Boulder County, CO Special Events & Permits: Park Event Permits (2026)

Rule 20 of Boulder County's Parks & Open Space Rules and Regulations (Resolution No. 2023-024, adopted April 2023, superseding Resolution No. 2023-020) sets a numeric trigger for organized gatherings: any group of 25 or more people using department land needs a Special Use Permit first. The application must include the group's affiliation, the dates and time of use, the specific trails or areas to be used, and other details of the planned activity, giving the Director enough information to judge impact before the event happens.

The standard is discretionary rather than automatic: if the Board or the Director decides the activity will cause significant impact to the natural environment or will require significant departmental resources, the county may either prescribe a fee covering its expected costs or deny the permit outright. This sits alongside two related restrictions in the same resolution: Rule 19 separately bars commercial uses of park land, such as guided tours, filming, or commercial photography, without their own authorization, and Rule 10 requires Director permission before posting any signs or advertising, including event signage.

A group that gathers 25 or more people without first securing a Rule 20 permit is violating the resolution directly. §§ 29-7-101(2) and 30-15-402, defaulting to the general $100 Regulations assessment rate under Rule 32(c) since event permits are not listed among the offenses with their own fine schedule.