Conservation Wins Open Door to Colorado Adventures

Solutions to Bring Conservation to Life 

Lost Canyon Ranch is just one example of what makes The Conservation Fund’s work unique. Acquiring and protecting special landscapes is just the beginning. The real magic happens after we work with partners and communities to shape permanent conservation solutions that connect nature and people to deliver benefits for wilderness and wildlife, communities and quality of life, and local economies. 

Colorado is an especially vivid illustration of how conservation, communities and economic vitality go hand in hand. Coloradans famously love the outdoors – hiking, skiing, biking, climbing, camping, hunting, fishing and more. It’s no wonder Outside magazine called Colorado the most adventurous state in the mountain West.  

The state boasts over 17,000 miles of hiking trails through some of the nation’s most spectacular natural landscapes. All those opportunities to get outside translate into bustling economic activity. Outdoor recreation contributes over $36 billion to Colorado’s economy and supports more than 400,000 jobs. 

Creative Visions for Connecting Nature and People 

Over the years, The Conservation Fund has protected close to 300,000 acres in Colorado — an area three times larger than the city of Denver. Protecting all that land has opened the way for local, state and federal partners to advance community, environmental and economic priorities in amazing ways.  

In 2023, The Conservation Fund acquired Mount Democrat, one of the state’s iconic “fourteeners.” Now, Colorado Parks and Wildlife is working to restore trails and access to the summit. Today, under the stewardship of the U.S. Forest Service, hiking access to the summit is more sustainable and secure.   

In Colorado Springs, the city is using properties we helped them acquire to advance their open space plans for protecting the spectacular landscapes in the Pikes Peak area and along the Front Range mountains — a vision that conserves critical wildlife habitat, mitigates wildfire risk, creates access trails and supports the area’s booming recreation economy. 

And in Jefferson County, where the foothills rise just west of Denver, our land acquisitions have expanded open space and preserved it for the 7 million people who recreate there each year. Since we protected the landmark Mount Tom from development and transferred the south side of the mountain to the county, plans are underway to open hiking access to the mountaintop for the first time. And the rugged forestland we conserved will soon offer the closest hunting opportunities to Denver at the Ralston Creek State Wildlife Area. 

Elsewhere in the state, new recreation areas, hiking trails, hunting and fishing access, and more will soon be realized because our expertise and resources are helping make our partners’ creative visions a reality.