Colorado Parks & Wildlife

What Colorado Parks & Wildlife does

Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) is a state government agency under the Colorado Department of Natural Resources, founded in 1897 and headquartered in Denver. The agency manages Colorado's wildlife resources and state parks system, serving resident and nonresident hunters, anglers, campers, park visitors, and wildlife viewers. CPW oversees approximately 3 million acres of public access land, 42 state parks spanning elevations from 3,800 to 9,500 feet, more than 350 wildlife areas, and over 4,000 campsites, along with fish hatcheries that stock over 90 million fish annually across 56 separate strains.

The agency's core operational systems include a comprehensive e-commerce licensing platform (CPWshop.com), a mobile application (My CPW App) for digital passes, GIS-based interactive mapping tools (Colorado Fishing Atlas, Hunting Atlas), aquatic biology research labs (Aquatic Toxicology Lab, Aquatic Health Lab), and biological monitoring programs such as the 15-year Chronic Wasting Disease Response Plan and the State Wildlife Action Plan. CPW produces content through Colorado Outdoors Magazine ($13/year subscription), the Colorado Outdoors Podcast, and an active social media presence across X, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook. Recent strategic initiatives include gray wolf and wolverine reintroduction, bison dual classification under the Protect Wild Bison Act, and the Quality Waters Program designation.

CPW's revenue is generated through a diversified mix of state appropriations, hunting and fishing license sales (Habitat Stamp $12.15, bear licenses $60.05 resident / $251.75 nonresident combo, variable elk and pronghorn pricing), state park admission and camping fees, the Keep Colorado Wild Pass ($29 per vehicle registration), specialty license plate revenue (Born to Be Wild wolf plate generating ~$950K from ~18,000 plates), donations, and grants from partners such as Great Outdoors Colorado. The agency's 501-1,000 employees distribute passes and licenses through direct-to-consumer channels statewide, complemented by community engagement through the Engage CPW platform, volunteer programs, and the Outdoor Equity Grant Program awarding up to $100,000 per project to underserved youth and family-serving organizations.

Name

Colorado Parks & Wildlife

Legal name

Colorado Parks and Wildlife

Website

https://cpw.state.co.us

Company type

Public

Founded year

1897

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Colorado Parks and Wildlife is a Colorado state government agency that manages wildlife resources, 42 state parks, 350+ wildlife areas, and approximately 3 million acres of public land, serving hunters, anglers, campers, and outdoor recreationists through licensing, conservation, and habitat management programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

State Wildlife and Parks Management

NAICS

Administration of Conservation Programs (92412), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219), Hunting and Trapping (114210)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Fishing, Hunting And Trapping (900), Forestry (800)

akta.pro primary industry

Wildlife, Biodiversity & Habitat Conservation Administration (BPAIAMAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wildlife Conservation & Species Protection (BPAGAGAB), Wildlife Safaris & Game Drives (THAJAIAB), Wildlife Health & Conservation Disease Management (HLAMAJAM)

Keywords

• Wildlife conservation services
• State parks management
• Hunting licensing
• Fishing licensing
• Public land management

Headquarters

HQ city

Denver

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Licenses and Passes Sales: CPW generates revenue through sales of hunting licenses, fishing licenses, state park passes, and SWA passes. Annual licenses are valid March 1 through March 31 of following year.
2. State Park Admission and Camping Fees: Revenue from vehicle park passes, camping reservations (over 4,000 campsites), cabin and yurt rentals, and special event permits.
3. Grants and State Funding: CPW receives funding from Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) and distributes grant funding through programs like the Colorado Outdoor Regional Partnerships Initiative Grant ($2.5M to PPORA).
4. Donations and Support: Donations to support wildlife conservation work, with the Keep Colorado Wild Pass generating $29 per vehicle registration.
5. Wolf License Plate Sales: The 'Born to Be Wild' wolf license plate generates nearly $950,000 annually from approximately 18,000 plates sold, with majority directed to wolf conflict mitigation programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Colorado Parks & Wildlife is a state government agency that manages Colorado's wildlife resources, 42 state parks, and 350+ wildlife areas across approximately 3 million acres. It sells hunting and fishing licenses, state park passes, state wildlife area passes, and camping reservations directly to consumers, while operating fish hatcheries that stock over 90 million fish annually and conducting wildlife conservation programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hunting Licenses Annual hunting licenses for resident and nonresident hunters pursuing regulated game species in Colorado, including species-specific licenses and required habitat stamps. Valid March 1 through March 31 of the following year.
• Fishing Licenses Annual fishing licenses for resident and nonresident anglers enabling recreational angling across Colorado waters, including Quality Waters and Gold Medal fisheries.
• State Wildlife Area Passes Annual, 1-day, and youth/senior passes granting access to Colorado's State Wildlife Areas for hunting, fishing, wildlife viewing, and other compatible outdoor recreation.
• Keep Colorado Wild Pass Annual vehicle registration surcharge pass providing access to all 42 Colorado state parks and supporting wildlife conservation funding.
• Camping and Lodging Reservations Reservable overnight accommodations at Colorado state parks, including campsites, cabins, and yurts, plus special event permits for weddings and group gatherings.
• Annual Habitat Stamp Required annual stamp for all Colorado hunters funding wildlife habitat conservation, priced at $12.15 and sold alongside species-specific licenses.
• Born to Be Wild Wolf License Plate Specialty 'Born to Be Wild' Colorado vehicle license plate supporting wolf conservation, with revenues funding wolf conflict mitigation and public engagement programs.
• Colorado Outdoors Magazine Subscription Annual subscription to Colorado Outdoors magazine featuring wildlife photography, fishing and hunting stories, state park features, and CPW program updates.

Quantifiable outcome

• 371+ bird species documented at Barr Lake State Park
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• U.S. Forest ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 June 2026Collaborative partner in the $4.7 million Hanging Lake Trail restoration project in Glenwood Canyon. Trail was damaged by the 2020 Grizzly Creek Fire and subsequent flooding.
• National Forest FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 June 2026Collaborative partner in Hanging Lake Trail restoration, working with U.S. Forest Service, City of Glenwood Springs, and Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
• City of Glenwood SpringscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 June 2026Collaborative partner in Hanging Lake Trail restoration project, contributing to the $4.7 million reconstruction.
• Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 June 2026Funding partner for Hanging Lake Trail restoration, providing partial funding for the $4.7 million project. Also provides grant funding through Colorado Outdoor Regional Partnerships Initiative.
• The Conservation FundcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 March 2026The Conservation Fund transferred over 3,300 acres of Tolland Ranch land to Colorado Parks and Wildlife to create a new State Wildlife Area, enhancing habitat for wildlife and opening public access for recreational activities such as fly fishing and cross-country skiing.
• Pikes Peak Outdoor Recreation Alliance (PPORA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 January 2026Received $2.5 million Colorado Outdoor Regional Partnerships Initiative Grant from Great Outdoors Colorado and Colorado Parks and Wildlife. First phase of $6.1M+ project spanning El Paso, Teller, and Fremont counties for outdoor recreation and conservation.
• Rocky Mountain Wolf ProjectminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 10 June 2025Received $50,000 inaugural grant from CPW to promote the state's 'Born to Be Wild' wolf license plate, aimed at increasing public engagement and reducing wolf-livestock conflicts.
• Endangered Species CoalitionminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 10 June 2025Received $50,000 inaugural grant from CPW to promote wolf license plate sales and increase public engagement with wolf conservation programs.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• New Mexico Department of Game and Fish: New Mexico's state wildlife agency with parallel hunting/fishing licensing, wildlife management, and public lands access programs. Comparable regulatory structure and big-game hunting portfolio.
• Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife: Washington's state wildlife agency managing hunting/fishing licensing, wildlife areas, and conservation. Comparable as a Pacific Northwest state wildlife regulator with similar licensing, hatchery, and species management programs.
• Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife: Oregon's state wildlife agency with comparable hunting/fishing licensing, wildlife management, and hatchery programs. Similar western state structure with overlapping species portfolios.
• Arizona Game and Fish Department: Arizona's state wildlife agency managing hunting/fishing licensing, wildlife management, and conservation across diverse habitats. Comparable in license structure, draw systems, and big-game management approach.
• Utah Division of Wildlife Resources: Utah's state wildlife agency managing hunting/fishing licenses, wildlife areas, and species conservation. Comparable big-game draw systems, license revenue model, and fish stocking operations in a neighboring western state.
• Idaho Department of Fish and Game: Idaho's state wildlife agency operating hunting/fishing licensing, wildlife areas, and fisheries management. Comparable as a neighboring western state wildlife regulator with similar species portfolios and license structures.
• Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks: Montana's combined wildlife and state parks agency, structurally analogous to CPW. Comparable scope covering hunting/fishing licensing, state parks, wildlife management, and conservation programs across a similar western geography.
• Wyoming Game and Fish Department: Wyoming's state wildlife agency, also managing hunting/fishing licensing, state wildlife areas, and species conservation. Directly comparable as a neighboring Rocky Mountain state wildlife and parks regulator with similar big-game hunting programs and habitat management mandate.
• Nevada Department of Wildlife: Nevada's state wildlife agency managing hunting/fishing licensing, wildlife areas, and conservation programs. Comparable as a western state wildlife regulator with overlapping big-game and aquatic management responsibilities.

Broad incumbents

• California Department of Fish and Wildlife: California's much larger state wildlife agency with overlapping mandate over hunting/fishing licensing, wildlife areas, and conservation. Comparable regulatory scope but significantly larger scale and broader geographic/diversity footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/coparkswildlife
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ColoParksWildlife
• Facebookfacebook.com/CoParksWildlife
• Instagraminstagram.com/coparkswildlife

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Colorado Parks & Wildlife