Memorial Day Office Closure
Colorado Parks and Wildlife offices will be closed for the state holiday, Monday, May 25. To honor military members for their service CPW offers active duty military and veteran benefits to enjoy fishing, hunting and state parks.
State Park in Walsenburg, CO
Hours:
Park: Daily, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Visitor Center Office and Drive Up Window: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
Entrance Fees:
Daily Vehicle Pass: $10-$15
Individual Daily Pass: $4
Animals Permitted:
Park Address:
70 County Road 502
Walsenburg, CO 81089
United States
State Park in Walsenburg, CO
Hours:
Park: Daily, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Visitor Center Office and Drive Up Window: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
Entrance Fees:
Daily Vehicle Pass: $10-$15
Individual Daily Pass: $4
Animals Permitted:
Park Address:
70 County Road 502
Walsenburg, CO 81089
United States
Navigate to:
Huerfano County Stage 1 Fire Restrictions -
For prohibited and permitted activities, visit the Huerfano County page.
A boat moving through the water
Colorado’s first state park, Lathrop is 1,451 acres of recreational enjoyment nestled in the shadow of the Spanish Peaks in Southern Colorado. The park’s two lakes offer a variety of water recreation, including boating and angling opportunities.
1,451
acres
40
picnic sites
103
campsites
8
miles of trails
From Walsenburg
Take Highway 160 three miles west from Walsenberg. Turn right on County Road 502. Continue one mile to the park entrance.
The Lathrop Visitor Center and Fee Station is located southeast of the park.
Hours: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily
There is one boat ramp at Martin Lake and one boat ramp on the north side of Horseshoe Lake. An accessible kayak/canoe launch is located on the southside of Horseshoe Reservoir.
For more information on Lathrop‘s boat ramps, including mandatory boat inspections, see the Park Highlights page. For statewide boating information, visit the CPW Statewide Boating page.
There are no closures at this time.
Pass |
Description |
Duration |
Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Daily Vehicle Pass |
Single vehicle and its occupants with Colorado license plate |
1 Day |
$10-$12 |
|
Daily Vehicle Pass |
Single vehicle and its occupants with out-of-state license plate |
1 Day |
$15-$17 |
|
Individual Daily Pass |
For individual entry on foot, bicycle, horseback, etc at select parks |
1 Day |
$4 |
|
DMV vehicle registration renewal option for Colorado residents |
12 Months |
$29 |
|
|
Annual Vehicle Pass (Affixed) |
Pass for a single vehicle and its occupants |
12 Months |
$80 |
|
Family Annual Pass (Hang Tag) |
Members of the same household |
12 Months |
$120 |
|
Aspen Leaf Annual Pass |
Colorado residents 64+ |
12 Months |
$70 |
|
Centennial Pass |
Income-eligible Colorado residents |
12 Months |
$14 |
|
Columbine Pass |
Colorado residents with disabilities |
12 Months |
$14 |
|
Veterans License Plate |
DMV vehicle registration renewal option for military veterans (disabled veterans or purple heart plates) |
Lifetime |
Free |
|
Independence Lifetime Pass |
Colorado resident veterans with disabilities |
Lifetime |
Free |
|
Blue Spruce Pass |
Colorado resident first responders with disabilities |
Lifetime |
$10 |
At Lathrop State Park, a pinyon-juniper woodland, diverse wetland, shoreline and aquatic plant communities, as well as many migratory birds and several species of raptors, piñon and scrub jays, await the nature enthusiast.
Bird, plant and wildlife guides are available on Lathrop State Park's iNaturalist app observations for Android and iPhone. iNaturalist is a free online social network and citizen science platform that allows users to record and share observations of biodiversity. By uploading photos or sounds of wild organisms, you can get help identifying species from a global community of naturalists and even an automated identification tool. Using iNaturalist helps you learn about local nature, connect with other enthusiasts, and most importantly, contribute valuable scientific data to biodiversity research and conservation efforts worldwide.
Be on the Lookout for Birds
Can you spot all the resident and visiting bird species? Download the Bird List Brochure (PDF).
View a short video and tips on watching wildlife safely and find important information on crossing paths with wildlife.
The park is lacking vital data on amphibian and reptile populations. By logging your reptile and amphibian observations into iNaturalist, you'll help us collect data that's essential for protecting and preserving the Park's natural resources.
Lathrop State Park covers 1,594 acres of land and boasts two reservoirs — Horseshoe and Martin — covering 320 acres and fed by the Cucharas River from nearby mountains. The park features the unique Walsen Ridge, a volcanic dike located on the northern boundary and formed by volcanic activity during the Eocene and Oligocene periods.
Geologically, Lathrop is framed by the Spanish Peaks and Sangre De Cristo Mountains. The Spanish Peaks, distinct as "stocks,” which are large masses of igneous (molten) rock, formed in a different way than the uplifted Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Notably, the mountains showcase large dikes — intrusive igneous rock formations — that radiate like wheel spokes. Erosion has revealed walls of hard rock, attracting global geologists who've identified over 400 of these remarkable features.
Ecologically, Lathrop is dominated by pinyon-juniper woodland and mixed-grassland communities. Short-statured pinyon pine and one-seed juniper dominate the woodland, while blue grama, western wheatgrass, purple threeawn and sand dropseed are common grassland species. Common plants associated with both communities include yucca, cholla cactus, rabbitbrush and four-winged saltbush. Diverse wetland, riparian and aquatic plant communities have become established around the reservoirs and dams. Wetlands associated with waterfowl habitat ponds contribute to important watchable wildlife areas.
Jun
6
Jun 6, 2026 · 6:00am - Jun 7, 2026 · 10:00pm
Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area
Fish for free June 6-7, 2026 and experience why people get hooked on fishing in Colorado.
Jun
6
Jun 6, 2026 · 6:00am - Jun 7, 2026 · 10:00pm
Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area
Fish for free June 6-7, 2026 and experience why people get hooked on fishing in Colorado.
Jun
6
Jun 6, 2026 · 6:00am - Jun 7, 2026 · 10:00pm
Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area
Fish for free June 6-7, 2026 and experience why people get hooked on fishing in Colorado.
Jun
6
Jun 6, 2026 · 6:00am - Jun 7, 2026 · 10:00pm
Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area
Fish for free June 6-7, 2026 and experience why people get hooked on fishing in Colorado.
During the late 1600s, Spanish conquistadors entered New Mexico and enslaved many Native Americans. Many were able to escape and fled to southern Colorado. In 1778, a battle was initiated between the Spanish troops and the Comanche. After seven battles, which occurred only 20 miles north of Lathrop State Park, the Comanche were defeated, and the chief of the tribe was killed at the base of Greenhorn Mountain along the Greenhorn creek. Both the mountain and the creek were named after the chief.
Lathrop State Park was introduced as Colorado’s first state park in 1962 and was named after Harold W. Lathrop, who was the first Director of the state parks and recreation board from 1957–1961. The park’s two lakes, Martin Lake and Horseshoe Lake, offer a variety of boating and angling opportunities. Visitors can also take advantage of the fantastic southern Spanish Peaks in the Sangre de Cristo mountain range views while playing a round of golf or hiking along prairie trails.
