Colorado state parks offer free entry on ‘Fresh Air Friday’

Colorado Parks and Wildlife is offering free state park entry on Black Friday, encouraging people to get outside as a “unique alternative” to Black Friday shopping, according to a CPW news release.

“Fresh Air Friday” offers both Coloradans and out-of-state visitors an opportunity to explore state parks throughout Colorado free of cost, the release said.

“What better way to spend the holiday season than exploring one of Colorado’s amazing state parks,” Gov. Jared Polis said in the new release. “Fresh Air Friday is a great opportunity for Coloradans and out-of-state visitors to take advantage of free access to the parks, try a new outdoor recreation activity, and spend time with loved ones.”

Colorado has 43 state parks, and the seven closest to Denver include the following.

• Barr Lake State Park, 13401 Picadilly Road, Brighton: 2,715-acre park that includes a reservoir, wildlife refuge and opportunities for birding, fishing and boating.

• Chatfield State Park, 11500 N. Roxborough Road, Littleton: park with outdoor opportunities of all kinds, including water recreation, cycling, camping, horseback riding and hiking.

• Cherry Creek State Park, 4201 S. Parker Road, Aurora: 4,200-acre park with opportunities for boating, fishing, cycling, horseback riding, swimming and hiking.

• Golden Gate Canyon State Park, 92 Crawford Gulch Road, Golden: park with more than 35 miles of trails with access to high mountain meadows, dense forest, scenic views of the Continental Divide and opportunities for camping and backpacking.

• Lory State Park, 708 Lodgepole Drive, Bellvue: park with more than 28 miles of trails through rolling valleys and mountainous hillsides, offering opportunities for biking, hiking and horseback riding.

• Roxborough State Park, 4751 E. Roxborough Drive, Roxborough: park with more than 3,000 acres of red rock formations, wildlife and hiking trails.

• St. Vrain State Park, 3785 Weld County Road 24 1/2, Firestone: park with more than 600 acres of land and more than 200 acres of water among several ponds, with opportunities for fishing, camping, photography, birding and boating.

Along with free state park entry, CPW is also discounting their retail items online and at state park visitor centers, offering a 25% discount shop-wide, the release said. The discount does not apply to ammunition, gasoline, food, firewood or certain passes and licenses.

CPW also encourages people to opt into the Keep Colorado Wild pass with their vehicle registration. The pass is a $29 addition to registration fees and gives the registrant entry to all of Colorado’s state parks for a year. Funds from the pass go toward state park maintenance, search and rescue efforts, avalanche safety and outdoor education.

More information about the Keep Colorado Wild pass can be found on CPW’s website.


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