As people head outside to celebrate the long weekend, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) encourages the outdoor community to keep safety top of mind to ensure the holiday is filled with fun — not accidents.
Responsible recreation in the dry late summer months can significantly help protect Colorado’s landscapes, water resources and wildlife populations. Wildfires are currently causing trail closures, fish salvages and campsite closures. To adventure like an expert, it’s important to know before you go. Check if the area you plan to explore has bad weather or road closures due to wildfires.
Know Before You Go
- Plan your visit with the 2025 Quick Guide to State Parks or the Colorado State Parks Guide (Guía De Los Parques Naturales).
- Camping reservations at Colorado state parks are required.
- Find park events and classes on the CPW Events Calendar.
- Download the free Colorado Trail Explorer (COTREX) app to find real-time information about trail conditions, closures and active wildfire alerts.
- Stay hydrated. Bring more water than you think you (and your pet) will need.
Be Careful with Fire
Colorado is experiencing wildfires across multiple Front Range and Western Slope counties. Information on fire restrictions and bans can change rapidly.
- Check fire restrictions or bans at www.coemergency.com.
- Use designated campfire areas when allowed and available.
- Drown the fires out with water until you can touch the embers.
- Never leave a campfire unattended.
- Avoid parking or driving on dry grass. Check your tire pressure and exhaust pipes, and check whether chains or exposed wheel rims are dragging from your vehicle, which may create sparks.
“Fire behavior in Colorado continues to be dynamic, with hot and dry conditions not expected to change soon,” said Emergency Management Coordinator Brent Lounsbury. “It’s imperative to pay close attention to fire restrictions, not ignite new dangerous fires, and be mindful not to park in areas that can block first responder vehicles.”
Be Safe on the Water
The majority of water-related deaths occur because people do not wear lifejackets. CPW officers are actively writing $100 tickets for boaters and paddlers who are not wearing them. While officers do enforce safety rules, personal accountability is essential to safely recreating in Colorado waters.
- Wear a life jacket.
- Find a CPW life jacket loaner station to borrow a lifejacket.
- Paddleboards and kayaks are considered vessels, and life jacket requirements apply.
- Protect yourself from the dangers of cold water shock. Regardless of your age or experience level, cold water can quickly create a drowning emergency.
- “Clean, drain and dry” your boat and gear. Find a CPW Gear and Watercraft Cleaning Station to decontaminate your boat, wet equipment, waders and boots.
- Alcohol impairs judgment, balance, vision and reaction time on the water, and can increase fatigue and the dangers of cold-water immersion. Sun exposure, heat and other stressors boaters experience enhance the effects of alcohol. A general rule to remember is that having one drink on the water is equivalent to having three drinks on land.
Keep Wildlife Wild
Wildlife can get more aggressive if they aren’t given enough space or are approached by humans.
- Do not feed or approach wildlife.
- Be bear prepared on trails and while hiking and camping.
- Keep dogs leashed on trails to prevent them from chasing wildlife.
- If you see wildlife that appears sick or injured, leave it alone. Call your local Colorado Parks and Wildlife office and ask a trained wildlife officer for guidance.
Feel like you didn’t get enough time in the outdoors this summer? Plan to do S’more next year by getting a $29 Keep Colorado Wild Pass with your next vehicle registration. This pass helps fund state park maintenance, local search and rescue volunteers, outdoor education programs, avalanche safety and wildlife conservation. Learn more at cpw.info/keepcoloradowild.
