Fund. The agency also delivered $480,000 to 33 counties from the search and rescue fee that is part of all registrations for snowmobiles, boats and off-road vehicles as well as hunting and fishing licenses. This week CPW announced it was distributing $2.25 million to 36 counties with search and rescue teams.
The two-year bump in funds for Colorado search and rescue teams has supported increased training and improved equipment.
“Our next task is to figure out how this funding can better support the needs of individual volunteers, who pay out of pocket for their personal gear and transportation costs,” said Anna DeBattiste with the Colorado Search and Rescue Association.
More search and rescue support could be coming as CPW commissioners consider a $1 increase to the 25-cent Backcountry Search and Rescue fee that is part of all registrations for snowmobiles, boats and off-road vehicles as well as hunting and fishing licenses. That fee was set in 1987 and has not changed.
Last year the 25-cent backcountry search and rescue surcharge raised $77,000 from vehicle registrations, $149,000 from wildlife licenses and $100,000 from the sale of Colorado Search and Rescue cards. It’s estimated the $1 increase in the fee could deliver an additional $2 million a year to the state Backcountry Search and Rescue Fund.
The fee increase proposal would help volunteer rescue teams respond to increasing numbers of calls for help and climbing costs for training and equipment.
“I think this is overdue. The people who do this work are truly heroes. We are all just a bad-luck incident away from needing this,” CPW Commissioner Jay Tutchton said at the Aug. 21 board meeting in Pueblo. “I think this is both equitable and wise, and I’m glad you brought this to us.”
CPW commissioners are expected to vote on the search and rescue surcharge next month.