Boat ramps to open April 16 at Crawford, Sweitzer Lake State Parks

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  John Livingston
Southwest Region Public Information Officer
970-759-9590 / [email protected]

DELTA, Colo. – Boat ramps will open Saturday, April 16 at two state parks on Colorado’s Western Slope.

Both Crawford State Park and Sweitzer Lake State Park will open boating seasons at 8 a.m. Saturday. Boat ramps will remain open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily until mid-May before transitioning to summer hours of 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Crawford Reservoir is located south of the town of Crawford in Delta County just off Colorado Highway 92. Sweitzer Lake is located south of the town of Delta just off U.S. Highway 50.

Boaters must be sure their boats are clean, drained and dried before going to the aquatic nuisance species (ANS) station at each park. Boaters with a green seal are responsible for presenting their receipt. CPW has already discovered three boats carrying ANS this year after recent trips to Lake Powell.

Crawford State Park offers 400 surface acres of recreational boating water. It is open to motorized boating, canoeing, jet skiing, paddleboarding and sailboarding. Water skiing season typically begins in mid-May and ends in mid-August.

“Our water levels at Crawford are currently better than they were at opening in 2021,” said park ranger Scott Rist. “We are projecting to fill the reservoir this year. You never really know how long it will be full, but we should have really good boating through August this year.”

Crawford is known as a quality perch and crappie fishery along with channel catfish, largemouth bass, northern pike and rainbow trout.

Visitors at Crawford State Park should be aware of construction on the Clear Fork Campground, which is projected to open in early June with 20 new full hookup sites.

Sweitzer Lake was built solely for recreation. The 137-surface acre reservoir is ideal for water skiing and wakeboarding because of its oval shape and maintains its water level year round. It is also popular for boating, jet skiing, paddleboarding and sailboarding.

“Because the water level doesn’t fluctuate, we have really good boating at Sweitzer Lake all season,” Rist said.

Sweitzer Lake is a great place to take kids fishing. It offers catfish, bluegill, green sunfish and carp. It is catch and release only.

Water temperatures in most Colorado reservoirs will remain very cold well into June. CPW recommends wearing a life jacket whenever on the water. 

“It can really be deceiving because it can be 80 degrees outside but the water can still be 50 degrees,” Rist said. “The stand-up paddleboard people will want to get out there the first really nice day, but don’t be fooled about those water temperatures. Hypothermia happens fast.”

Now is a good time for boaters to check their required boating safety items such as Coast Guard approved life jackets for every person on the boat, a type IV throwable floatation device, a noise-signal device and fire extinguisher. Please review all 2022 Colorado boating regulations to be sure your boat is equipped with all required safety gear.
 
Campsite reservations can be made through the Colorado Parks and Wildlife website at: http://cpw.state.co.us.

For more information on Crawford State Park, go to: https://cpw.state.co.us/placestogo/parks/Crawford

For More information on Sweitzer Lake State Park, go to: https://cpw.state.co.us/placestogo/parks/SweitzerLake LEFT: Crawford State Park is a quality perch and crappie fishery along with channel catfish, largemouth bass, northern pike and rainbow trout.

RIGHT: Crawford State Park offers 400 surface acres of recreational boating water. It is open to motorized boating, canoeing, jet skiing, paddleboarding and sailboarding. Water skiing season typically begins in mid-May and ends in mid-August.