Greetings from Glenwood Springs! Today, the Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) board awarded $9,940,450 in grants supporting Colorado’s outdoors, wildlife, and people.
Created by Colorado voters in 1992, GOCO invests up to half of Colorado Lottery proceeds in partner-led conservation and recreation projects across the state. Today’s grants were awarded through a competitive process. Supported by GOCO regional program officers, eligible organizations submitted a project concept and then an application, successfully earning funding for their projects.
Nine recreation, land conservation, and stewardship projects were awarded funding through GOCO’s base programs. Some highlights:
- New and improved parks and recreation areas are coming to Northglenn, Silverton, Commerce City, and Lone Tree.
- Eagle County is continuing its collaborative effort to address the impacts of recreation and habitat degradation on public lands.
- Colorado Open Lands is continuing its important work to protect San Luis Valley lands supported by ancient communal irrigation systems called ‘acequias.’
Six unique projects elevated by Colorado Parks and Wildlife staff earned funding through the GOCO-CPW program, the CPW Director’s Innovation Fund. Examples include:
- The first-ever effort to engage Tribes and the broader Native community on state parks
- A new structure to protect a 450-million-year-old fossil bed
- For the first time in 30+ years, monitoring endangered black-footed ferrets with radio collars
Ten land conservation projects will cross the finish line with help from the GOCO-funded Transaction Cost Assistance Program (TCAP) administered by Keep It Colorado, which covers costs associated with conservation easement transactions. The boost is helping to permanently protect 16,026 acres—the most ever in a round of TCAP grants.
Read on for information on all grant awards. Congratulations, partners and Colorado!
Jump to: Community Impact, Land Acquisition, Stewardship Impact, CPW Director’s Innovation Fund, Transaction Cost Assistance Program
Base Programs
Community Impact
This program develops and revitalizes parks, trails, school yards, fairgrounds, environmental education facilities, and other outdoor projects that enhance a community’s quality of life and access to the outdoors.
Odell Barry Park, $500,000 to the City of Northglenn
The City of Northglenn plans to develop Odell Barry Park, a 3.5-acre recreational space accessible to approximately 6,000 residents in one of the city’s most underserved neighborhoods. Named after Northglenn’s first Black mayor and former Denver Bronco Odell Barry, the park will honor his legacy while ensuring much-needed park access for the community. The project marks the first new park development in Northglenn in over two decades. It aims to foster community connections through inclusive and sustainable design, including nature-based play areas, ADA-accessible trails, exercise stations, drought-tolerant landscaping, and educational features.
Bakers Park Trail System, $750,000 to San Juan County and Town of Silverton
The project will expand the Baker’s Park trail system, envisioned as a 30-mile, multi-use trail network half a mile from Silverton. Partners will construct 10.7 miles of new trail over the next three years, adding to the seven miles of trail that were recently completed. As the first non-motorized trail system in the county, this project brings the community an important step closer to offering much-needed recreation access, while supporting community connections and local tourism. The trail system serves hikers, runners, mountain bikers, and families, offering trails for all skill levels. It also incorporates sustainable design practices to protect the area’s delicate alpine ecosystem.
Wetland Park Destination on the Sand Creek Regional Greenway Partnership, $500,000 to the City of Commerce City
The project will create Wetland Park along the 13.1-mile Sand Creek Regional Greenway, which connects Commerce City, Denver, and Aurora. Partners aim for it to be a vibrant, inclusive community space supporting outdoor access, community connection, and environmental stewardship. The destination will include various features requested by the community, including three swings–one designed as a climbable tree with a tire swing featuring a culturally celebratory "ranchero" aesthetic and two inclusive swings for individuals with physical or neurological differences. Additional features will include a loop path with colorful murals, seating areas, educational signage, and native landscaping to support habitat health.
High Note Regional Park, $580,000 to the City of Lone Tree
The City of Lone Tree, in partnership with the South Suburban Parks and Recreation District, will begin construction of the planned 80-acre High Note Regional Park, the largest in Lone Tree’s history. Located near I-25 and C-470 and accessible by light rail, the park will promote wellness and connection for Lone Tree’s 15,000 residents and 30,000 daily visitors, while attracting visitors from across the region. In this first phase, partners plan to construct synthetic lighted multipurpose sports fields, a dog park, trail connections to Happy Canyon Regional Trail, and activity areas along a central promenade called "The Braid." Future phases will include an accessible playground, additional sports fields, a challenge hill, and pickleball and basketball courts.
Land Acquisition
This program supports urban and rural landscape, waterway, and habitat protection priorities and improves access to the outdoors.
Acequia Initiative Phase III, $915,000 to Colorado Open Lands
Colorado Open Lands (COL) will complete the third phase of its Acequia Initiative, which aims to protect acequia-irrigated lands and water rights in the San Luis Valley. Acequias are ancient communal irrigation systems that sustain agriculture, riparian habitats, and wetlands in dry climates. As pressure on water resources continues to increase in the region, COL and its partners aim to support the community in protecting acequia water rights for traditional use. This phase will focus on conserving up to five new properties in Costilla County and expanding outreach to previously excluded acequias in Conejos, Huerfano, and Las Animas Counties. COL plans to collaborate with partners to document acequias across Southern Colorado and provide legal resources for irrigators.
The remaining $5,725,000 in Land Acquisition funding was awarded to The Conservation Fund, Colorado West Land Trust, and Trust for Public Land for projects in progress. More information is coming soon.
Stewardship Impact
This program supports collaborative stewardship work that demonstrates meaningful improvements to ecological and recreational amenities.
Eagle County Outdoor Stewardship Partnership, $300,000 to Eagle County
Building on a previous GOCO investment in 2021, Eagle County, in partnership with the Vail Valley Mountain Trails Alliance, will advance the Eagle County Outdoor Stewardship Partnership, addressing impacts of recreation, habitat degradation, and resource constraints on public lands throughout the county. They will expand their existing conservation crew to conduct over 26 weeks of trail maintenance and habitat restoration. A newly established stewardship crew will manage dispersed camping, fire restrictions, watershed improvements, and wildlife habitat restoration. A conservation and stewardship coordinator will oversee crews and develop partnerships. The initiative will also engage volunteers, youth corps, and community members.
CPW Director's Innovation Fund
This program is a partnership between GOCO and CPW designed to fund small-dollar, unique projects across Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
A $50,000 grant will help CPW launch the first-ever statewide initiative to engage Tribes and the broader Native community on their interests, needs, and concerns for Colorado’s state parks. CPW will hold listening sessions to hear their perspectives and begin building relationships and dialogue around park-related issues.
A $25,000 grant will enable CPW to purchase an aerial spray drone system for applying herbicide on multiple State Wildlife Areas. Currently, thousands of acres are inaccessible with traditional spray equipment. This system will apply herbicide in a safer, more sustainable, and cost-effective way.
A $25,000 grant will help the collaborative NoCo Places engage stakeholders on the future management of the Lefthand Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Management Area. Historically designated as an OHV area, the area has been closed to motorized use following the 2013 floods. It reopened to non-motorized users in 2016. Partners aim to gather community input on the area’s future use.
A $25,000 grant will help CPW build a new structure to protect a 450-million-year-old fossil bed in the Indian Springs Trace Fossil Natural Area. The privately owned site is designated as a National Natural Landmark. It is considered the best location in North America to study trace fossils from this period due to the excellent preservation and diversity of fossil types.
A $15,000 grant will help CPW test the use of drones to collect wolf data and haze wolves away from livestock. As gray wolves re-establish in Colorado, CPW is exploring effective monitoring and management tools. This system will be the first of its kind within the agency.
A $10,000 grant will help CPW, the Smithsonian Research Institute, and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service monitor radio-collared black-footed ferrets being released onto Heartland Ranch in Bent County. It's the first time in over 30 years that collars have been used to monitor black-footed ferrets. Efforts will help assess ferret interactions with collared badgers. The project builds on existing efforts to recover black-footed ferret populations, considered the most endangered mammal in North America.
Transaction Cost Assistance Program
Transaction Cost Assistance Program
Administered by Keep It Colorado, this program re-grants GOCO funds to nonprofit land trusts to help cover the costs associated with conservation easement transactions.
Badger Creek Ranch, $50,000 to Colorado Central Conservancy
The 598-acre Badger Creek Ranch is located along nearly two miles of Badger Creek at an elevation of over 9,000 feet. Through their Badger Creek Watershed Partnership, Central Colorado Conservancy has already restored over 10 miles of the creek and its tributaries. The conservation easement will help ensure these previous restoration gains are protected from future development. The ranch is woman-owned and operated. The landowners use regenerative grazing practices to help rebuild healthy soil and are testing virtual fencing and solar-powered water stock tanks to care for their livestock more efficiently with less environmental impact. They also provide scholarships and stipends for internship and apprentice programs to support the next generation of land stewards.
Cement Creek Ranch, $48,500 to Crested Butte Land Trust
Located 12 miles from Crested Butte along Forest System Road 740, the 121-acre Cement Creek Ranch is surrounded by U.S. Forest Service lands. It contains two miles of Cement Creek, 80 acres of pristine wetlands, rare plant species, diverse wildlife, and a natural warm spring. Research on the ranch also shows that tiny aquatic creatures, or macroinvertebrates, living underground near the creek contained carbon dating back 10,000 years. Colorado Natural Heritage Program identified the property as a ‘Potential Conservation Area B2: Very High Biodiversity Significance’ due to its rare, nutrient-rich wetlands not found anywhere else in the state outside of South Park.
Fourmile Creek Property, $23,000 Mountain Area Land Trust
The 67-acre Fourmile Creek Property is located in the Mosquito Range Potential Conservation Area at the base of Sheep Mountain. The property sits at 11,000 feet in elevation and connects Pike National Forest to Fourmile Creek Road in Park County. It is visible from nearby hiking trails and can be seen from County Road 18 by nearly 20,000 visitors who annually climb the popular 14,000-foot peak, Mount Sherman. The Colorado Natural Heritage Program has identified the site as having Outstanding Biodiversity Significance. It features five acres of wetlands, a stretch of Fourmile Creek, and habitat for wildlife, including bear, moose, elk, fox, and deer. It’s also home to 20 globally rare plant species and several species considered rare in Colorado.
Johnson Animas River, $50,000 to La Plata Open Space Conservancy
The 67-acre Johnson Animas River property is located along US-550 just north of Durango in the Animas River Valley, an area under increasing pressure from residential and commercial development. It contains 10 acres of wetlands, including a half-mile stretch of riverfront along the Animas River, and an oxbow —a naturally formed pond from a former stream path. The property serves as a wildlife corridor between nearby public and private lands. It includes important habitat for migratory birds, deer, elk, and a range of aquatic species. The conserved area also helps maintain water quality, watershed health, and ecological connectivity in the region. The easement will allow seasonal livestock grazing.
Picture Rock Ranch, $41,600 to Rio Grande Headwaters Land Trust
The 1,120-acre Picture Rock Ranch in Rio Grande County is surrounded by state and federal lands and close to other privately conserved properties. With 123 acres of wetlands and over 2.5 miles of riparian habitat, its water resources and water rights will be protected forever for the benefit of wildlife, including elk, deer, antelope, and small game, and resilient agriculture. The landowners are dedicated to keeping the property intact, protected, and viable for agricultural use. Ducks Unlimited is also supporting the project with $33,400 in funding dedicated to critical wetlands efforts.
Rito Alto Ranch, $75,000 to Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust
The 5,154-acre Rito Alto Ranch is nestled within a highly scenic landscape at the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, roughly eight miles from Moffat. Situated along Rito Alto Creek and Cedar Creek, the property’s senior water rights will be protected along with the land, supporting agriculture into the future. The ranch has a long history of sheep and cattle ranching. It currently produces native hay on 250 irrigated acres and supports beef cattle grazing. The property features 7.1 miles of perennial streams, 19.8 miles of ephemeral streams, and 158 acres of wetlands, which provide rich and varied habitat for numerous species. The Colorado Natural Heritage Program identified a potential ‘Conservation Area of High Biodiversity Significance’ around Rito Alto Creek. It supports over 30 State Wildlife Action Plan Tier 1 and 2 Species of Greatest Conservation Need.
Rusk Ranch (Beckwith Parcel), $50,000 Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust
The 1,187-acre Rusk Ranch is situated on the east side of the Sangre de Cristo mountains, along with a cluster of other permanently conserved Wet Mountain Valley properties. After leasing the property for decades, the landowners purchased it in 2020 and will now add it to the conservation corridor. The land and its senior water rights, which currently irrigate 177 acres of hay, will be protected for continued agricultural use. It provides habitat for elk, mule deer, bald eagle, and wildlife designated as ‘Tier 1 Species of Greatest Conservation Need’ in the Colorado State Wildlife Action Plan, including the burrowing owl, golden eagle, and Townsend’s big-eared bat. The parcel is adjacent to the property’s original 1900s ranch buildings, which are on the National Register of Historic Buildings and operate as a museum and cultural center.
Taylor Ranch, $75,000 to Colorado Open Lands
The 6,200-acre Taylor Ranch is a fourth-generation cattle ranch and one of the largest private properties in the region. It includes over nine miles of year-round creeks, senior water rights, and 144 acres of wetlands, and connects adjacent public lands. Its water resources support wildlife habitat and irrigate 166 acres of pasture. The property is highly biodiverse and climate resilient, with nine distinct ecosystems at elevations ranging from 7,900 to nearly 11,000 feet. It also sits atop a uranium deposit, and its protection will prevent future surface mining. This conservation effort builds on the family’s long-standing commitment to the land. They employ sustainable practices, including rotational grazing, forest management, and cover crop planting, to maintain soil health. They also run an outfitting business and host youth and disabled veteran hunting groups twice a year.
Triple R Ranches, $67,350 to Rio Grande Headwaters Land Trust
The 768-acre Triple R Ranch is a multi-generational family ranch that includes cultivated agricultural land and approximately one mile of the Conejos River. It provides critical wetland habitat for species of concern, including the Northern Leopard Frog, Greater Sandhill Crane, Rio Grande Chub, and Flathead Chub. The project protects the ranch’s senior surface water rights with flexible water-sharing language to ensure the ongoing agricultural viability of the property while maintaining the ability to support river flows and local community needs.
Ute Ranch, $40,000 to Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust
Located within the Uncompahgre National Forest, the 684-acre Ute Ranch has roughly 100 acres of stunning irrigated hay meadows and is leased for grazing to a local cow-calf rancher. Its reservoir provides water for both cattle and wildlife. Conservation of the property and its water rights allows continued agricultural use and supports healthy river ecosystems. Historic structures on the property, including a former Forest Service ranger station, postmaster’s station, and cow camp, showcase its varied uses over time. Now retired from local government service, the landowner invites third-grade students from Naturita Elementary School to the ranch for an annual day camp where they learn about local land history and develop connections with the landscape.
Have questions? Contact us at info@goco.org.