Entry to state parks for fishing and other uses will cost more beginning Nov. 1.
The Colorado State Parks Board last week gave unanimous approval to raising the cost for daily and annual parks passes, peak-season camping at a dozen popular parks and the rental of cabins and yurts.
While daily parks passes will go up by $1 to $7, the cost of annual passes will increase by $10 to $70. Annual passes for additional vehicles also will increase by $10 to $35. The Aspen Leaf Pass for senior citizens will be raised to $35, an increase of $5, and Aspen Leaf additional-vehicle passes will go up by $3 to $18.
The cost of camping during the peak-use period from May 1 through Sept. 30 will increase by $2 per night at Chatfield, Cherry Creek, Cheyenne Mountain, Golden Gate, Highline, Mueller, Pearl, Rifle Falls, Ridgway, St. Vrain, Steamboat and Sylvan state parks.
Colorado State Parks expects the fee increases to raise an additional $700,000 in 2010 and $1.3 million in 2011. That is roughly half the amount of money from the state general fund the agency expects to lose as the result of the economic downturn and cuts in the state budget.
Gill Trail parking to temporarily close.
Scheduled repairs to the Wigwam Creek culvert under Forest Service Road 211 will require the temporary closure of the lower Gill Trail parking area, once known as the Wigwam Campground, along Jefferson County Road 126 near Deckers.
The projected closure date is Oct. 12, according to Randy Hickenbottom, South Platte district ranger for Pike National Forest. The project could require up to seven weeks.
Karl Licis, Special to The Denver Post
