Great Outdoor Colorado has been spreading some holiday season cheer across the San Luis Valley with recent awards totaling nearly $2.6 million. Here is the list of projects to receive funding for 2026.
Cole Park “A Place to Play for All” playground: $659,600
Alamosa Parks & Recreation will transform Cole Park into an inclusive recreational park with upgrades that will include an ADA-accessible playground with sensory play elements such as a merry-go-round that accommodates wheelchairs, double-wide slides for side-by-side use, and potentially an in-ground trampoline designed for wheelchair users.
Cole Park’s sandy dirt pump track will be replaced by a new asphalt wheel park, including a small kids’ pump track. Groundbreaking is expected in summer 2026, with completion and a community celebration in fall 2026.
“Cole Park serves the entire San Luis Valley, creating a premier inclusive play and gathering space will be transformational for our community. The shared vision and legacy of GOCO’s work for generations to come in our area, and the entire state, is something to be proud of,” said Alamosa Parks & Recreation Director Andy Rice.
San Luis Valley Great Outdoors (SLV GO!): $394,000
Following a multi-year planning process, SLV GO! completed an SLV Great Outdoors Strategy informed by community surveys, focus groups, listening sessions, data analysis, and local knowledge. Funding through GOCO’s Regional Partnerships Initiative will support continued capacity for the coalition and a wildlife fencing project. The project will convert 12 miles of fence along the Colorado-New Mexico border to wildlife-friendly fencing, helping big game move through critical winter habitat, and construct fencing in the Rio Grande Natural Area to protect riparian habitat from overgrazing.
The Nature Conservancy Colorado Fellowship Program: $300,000
The Nature Conservancy’s Colorado Conservation Fellowship will create a pathway for two conservation leaders through a two-year, paid fellowship with hands-on fieldwork, professional development, and mentorship opportunities. Fellows from this cohort will help strengthen relationships with tribal and Indigenous nations and Latino communities with historic ties to the San Luis Valley. Their efforts will support cultural reconnection to ancestral lands and knowledge-sharing between generations. Funds from the Pathways grant will also support tribal and Indigenous travel and honorarium for shared learning experiences.
“The Nature Conservancy of Colorado is grateful to receive funding from GOCO to fund the second cohort of The Nature Conservancy’s Colorado Conservation Fellowship Program,” said Carlos E. Fernández, TNC Colorado state director. “After receiving funding for a very successful first cohort, we look forward to putting GOCO dollars to work, to create the next generation of conservation leaders in Colorado.”
La Jara Basin, Western Rivers Conservancy $1,070,000
Western Rivers Conservancy, in collaboration with the Colorado State Land Board, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, the Bureau of Land Management and the United States Forest Service, will permanently protect the 45,952-acre La Jara Basin. The effort will also protect public access, including for low-income and underserved community members who use the land for grazing, hunting, fishing, and cultural traditions.
“The La Jara Basin is a remarkable place with a rich history. Its meadows, forests and canyons sustain both wildlife and a rural way of life for people in the southern San Luis Valley,” said Allen Law, Interior West project manager for WRC. “The way this partnership has come together, with GOCO, the State Land Board, the Forest Service, BLM, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, and of course, extraordinary support from the local community, means we can deliver a permanent conservation future for the area.”
Capulin Ranch, Rio Grande Headwaters Land Trust: $60,500
This 495‑acre family ranch is home to wetlands and cottonwood‑ and willow‑lined creeks that flow year‑round. Seasonal wet meadows and the steady waters of La Jara Creek and Hot Creek provide essential habitat for more than 30 species identified in Colorado’s State Wildlife Action Plan. The ranch is also an important winter refuge for elk, mule deer, and pronghorn. Its senior water rights support hay production, cattle grazing, and the natural wetlands that make this landscape valuable for both agriculture and wildlife. Through a conservation easement, those water rights will stay permanently tied to the land, protecting its habitat and working‑lands legacy for generations to come.
Blanca Farms, Rio Grande Headwaters Land Trust: $13,400
Near the town of Blanca, this 1,500‑acre project is part of a larger family farm, part of which is currently conserved with the Rio Grande Headwaters Land trust. The property includes 411 acres of wetlands and supports a mix of grain and forage crops, livestock grazing, and natural open spaces fed by three creeks and streams that wind through the land. Next to the Smith Reservoir State Wildlife Area — a well‑known haven for waterfowl and a key stop for migrating birds — the farm plays an important role in maintaining the region’s ecological health. A conservation easement will permanently protect the property’s water rights, while allowing the flexibility to lease water for community use when it doesn’t affect habitat or conservation goals.
Rock Creek Wildlife & Forest Health Improvement: $59,200
Colorado Parks and Wildlife will partner with Southwest Conservation Corps and Colorado State Forest Service to improve 30 acres of forest on state trust land at Rock Creek in Saguache County. Partners will thin dense ponderosa pine, piñon-juniper, and mixed-conifer trees to create a more natural forest structure. This work will increase native vegetation growth; improve food and habitat for deer, elk, and other wildlife; improve forest health; create a more enjoyable experience for visitors; and provide hands-on forestry training for youth crews. The project will also preserve a historic wagon trail and provide stacked firewood for public use.