Celebrate Colorado's birthday with free entry to any state park, including Lake Pueblo

To celebrate the Centennial State’s 148^th birthday, all Colorado state parks — including Lake Pueblo, the state’s most visited park each year — will be free to enter Aug. 5, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

Every year on Aug. 1, the state recognizes its 1876 founding with Colorado Day. CPW does its part to provide picturesque backdrops for the festivities, albeit a few days after the fact, by offering free entry to all state parks on the first Monday of each August.

“This free entry day is an opportunity for visitors to immerse themselves in the beauty of Colorado state parks and their diverse landscapes,” CPW officials said in a July 31 news release.

While park admission is free, all other park fees — including camping reservations, boat and off-highway vehicle registrations, and hunting and fishing licenses — remain in effect.

Here are some things to know about Colorado Day and what to know before you head to a Colorado state park to celebrate.

What is Colorado Day?

Colorado Day marks the anniversary of Colorado joining the United States.

It officially became the 38^th state in the Union on Aug. 1, 1876, when President Ulysses S. Grant signed the proclamation granting its statehood.

How did Colorado get its name? And why is it the Centennial State?

Colorado’s state name originates from the Spanish word for “colored red.” The name was chosen for Colorado as a Territory in 1861 by Congress, according to the Colorado Encyclopedia.

The state got its moniker as the Centennial State because it became a state in 1876, 100 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Another name often associated with the state is “Colorful Colorado,” likely due to its picturesque combination of mountains, rivers and plains, according to the Colorado Encyclopedia.

Heading to a state park on Aug. 5? Here’s what to know before you go

Colorado is well known for its natural beauty, and CPW officials urge Coloradans to protect its exquisite outdoor amenities and “act as stewards of the state’s land, wildlife, and water.”

“By balancing outdoor recreation with mindful conservation, we can all protect Colorado’s natural beauty,” CPW officials said in the release.

What to know before you go

Be safe on the water

As of July 15, Colorado was on track to surpass its record high for water-related fatalities, when 42 such deaths occurred on Colorado water bodies. CPW officials urge all water recreators to remember that life jackets save lives, and the majority of water-related deaths occur because people do not wear them.

Be careful with fire

Colorado is currently experiencing wildfires across multiple Front Range and Western Slope counties. Fire safety is a state-wide effort, and CPW encourages state park visitors to always practice fire safety.

• Check fire restrictions or bans at coemergency.com

• Download the free Colorado Trail Explorer (COTREX) app for wildfire alerts

• Drown fires out with water until you can touch the embers

• Never leave a fire unattended

• Avoid parking or driving on dry grass

• Check your tire pressure, exhaust pipes, and whether chains or exposed wheel rims are dragging from your vehicle, which may create sparks.

Keep wildlife wild

More on Lake Pueblo: Your 2024 guide of things to do at Lake Pueblo State Park this spring and summer

Chieftain Editor Zach Hillstrom can be reached at zhillstrom@gannett.com or on X, at @ZachHillstrom. Support local news, subscribe to the Pueblo Chieftain at subscribe.chieftain.com.

This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Lake Pueblo State Park is free to enter Aug. 5. Here’s why