Nearly 18 million people visited the Colorado State Parks in 2023. The 43 parks allow visitors to explore a variety of different landscapes with an altitude range of nearly 9,000 feet! Colorado State Parks are also known for diverse flora and fauna. However, it may surprise you to know that the parks are home to over 400 different bird species alone!
If you’ve been following our posts you may know that we lived in Colorado for a few years. One thing we know about Coloradans is that they love nature and the outdoors. Another great thing about the Colorado State Parks is that they hold events and festivals throughout the parks all year. In fact, nearly every month there is at least one event or festival held in one of their parks that get people out to enjoy nature and the wildlife.
Our goal is to provide a few state parks for a variety of activities to help narrow your search. However, almost any park you choose to visit you will be able to find the majority of these aspects in each. We just want to provide a jumping off point to help you start your research. Before we get to the parks though, we would like to discuss access.
State Park Passes:
Cassandra and I are big believers in buying annual state park passes in the states we live in. We really do love to be out in nature and since we visit so often, it just makes sense for us not to continually pay for the daily passes. In addition, it motivates us to get out more since we have the pass already. Thankfully, Colorado offers several options to purchase an annual state park pass. The link describes all the types but we’ll highlight the 3 most popular choices.
- Keep Colorado Wild: $29
- Available to CO residents only
- Only offered when registering their vehicle for the year.
- However, this pass is only valid for the vehicle it is registered to.
- Affixed Vehicle Pass: $80
- Available to both residents and non-residents.
- Purchase at any time throughout the year and is valid for 1 year.
- Also, only valid for the vehicle it is registered to.
- Family Annual Pass: $120
- Associated with a specific address instead of a specific vehicle.
- Any vehicle can enter the park with this pass as long as you can show proof of address.
Colorado State Parks: Nature & Wildlife
If you are a nature and wildlife lover, you could not ask for a better state to visit than Colorado. The different terrains throughout the state are home to an amazing array of living creatures and awe-inspiring landscapes. We would put Colorado up among some of the most beautiful states we have ever visited and every state park showcases that beauty!
Barr Lake State Park:
Barr Lake State Park opened in 1977. The park covers over 2,700 acres in Brighton, CO near Denver. Many aspects make this an ideal park for wildlife enthusiasts including:
- Home to over 350 different Species of birds.
- Also, bald eagles nest here in the winter months.
- Bald Eagle Festival (early February): Watch as Bald Eagles build their nests and prepare to lay eggs. Actually, one pair of bald eagles return every year to raise their young!
- Fall Birding Festival (early September): Observe the migration of several bird species while enjoying food and activities.
- Barr Lake is home to several types of fish including: Channel catfish, small and large-mouth bass, rainbow trout, walleye, bluegill, wiper and tiger muskie.
- A nearly 9 mile trail circles the lake and provides excellent viewing opportunities. Also, it passes by several wildlife viewing stations. Visitors can see deer, coyotes, rabbits, squirrels, and fox may be seen in addition to all the different birds.
- A designated section of the lake classified as an animal refuge is home to over 200 nests.
State Forest State Park:
State Forest State Park is located in Walden, CO. The park opened in 1970 and is the largest Colorado state park at 71,000 acres. Located next to Rocky Mountain National Park visitors can travel by foot between the parks by Thunder Pass.
- Varied terrain home to an assortment of wildlife.
- In the 1970’s moose from Utah and Wyoming were introduced for breeding purposes.
- Now the park is home to 600 moose.
- It’s the moose viewing capital of Colorado.
- The park is also home to dozens of animal species including: bighorn sheep, mountain lions, black bears, elk, deer, and fox.
- The park is home to several hundred different species of birds.
- Also, several species of trout thrive in State Forest State Park.
Gone Fishin’: Fishing & Water Sports:
With a large number of lakes, reservoirs, rivers and streams in Colorado, it’s no surprise that fishing and other water activities are popular in the Colorado State Parks. You can fish in 38 of the 43 state parks however, some are more popular than others.
Navajo State Park:
Navajo State Park is located in Arboles, CO and opened in 1964. The 35 mile long reservoir straddles the Colorado/New Mexico border. 15 miles of the reservoir are in Colorado for a total of nearly 3,000 acres. The reservoir is the principal storage for the Navajo Indian Irrigation Project which provides water for over 100,00 acres of agricultural land on the Navajo Reservation.
- There are 150 miles of shoreline total between both states.
- Often compared to Lake Powell.
- Provides access for all types of boats and motorized water craft.
- Home to many species of trout, walleye, perch, pike, bass, among others accessible from the shores.
- Large Kokanee Salmon, Northern Pike, and trout can be found in it’s deeper waters.
Lathrop State Park:
Lathrop State Park was actually the first area to be designated a Colorado State Park. It opened in 1962 in Walsenburg, CO and is nearly 1,500 acres which lie in the shadows of the Spanish Peaks.
- The only Colorado State Park to have 2 separate lakes.
- Martin Lake: A warm water lake that is popular for boating and other motorized marine craft. Due to its location, the waters are quite warm during the summer months (nearly 75 degrees) and this lake also has a large swim beach.
- Horseshoe Lake: Allowing only wakeless water craft, Horseshoe lake is perfect for fishing. While catfish, trout, bluegill, walleye, and bass are found in both lakes, Horseshoe Lake are also known for its elusive tiger muskies.
Colorado State Park Camping:
With over 4,000 campsites within all of the Colorado State Parks, there is no shortage of places to set up a tent. Nearly every Colorado State Park has access to camping to some degree (tent/rv/cabin/yurt/etc.) We chose two state parks due to some unique aspects.
Steamboat Lake State Park:
Steamboat Lake State Park opened in 1966 in Clark, CO. The entire park is nearly 3,000 acres including a nearly 1,100 acre reservoir. The park also sits at an elevation around 8,000 feet.
- 188 campsites with picnic tables and a fire ring.
- 10 cabins available even in the winter
- Full service marina with showers, laundry facilities, dump station, and ice and firewood sales.
- 12 RV sites with electric available year round in the marina parking lot.
- Back country camping is also available in the surrounding Forest Service land.
Rifle Falls State Park:
Located in Rifle, CO this park opened in 1966. Rifle Falls State Park is considered, by many, to be a hidden gem. Rifle Falls State Park is the smallest of all the Colorado State Parks at only 48 acres.
- 13 drive-in RV/tent sites with 30 amp hook-ups. Water is available through shared hydrants around the park. These sites have picnic tables and fire rings provided.
- Also, 7 walk-in sites located along the creek. In addition to the tables and fire pits, these sites also provide bear proof food storage boxes.
- Rifle Falls is a 70 foot tall triple waterfall with in the park. It is the only waterfall of its kind in the entire state of Colorado!
- Limestone caves located here are popular with spelunkers.
- Rifle Falls State Park does have restroom facilities. However the closest visitor center is 4 miles away at Rifle Gap State Park.
- Pro Tip: This park is extremely busy during the summer months so plan accordingly.
Rocky Mountain Hiking:
There are no shortage of stunning views when it comes to hiking in Colorado. Even when hiking in the plains, amazing mountain views can be had. With that being said, hiking at elevation can be difficult for some. The best advice we can give is to take your time. Once you are out of breath, it’s much more difficult to catch it in the thin air. We picked 2 parks that offer a variety in intensities as far as the hiking is concerned.
Golden Gate Canyon State Park:
Golden Gate Canyon State Park covers 12,000 acres and opened in 1960. The park is in Golden, CO near Denver. It’s 12,000 acres offer nearly 40 miles of hiking trails!
- Elevation ranges of nearly 3,000 feet. (7,600ft-10,400ft)
- Trails offer a very diverse plant and wildlife viewing opportunity.
- Panoramic Point Scenic Overlook provides views in excess of 100 miles of the Continental Divide!
- This park is also quite popular for Leaf Peepers coming to see the fall aspen colors.
Roxborough State Park:
Roxborough State Park opened in 1975 in Roxborough, CO. The park is just over 3,400 acres and it has 15 miles of hiking trails.
- Known for its incredible red rock formations that date back over 1 billion years!
- Most popular trail: Carpenter Peak Summit (7,129 ft) 6.2 mile out-and-back trail
- Due to the park’s location (prairie meeting the foothills) there is a very diverse list of plants and animals living in the park.
- Also, the park is listed as a Colorado Natural Area, National Natural Landmark, and an Audubon Society Important Bird Area
High Adrenaline Adventurers:
Thanks to the high peaks and abundant waterways, Colorado State Parks are an adrenaline junkie’s paradise. If you need a bit more than a hike to satisfy you, check out these 2 parks.
Arkansas River Headwaters Recreation Area:
The Arkansas River Headwaters Recreation Area opened in 1989. It is a 150 mile stretch of the Arkansas River from Leadville to Pueblo.
- One of the most popular rivers in the US.
- The #1 commercially rafted river in the US.
- Class I-V rapids
- In addition there are 6 campsites along the river, and the river has world-class fishing!
- If fishing isn’t your thing, you can try your luck with gold panning also.
Eldorado Canyon State Park:
Eldorado Canyon State Park is located in Eldorado Springs, CO. The park opened in 1978 and covers nearly 900 acres.
- Some of the best rock climbing in Colorado.
- Being that it’s just outside of Denver, it’s one of the most accessible rock climbing areas in the world!
- Over 500 technical routes.
- The climbs also provide amazing views of the Continental Divide.
As always thanks for checking out our website. Feel free to comment below and tell us any of your favorite Colorado State Parks. Colorado has so much to offer anyone who loves nature, and we are so excited that we have the opportunity to go back out for an extended stay.
Be sure to check out our podcast as well on this topic and don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss any of our posts. As always, we wish you safe and happy travels. Take care!
