Prices are going up at five state parks in northwest Colorado.

The Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission recently approved $2 increases to day passes at Steamboat Lake, Stagecoach, Yampa River, Pearl Lake and Elkhead Reservoir state parks, bringing the cost per vehicle to $12. Those are the five state parks within Routt County, which requested the $2 “access fee.”

In a petition filed this summer, the county outlined a desire to “generate a dedicated revenue stream that can be directed specifically toward maintaining and improving roads” leading to the parks. Starting in 2026, officials anticipate the fee annually generating $27,500.

Four of the five state parks are reached via Routt County roads. The petition form tallied yearly spending on those roads to about $295,000.

“This is not going to be sufficient to offset cost impacts,” Routt County Commissioner Sonja Macys said at a presentation over the summer. “However, it is a meaningful contribution.”

The access fee “would not only allow for more timely and efficient road repairs and maintenance but also provide the resources to explore multimodal access options like bike lanes and shuttle services, helping alleviate road congestion, especially during peak visitation periods,” the petition form reads. “The overall result would be better access to the parks, ensuring a safer, smoother and more enjoyable experience for all visitors.”

Similarly last year, a $2 access fee was approved at Golden Gate Canyon and State Forest state parks following petitions from local counties overseeing road maintenance around those parks. A $2 daily pass increase also came to Chatfield State Park at the request of Chatfield Watershed Authority to help fund water quality projects.

Meanwhile, the $29 Keep Colorado Wild Pass has not changed since its debut in 2023. That’s the optional add-on to vehicle registrations, serving as an annual pass to the state parks.