Lake Pueblo State Park is getting new roads and trails

Lake Pueblo State Park is getting a makeover – and new trails.

Those trails are a regular stop for Cindy and Dick Willis. How often do they come here?

“Probably five out of seven days of the week,” said Cindy Willis.

This time there’s something different. The lake’s trail system is a construction zone.

“The trails were in need of some maintenance and some renovation,” said Cindy Willis.

The 13 miles of paved trails in the park are being reconstructed – thanks to Powerball fever.

Brian Kerrigan is the operations supervisor at Lake Pueblo State Park. He said, “Part of the funding does come from Great Outdoors Colorado, which is paid for primarily from (Colorado) lottery funds.”

Cindy Willis figures that even if she didn’t win the recent record Powerball jackpot, having lottery funds go toward park projects means she still got something in return.

“(I) like to hear we can contribute in some way,” she said.

The construction projects at Lake Pueblo State Park will change things like the trails and the roads, but some things at the park will never change.

Like the wildlife.

“We have resident bighorn sheep, we occasionally see deer, elk in the western part of the park, (and a) great waterfowl habitat,” said Kerrigan.

In addition to all that, you get million-dollar views of the river, the lake and the distant mountains.

The goal for park managers is simple.

Kerrigan said, “We’re just hoping with this new construction we can enhance these trails.”

That way all of the park’s users can be winners – especially after the project is finished in June.