Access to areas of Lake Pueblo State Park limited because of high water
Several areas around the Pueblo Reservoir are off limits because of unusually high water levels.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife says that because of high flows in the Arkansas River, the water level at the reservoir is rising too.
Access to the following areas is being affected by the high water:
South Boat Ramp is closed to all launching and loading of boats and vehicular use.
The North Boat Ramp is open at this time and being monitored closely.
South Fishing shoreline access is closed to vehicular access.
N-1 Cove Access is underwater and closed. Sailboard Access and parking lot is closed. The water is eroding the existing paved parking lot and it is unsafe for vehicles to park in at this time.0
North Picnic Access is closed to vehicles. A portion of the road in that area is underwater. Kettle Creek Campground is being monitored closely. The road will be underwater if the water rises further. The campground loop will be closed if that happens.
“We understand the impact that this will have on our visitors,” said Park Manager Monique Mullis. “But there’s still a lot of the park that hasn’t been affected. We thank you in advance for your patience.”
Shoreline access and parking spaces are very limited due to the high water. Parking is not allowed along the main park road.
Boaters are required to use the North Boat ramp and should expect delays in loading and unloading due to limited parking space. Parking areas around the North Marina are expected to reach capacity during the weekends and there could be significant delays to launch.
Boaters will need to use extra caution on the water as there is increased debris and buoy markers may have moved or be less visible in the high water conditions.
Flows in the Arkansas River below the dam at Lake Pueblo are also impacted due to flooding conditions along the corridor. Flows may be typical for the season, or the spillway gates may be opened and flows could become dangerously fast.
The Bureau of Reclamation is in charge of water levels and releases in the Pueblo Reservoir. Visitors are advised to use extreme caution and to pay close attention to rapidly changing conditions along the river in the next few weeks.
