Several of the State Parks in the list below are brand new areas and are not fully open to the public yet, they are still in the planning and development stages. This includes Lone Mesa, Cheyenne Mountain and Staunton State Parks.

Colorado State Parks offers an annual pass for entry to the state parks. When you consider that nearly all parks require a $7 (sometimes more) daily fee per vehicle for entry, the $70 annual pass (good for 12 months from month of purchase) is an excellent deal. Colorado State Parks also has an "Aspen Leaf" program for Colorado residents aged 64 and over that allows a $3 per night discount when camping in the off-peak times (generally from Sunday noon to Friday noon) and non-holidays. As of July 1, 2011, prices for Aspen Leaf annual park passes (for Colorado residents age 64 and up) are going up considerably - from $35 to $60.

Something that has come up recently in the Colorado State Park system is the discovery of zebra mussels at Lake Pueblo State Park. In order to stop "aquatic nuisance species" (like zebra and quagga mussels) from spreading further, Colorado State Parks has implemented containment measures designed to reduce the risks of spreading any non-native creatures to other sites in Colorado. Chatfield State Park began a mandatory inspection program regarding all trailered vehicles in July, 2008. This program has now been introduced at all Colorado State Parks where the problem may occur. To reduce the risks of causing a problem yourself, State Parks staff is asking that all boaters follow these simple steps:

  • Before leaving the area, eliminate all water from your boating gear (bilge, ballast, wells, engine cooling system, other equipment).
  • Everything that comes into contact with water needs to be thoroughly washed and all plants, animals and mud removed.
  • Make sure everything in your boat and its gear is completely dry before re-launching at a new site.

Another thing: Park Rangers are now ordering any vehicle found on State Parks property without a valid pass to be towed immediately. You also don't want to be caught transferring passes between vehicles...

Colorado State Parks location mapJohn Martin Reservoir State ParkTrinidad Lake State ParkLathrop State ParkSan Luis State ParkLake Pueblo State ParkNavajo State ParkMancos State ParkLone Mesa State ParkRidgway State ParkCheyenne Mountain State ParkArkansas Headwaters State Recreation AreaSweitzer lake State ParkMueller State ParkEleven Mile State ParkSpinney Mountain State ParkCastlewood Canyon State ParkCrawford State ParkPaonia State ParkColorado River State ParkVega State ParkStaunton State ParkRoxborough State ParkSylvan Lake State ParkBonny Lake State ParkRifle Gap State ParkHarvey Gap State ParkRifle Falls State ParkChatfield State ParkCherry Creek State ParkGolden Gate Canyon State ParkBarr Lake State ParkEldorado Canyon State ParkSt. Vrain State ParkJackson Lake State ParkBoyd Lake State ParkHighline Lake State ParkNorth Sterling State ParkLory State ParkStagecoach State ParkYampa River State ParkState Forest State ParkPearl Lake State ParkSteamboat Lake State Park
To check out the different state parks in Colorado you can either click on the names on the map
above or use the list below:
Trinidad Lake State Park, Colorado
The view from Carpios Ridge, Trinidad Lake State Park

To get the rest of the story from the Official Colorado State Parks Site:
Colorado State Parks