Kim Mustang Pavilion

Kim, Colorado is one of the few remaining true ranching communities left in Colorado, so it made sense to honor their rich rodeo heritage while boosting the local economy. The Mustang Pavilion, which utilized $1.1 million in Lottery proceeds, not only preserves Kim’s ranching culture and heritage but showcases and enhances it, but simultaneously brings much-needed revenue to help the community thrive. The pavilion, which is run completely by volunteers and hosts about 100 events each year, sits on 20 acres and is a treasured part of the community.

See Mustang Pavilion in VR

NEXT PROJECT: Crazy French Ranch / Fishers Peak State Park

Crazy French Ranch / Fishers Peak State Park

Crazy French Ranch used to be privately owned, but today we can all enjoy it under its new name, Fisher Peak State Park. With more than $17 million in Lottery proceeds invested in the project, the stunning 19,200-acre property serves as a gateway to recreation in Colorado.

The Trust for Public Land, in partnership with the City of Trinidad and The Nature Conservancy used its GOCO grants to help Colorado Parks and Wildlife acquire the Crazy French Ranch property, which includes the 9,633-foot summit of Fishers Peak. The project is a culmination of a two-phase purchase and provides the opportunity to serve as a model for future state parks - one that reflects a unique and synergistic blend of resource conservation, recreation, education, economic benefit, and cultural significance to the City of Trinidad and state of Colorado.

Portions of Fisher’s Peak State Park are now officially open to the public. For now, the park offers a drive-in picnic area for visitors who want an easily accessible, scenic spot for a bite and 13 miles of trails for hikers or mountain bikes, all stemming from the Fishers Peak Trailhead. Visit the park’s website to stay in the loop as more of the park opens and to make plans for your trip to Colorado’s 42nd state park.

NEXT PROJECT: Arkansas River Cleanup—Annual Runyon to the Res Event

Arkansas River Cleanup—Annual Runyon to the Res Event

The Lottery not only distributes funds throughout the state, we also get our hands dirty. Every October during Conservation Month, the Colorado Lottery hosts a conservation and stewardship event in Pueblo, where the Lottery’s headquarters are located. The annual Runyon to the Res event brings dozens of staff and volunteers together to clean up thousands of pounds of trash along a heavily used 7.5 mile stretch of the Arkansas River river where people run, bike, fish and otherwise enjoy the outdoors.

The Arkansas River Trail begins in the heart of Pueblo and heads westward along the river to Lake Pueblo State Park. It is part of the Pueblo River Trails System, which spans more than two dozen miles throughout the city. Watch the video to learn more about the Colorado Lottery’s annual Runyon to the Res event.

NEXT PROJECT: Alamosa Riparian Park

Alamosa Riparian Park

Completed in 2018, Alamosa Riparian Park is the result of a collaborative project that elevated community priorities around recreation, conservation, and wellness.

Western Rivers Conservancy (WRC), the City of Alamosa, and a long list of partners worked together to add the pristine, 203-acre riverfront park to the city’s open space offerings and conserve a mile of the Rio Grande. The park created new opportunities for recreation along the river banks and protected a valuable stretch of wildlife habitat.

Located just northwest of Alamosa, the park serves as an upstream anchor for the city’s growing network of pedestrian and bike trails, adding more than five miles of new trails on the property itself. To make the park a reality, WRC purchased adjacent properties in 2018 from two families that shared the community’s vision to create public open space along the river and keep the land undeveloped. Read more about Alamosa Riperian Park at the Western Rivers Conservancy website.

BACK TO: Kim Mustang Pavilion