Paonia State Park reopening May 17; Spruce campground remains closed

John Livingston
Southwest Region Public Information Officer
970-759-9590 / [email protected]
@CPW_SW

PAONIA, Colo. – A rockslide to the north of Paonia State Park on Colorado Highway 133 has been cleared, and the park will reopen to the public May 17.

Access to Paonia State Park is currently limited to visitors coming from the north and traveling south down Highway 133, as a large sinkhole on the highway south of the park has led to a safety closure from the Colorado Department of Transportation.

“With access to the park restored from one side of the highway, we are looking forward to reopening this week,” said Paonia State Park Manager Scott Rist. “We are ready to welcome guests back for a great summer season.”

While the park will reopen, the Spruce primitive campground site will remain closed through June 15 because of flooding. Primitive camping will still be available at the Hawsapple campground along with the Anthracite campground, which offers electricity.

“The river is still surge-flooding Spruce campground. The snowpack above the reservoir is still 132% of normal for this time of year,” Rist said.

Visitors with reservations for Spruce campground are asked to call the park to cancel if they have not already been contacted by the park. Free cancellations will be offered through June 15 to those who call the park to cancel directly.

“We want to thank everyone for their patience while we adapt right now to the natural conditions,” Rist said.

The Paonia State Park boat ramp will open May 22 with a full reservoir. The water will remain cold and can present danger, as hypothermia can set in quickly.

CPW advises the following boating safety tips:

• Check your equipment and the weather
• Wear a life vest​
• Attend a Boating Safety Class in Colorado
• Get a safety inspection on your vessel
• Review navigation techniques
• Learn what to do in the event of an accident
• Boat sober: Alcohol use is the leading contributing factor in recreational boating deaths. 

Boaters must be sure their boats are clean, drained and dried before going to the aquatic nuisance species (ANS) inspection station at the park. Boaters with a green seal are responsible for presenting their receipt.

There is not a decontamination station at Paonia State Park. Boats discovered to have ANS can undergo decontamination at Crawford State Park, located a little less than an hour southwest of Paonia State Park.

For more information on ANS, review the Boater’s Guide to ANS Inspections.

Paonia State Park is located in Gunnison County, 17 miles northeast of the town of Paonia along Highway 133. The 1,523-acre park is also popular for camping and photographers interested in capturing wildlife and wildflowers. For more information on Paonia State Park, go to: https://cpw.state.co.us/placestogo/parks/Paonia.

Campsite reservations can be made through the Colorado Parks and Wildlife website at: http://cpw.state.co.us.