Sweitzer Lake boat ramp reopens; Crawford counting down final days of 2025

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

DELTA, Colo. – Following the completion of dam restoration work and with water levels restored in the reservoir, Sweitzer Lake State Park opened its boat ramp to the public Aug. 8.

The ramp at Sweitzer Lake State Park will be open daily from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. The park will reduce the hours from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. after Labor Day. The ramp will close for the season Sept. 28.

“It’s great to see boats back out on the water here at Sweitzer Lake,” said Park Manager Scott Rist. “We know our local community has been anxious to see the reservoir refill this summer, and we are excited to welcome boaters back during these last few weeks of the summer season.”

Rist noted that the reservoir is still about a foot below full pool but continues to fill about six inches per week.

“Most boats under 18 feet won’t have a problem right now,” he said.

While the boating season is just getting started at Sweitzer Lake, it is quickly coming to a close at Crawford State Park roughly 35 miles east.

Crawford State Park aimed to keep its boat ramp open through Sept. 15, but with water levels quickly dropping, it is possible the boat ramp will be closed by the end of August.

“Based on current projections and unless we get some precipitation, we may have about 20 days left of boatable water,” said Crawford State Park Manager Mark Lehman. “It’s tricky not having a hard and fast closing date, but we want to let the public know that the ramp will be closed sooner than later this year. The Crawford boat ramp is currently open, but we advise caution because of low water levels. Hazards may exist at any water level, but current conditions increase the risk of unseen obstacles just beneath the surface.”

The Paonia State Park boat ramp closed July 17 because of low water levels. Hand-launched vessels are still permitted at the park, but access is very limited.

Crawford State Park is located in Delta County along Highway 92 southeast of Hotchkiss and northeast of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. The reservoir is known as a quality perch and crappie fishery and offers good chances to fish for warm water species such as largemouth bass.

Sweitzer Lake State Park is located in Delta County along Highway 50 south of Delta. The park features a 137-surface acre reservoir for day-use recreation. Sweitzer Lake is considered a good fishing spot for youth with plentiful catfish, bluegill, green sunfish and carp. The lake is a largemouth bass trophy fishery. Sweitzer Lake is a catch-and-release-only lake. Fish in this lake contain selenium and are not edible. The park is also an excellent location for bird observation.

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 popular for camping and photographers interested in capturing wildlife and wildflowers. 

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

Join us in keeping Colorado, Colorado. Get a $29 Keep Colorado Wild Pass with your next vehicle registration and support state parks, search and rescue teams, avalanche safety, wildlife conservation and outdoor education. Learn more at cpw.info/keepcoloradowild and cpw.info/keepcoloradowildpassspanish.