COLORADO SPRINGS — A new, cheaper way to get an annual Colorado parks pass will start next year and Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials are excited for what it’ll bring to local parks.

Starting January 2023, anyone who registers a vehicle at the Colorado DMV will be able to get an annual state parks pass, although they will have the option to opt out.

The new pass, called “Keep Colorado Wild Pass”, comes with a cheaper price tag, too. Anyone who gets the pass when they register their cars will only pay $29, less than half the cost of the current annual state parks pass, which runs $80.

Because of the lower cost, the pass is expected to increase and expand accessibility to more Coloradans.

“We hope more folks choose to get a state park pass and choose to support recreation and conservation in Colorado – and choose to come out to a state park that’s near them,” Travis Duncan, a CPW official said.

The “Keep Colorado Wild Pass” is a vehicle-displayed pass that will be added when Coloradans register their passenger vehicles, light trucks, motorcycles and recreational vehicles.

Duncan said CPW hopes the new pass will both increase the number of visitors and help mitigate the wear and tear many of state parks have experienced over the years.

“We saw just a huge increase across the board and especially at our Front Range parks. A lot more folks are getting outdoors. We’re just trying to make sure that our existing 43 state parks have what they need and infrastructure is taken care of,” Duncan said.

The money raised from the “Keep Colorado Wild Pass” will not only help with maintenance, but also help park programs as well. Duncan said search and rescue, avalanche awareness, and wildlife education will all get a piece of the funding.

It will also help the state with the acquisition of future state parks.

“We know the state’s population is expanding and we know that even more folks are wanting to get outside. So, we’re looking forward to opening more state parks and using this revenue to having even more capacity,” Duncan said.

The pass enables unlimited visits to Colorado state parks for a full year with the option to renew each time you renew your registration.

If you choose get the pass at a later date, you will be charged the full-price.

For more information on the Keep Colorado Wild Pass visit CPW’s website.