Are you a veteran? You may not be aware of a large number of Colorado veterans discounts and freebies offered. We’ll cover dozens that you may qualify for!
Attractions
We’ll start with the fun stuff first! We have the scoop on many fun Colorado destinations that may offer veteran discounts!
History Colorado
Colorado veterans discounts are offered through the Blue Star Museums program and may include admission and membership discounts to the History Colorado museum and historic sites! Active duty members may receive free admission for themselves and five family members year round!
Locations include:
- History Colorado, Denver
- Center for Colorado Women’s History, Denver
- El Pueblo History Museum, Pueblo
- Fort Garland Museum and Cultural Center, Fort Garland
- Fort Vazquez, Platteville
- Healy House Museum & Dexter Cabin, Leadville
- Trinidad History Museum, Trinidad
- Ute Indian Museum, Montrose
- Georgetown Loop Historic Mining & Railroad Park®, Georgetown
- Pike’s Stockade, Sanford
- Grant-Humphreys Mansion, Denver
Epic Pass
Vail Resorts offers their Military Epic Pass at a significant discount! Previous season passes were available to active duty and retired service members at $149 (compared to $949 regular rate!) This pass gives access to all 37 Vail Resort properties and provides six friend passes as well. Passes may also be available for family members and dependents
Great Wolf Lodge
The Great Wolf Lodge in Colorado Springs offers a 25% discount to all active, retired, and veteran service members! Water park admission is included in lodging price, as well as free family entertainment throughout the facility.
Colorado Springs attractions!
In Colorado Springs alone, there are some crazy offers for Colorado veterans discounts! Remember to bring your military or veteran ID! There may be additional requirements to qualify at each venue.
Venues may include:
- Cave of the Winds tour – 10% discount
- Cheyenne Mountain Zoo – $25 off membership, various visit discounts
- River Runners – 15% discount for Colorado rafting trips
- Flying W Ranch – $5 discount for chuckwagon dinner & western musical show
- Manitou Cliff Dwellings Museum – $1 discount
- Iron Springs Chateau Melodrama Theater – $.50 – $1 discount for dinner/show
- Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame – $2 discount
- Royal Gorge Bridge and Park – discount at site
- Space Foundation Discovery Center – 50% discount for adult admission
- US Olympic & Paralympic Museum – $15.95 admission
Colorado Symphony
Come visit the symphony! Colorado veterans discounts are available at 20% off of up to four tickets per concert. Active service members may also receive discounts of two tickets at $5, and up to four tickets at 20% off per concert!
Travel
Many local lodging facilities and national hotel chains offer Colorado veterans discounts! Colorado Rocky Mountain Resorts has many rentals and offers a military discount to active service members and veterans! YMCA of the Rockies also has a Mission 623 program for families preparing for deployment. They offer a reduced package to include lodging and meals for qualifying families.
Parks and recreation
There are number of Colorado veterans discounts for hunting and fishing as well as for visiting state parks. Some of these may include your family members!
State Parks
Every July, Colorado Parks & Wildlife (CPW) begins accepting applications for a free pass for veterans and services members to use at all Colorado State Parks and recreation areas during the month of August. This is for admission only and does not cover camping or other service fees.
Free admission is also offered to all service members and veterans upon proof of military service to access State Parks on Veterans Day annually.
Free admission to any state park or recreation area is also included for members with a Disabled Veterans or Purple Heart license plate through the annual Independence Pass.
Disabled veterans may also qualify for a reduced fee Columbine annual pass, and for discounted camping fees Sunday – Thursday (excluding holidays).
Hunting and fishing
Colorado offers incredible hunting and fishing opportunities and Colorado veterans discounts can help you make the most of them!
VA Combo License
Colorado Parks & Wildlife offers a free veteran’s lifetime combination small game hunting/fishing license – also known as the VA Combo License to veterans with qualifying disabilities. In order to qualify, the veteran needs to provide the following:
- proof of a VA rated service-connected disability of 60% or more
- hunter safety completion course if born in 1949 or later
- proof of Purple Heart award
- applicant must be a Colorado resident
Fishing licenses
The Department of Natural Resources also provides for no-fee fishing licenses for veterans who are permanently and totally disabled. Service members who are resident patients in military hospitals and facilities within Colorado may also be eligible for free fishing license.
Service members who are Colorado residents may qualify to fish without a license if they are on temporary leave in Colorado while otherwise stationed elsewhere. This exemption may be used up to 30 days per year, and the service member must carry leave papers on them while fishing.
In addition to Colorado veterans discounts, active duty service members and their dependents may also qualify to purchase licenses at resident rates.
Wounded Warrior program
Colorado Parks & Wildlife issues a limited number of hunting licenses to the US Armed Forces Wounded Warrior program each year. The goal is to issue as many of these special licenses to qualifying members of the Wounded Warrior or Safe Harbor programs: 100 each for female deer elk, and pronghorn; and 100 total male deer, elk and pronghorn.
Wounded Warrior program requirements may include:
- Service member stationed in Colorado or a Colorado resident
- Returning from post-9/11/21 overseas operation
- Assigned to military medical treatment facility when applying
You may apply for these Colorado veterans discounts for state parks and hunting and fishing at the CPW website.
Get new wheels!
Many car dealerships are happy to offer Colorado veterans discounts by way of military rebates! For example, Toyota’s Military Rebate program may offer $500 to those who qualify.
Eligible persons may include:
- US military personnel and their family members (including Gold Star Families)
- US military retirees
- US military veterans within two years of discharge
Go back to school!
Have you ever thought about a new career after the military? Colorado Mountain College offers Colorado veterans discounts of 25% off tuition! Veterans, active service members, and their spouses and dependents may qualify. You may even be able to earn education credits while serving!
Property tax exemption
Colorado veterans discounts can include a property tax exemption for 50% of the first $200,000 of a home’s value for veterans with a 100% service-connected disability. This exemption also applies to surviving spouses.
Income tax
Colorado residents who are retired from military service may be able to exclude part of their retirement income from state taxes. This also applies to Survivor Benefit Plan payments.
- You may exclude up to $10,000 if you are under 55
- You may exclude up to $20,000 if you are 55-64
- You may exclude up to $24,000 if you are 65 or older
Veteran/Military ID
One way to make providing proof for many of these Colorado veterans discounts is to obtain a veteran ID through the Department of Motor Vehicles. To receive a veteran identifier on your license or ID, you’ll need to bring a valid military identification card as well as your original copy of your honorable discharge.
You may also qualify for a free disabled veteran or Purple Heart license plate! By law, eligible veterans do not pay vehicle ownership taxes or license fees on their first set of these specialty license: Disabled Veteran, Handicap Disabled Veteran, Former Prisoner of War, Purple heart, Medal of Honor, and Medal of Valor.
To apply for most of these specialty plates, you’ll need:
- DD214 document for honorable discharge
- eligibility letter from VA showing 50% or more service-connected disability
- vehicle registration, proof of emissions, and proof of insurance
- Award documentation if needed
We’ve covered dozens of Colorado veterans discounts you may qualify for and how to obtain veteran ID to easily access many of them. We have loads of more resources for veterans – thank you for your service!
Rachel Grayless
After 27 years in law enforcement and state Veterans Affairs agencies, I found myself working from home and looking for dollar-stretching resources. Government programs can be notoriously difficult to navigate and I'm happy to lend my experiences to make this easier for others!