BLM Lands are often thought of as being America's Playground and public lands in Colorado are no exception.  In Colorado, people rely on the public land for many uses such as recreation, cultural or historical tourism, and traditional uses like livestock grazing and mining.  Coloradoans, and visitors to the state, are looking to the public lands more and more – whether it is for the solitude of a historic trail or for the benefits of energy development.

The BLM manages 8.4 million acres of public lands in Colorado – ranging from 4,000 to over 14,000 feet in elevation – along with 29 million acres of subsurface mineral estate.  BLM public lands include alpine tundra, colorful canyons, and majestic mesas.  The agency manages these lands for a multitude of uses, including recreation, mining, wildlife habitat, wilderness, energy development, and livestock grazing.

BLM Colorado adheres to the principal of multiple-use management outline by the Federal Land Policy and Management Act.  This means that the BLM balances outdoor recreation and preservation of wildlife habitat, air and water, and other scenic and historical values with environmentally responsible commercial development of the land and its resources.  The mix of allowed uses depends on an area’s resources, the type of permit and local demands.