Report: A Roadmap for Colorado’s Outdoor Access Ecosystem
Hiker at Rocky Mountain National Park
Eric Schuette
This report was developed by Rising Routes Alliance, in collaboration with The Wilderness Society, REI Cooperative Action Fund, University of Colorado Boulder, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Great Outdoors Colorado, the Donnell-Kay Foundation, Colorado Alliance for Environmental Education, Keystone Policy Center and the Colorado Next 100 Coalition.
New research paves a path for better access to Colorado’s outdoors
Colorado’s outdoor recreation economy is thriving. In 2023, it generated $65.8 billion in economic output and supported more than 404,000 jobs. But the benefits are not reaching all people.
A first-of-its-kind report by Rising Routes Alliance, “A Roadmap for Colorado’s Outdoor Access Ecosystem” reveals systemic barriers to outdoor access—particularly for underserved communities—and offers a path forward to ensure that the benefits of nature are accessible to everyone.
Through a statewide assessment of 80 outdoor education and recreation providers, the research uncovered four interconnected barriers that disproportionately impact providers who serve historically excluded communities:
- Widespread funding instability, especially for rural and BIPOC-serving groups
- Critical gaps in workforce training and leadership development
- Ongoing barriers to transportation, gear and infrastructure
- A desire for collaboration, without the systems to support it
To address these barriers, Rising Routes has initiated three projects:
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An Interactive Web Map:
Launching in fall 2025, the map will connect communities to opportunities, reveal service gaps and facilitate resource-sharing across Colorado.
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The Colorado PEAK Accelerator
Co-founded by Rising Routes, AYA Foundation and Full Circle Expeditions, this is a 12-month entrepreneurship program that will provide outdoor businesses and nonprofits with industry-specific training, expansion capital and connections to outdoor industry partners.
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A formal Statewide Advocacy Coalition
The coalition—representing diverse regions, sectors and communities—is in development to ensure that the priorities of outdoor recreation and education providers are reflected in policy and funding decisions.
Read the report to learn how funders, policymakers, nonprofits and outdoor providers can work together to ensure that the benefits of nature are accessible to all Coloradans.
