Cherry Creek State Park east boat ramp closed through holiday weekend
Kara Van Hoose
Media Note: The PIO will be available for media interviews Friday from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Please use the east park entrance and meet at the east boat ramp.
June 29, 2023
Cherry Creek State Park east boat ramp closed through July 4 due to high reservoir levels
AURORA, Colo. – Colorado Parks and Wildlife announced today the east boat ramp at Cherry Creek State Park will be closed through the extended holiday weekend. Portions of the east ramp are submerged due to recent heavy rains, and higher reservoir levels have not receded to safe operating depth for boats to launch. The east boat ramp will remain closed indefinitely until water levels recede. The west boat ramp is open as the sole option for boaters through at least Tuesday.
The parking lot adjacent to the east boat ramp will be open. Hand-launched vessels will be allowed from the shoreline. The Wetlands area is closed due to low-level flooding.
As Independence Day is typically one of the highest visitation days for Cherry Creek, CPW expects the park to reach capacity limits early in the day from Saturday to Tuesday. Once park staff have determined capacity has been reached, vehicles will be kept from entering the park on Dayton Street for the west entrance and Parker Road near the east entrance. Capacity closures will be communicated through the region Twitter account and signs at each park entrance.
Campers with active reservations will be allowed to enter the park under a capacity closure and should enter through the east entrance.
Cherry Creek State Park has experienced historic water levels and inflows this spring. East Lake View Road remains closed after heavy rainfall caused sections of the road to collapse. Visitors should continue to use the Dam Road to cross the park.
After the historic number of water-related deaths in Colorado in 2022, CPW is urging all visitors who recreate on the water to wear a life jacket. Children under the age of 13 are required to wear a life jacket at all times on the water. CPW encourages boaters to review safety tips before launching and undergo mandatory safety inspections.
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PHOTO CUTLINES:
Left: Cherry Creek Reservoir is approximately two feet higher than safe operating levels for the park's east boat ramp.
Right: The Wetlands area remains indefinitely closed from heavy spring rainfall.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) is an enterprise agency, relying primarily on license sales, state parks fees and registration fees to support its operations, including: 43 state parks and more than 350 wildlife areas covering approximately 900,000 acres, management of fishing and hunting, wildlife watching, camping, motorized and non-motorized trails, boating and outdoor education. CPW's work contributes approximately $6 billion in total economic impact annually throughout Colorado.