Larimer County’s Open Spaces Passport Program Ends Dec. 1

Teddy Parker-Renga, Community Relations Specialist

LOVELAND, Colo. – Are you still collecting rubbings in Larimer County’s open spaces passport? If so, then this fall is the time to get it done. Completed passports are due by Dec. 1, 2018.

Larimer County Department of Natural Resources will wrap up its passport program after nearly three years of it helping connect people to Larimer County’s amazing, scenic open spaces.

“It’s been incredibly fun and rewarding hearing how people have used the passport as a guide to get outdoors and explore their open spaces,” said Teddy Parker-Renga, Community Relations Specialist with the Department of Natural Resources. “We’ve seen a steady decline in returned passports since the first year the program was launched, in 2016, so we want to encourage people to get theirs done!”

For the program, the department placed posts on eight Larimer County open spaces. Two posts were placed on each open space in easy (short hike) and hard (long hike) locations. Each post has a plaque affixed to it with a unique image. People can place their passport over the plaque and make a rubbing of the image to “stamp” their passport. If they collect enough rubbings, they can win cool prizes.

A grand prize drawing will be held after the Dec. 1 deadline. Prizes for this year’s drawing include a day hiking prize pack (with an REI backpack, headlamp and more), two nights in a cabin at Hermit Park Open Space and annual entrance permits to Larimer County’s parks and open spaces, plus more.

To enter the grand prize drawing, participants will need to collect all 16 rubbings by Dec. 1. But they can also win a prize if they collect 8 rubbings or a special passport T-shirt if they gather 12 rubbings.

“We encourage you to submit your passport, regardless of how many rubbings you’ve collected,” said Parker-Renga, who manages the open spaces passport program. “The weather will cool down in the fall and the hiking will be spectacular in Larimer County, so get out there and collect what you can.”

Participants may drop off their completed passport at one of these locations:

• Larimer County Natural Resources Administrative Offices, 1800 S. County Road 31, Loveland
• Horsetooth Area Information Center, 4200 W. County Road 38 E, Fort Collins
• Hermit Park Office, Hermit Park Open Space, 17 Hermit Park Rd., Estes Park
• Citizen Information Center, 200 W. Oak St., Fort Collins

Passports may also be mailed to Larimer County Department of Natural Resources’ offices at 1800 S. County Road 31, Loveland, CO 80537.

Parker-Renga said the passport posts will be removed shortly after the Dec. 1 deadline. For people wanting to participate this fall, a limited number of passports may still be available at select kiosks at Larimer County open space trailheads, or by calling (970) 619-4561.

“It’s not too late to start an open spaces passport, but you better hurry,” said Parker-Renga, who added the department may revamp the passport program in future years. “It’s been a successful program, with many families, friends and intrepid individuals discovering new places in Larimer County. We may revisit the concept, but for now, we want to go out on a high note for this version of the program.”

The Larimer County Passport to Your Open Spaces is sponsored by the Friends of Larimer County Parks and Open Lands, REI and Zamar Screen Printing, Inc.

For more information, contact Parker-Renga at (970) 619-4561, or visit www.larimer.org/passport.