Eleven Mile State Park
State Park in Lake George, CO
Hours:
Park: Daily, 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Office: 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Friday - Tuesday. Closed on Wednesday and Thursday.
Entrance Fees:
Daily Vehicle Pass: $10
Individual Daily Pass: $4
Animals Permitted:
- Leashed Dogs
- Service Animals
- Horses
Park Address:
4229 County Road 92
Lake George, CO 80827
United States
Eleven Mile State Park
State Park in Lake George, CO
Hours:
Park: Daily, 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Office: 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Friday - Tuesday. Closed on Wednesday and Thursday.
Entrance Fees:
Daily Vehicle Pass: $10
Individual Daily Pass: $4
Animals Permitted:
- Leashed Dogs
- Service Animals
- Horses
Park Address:
4229 County Road 92
Lake George, CO 80827
United States
Seasonal Closures -
Boating and Boat Ramps are closed. There are winter campground closures. Water at the park is completely off. For more information, see Seasonal Closures and Know Before You Go > Staying During Winter, as well as Winter Campground Closures.
Trees on rocky terrain leading to water's edge
Welcome to Eleven Mile State Park
Eleven Mile’s large reservoir is famous among anglers for its outstanding fishing. When not reeling in a trophy rainbow, brown, cutthroat, kokanee or pike, visitors can explore nearly five miles of scenic hiking and biking trails. Note: bikes are not allowed on the Black Bear Trail.
7,662
acres
258
species of birds
326
campsites
3,405
reservoir surface acres
Directions
Accessing the Park
From Colorado Springs
Drive 38 miles west of Colorado Springs on US 24 to one mile west of the town of Lake George, then turn left (south) on County Road 90 and drive for six miles to County Road 92. Continue south on 92 for five miles to the park.
The Eleven Mile Park Office is located in the camper services building near Rocky Ridge Campground on Park County Road 92.
Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Friday - Tuesday. Closed on Wednesday and Thursday.
Boat Ramps are currently closed. Please watch for them to be opened for "disabled ice fishing permittees" and ice boating once the ice starts getting thicker. Hopefully we will be able to open the boat ramp gates after Christmas.
Eleven Mile has three boat ramps.
North Boat Ramps
Two boat ramps are located on the northern side of the reservoir close to the park entrance station and amphitheater near County Road 335.
South Boat Ramp
The south boat ramp is close to Witcher's Cove Campground on the southern tip of the reservoir.
11 Mile Marina is located at 4224 County Road 92, Lake George, CO 80827. For hours, rentals and guide information, visit 11milesports.com.
Boating - The reservoir is closed to boating until the ice comes off in the Spring, but ice boating will be allowed once the boat ramp gates are opened for the "disabled ice fishing permittees."
Water - All water in the park is shut off for the season, including hand pumps and pressurized water pumps. No water is available.
Campgrounds - There are winter campground and facility closures, as well as specific information on the use of dump stations. For details, see the Camping & Lodging page > Know Before You Go > Staying During Winter and Winter Campground Closures sections.
Fees and Passes
Pass |
Description |
Duration |
Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Daily Vehicle Pass |
Single vehicle and its occupants |
1 Day |
$10 |
|
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 |
Visitors 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 |
Nature and Wildlife
This mountain park and reservoir offer opportunities to observe the wildlife, wildflowers and geology of a plains environment situated on a mountain slope, known as a montane ecosystem.
Be on the Lookout for Birds
Can you spot all 258 bird species? Download the Bird List Brochure (PDF).
Birds You Might Find
- Horned Lark
- American Peregrine Falcon
- White Pelican
- Bald Eagle
Mammals You Might Find
- Pronghorn Antelope
- Porcupine
- Badger
- Black Bear
Geology at This Park
Eleven Mile State Park has a 3,405 surface-acre reservoir on the South Platte River at the southern edge of South Park. The reservoir, formed by Eleven Mile Canyon Dam, gets water from various creeks like Cross, Prudence, Union, Balm-of-Gilead, Simms and Spring.
The South Platte River Valley is covered with glacial material from the most recent ice age, hiding older formations. Most of the park has very old rocks beneath it from Precambrian times, like Silver Plume granite east and south of Howbert Point, and Pikes Peak granite along the river west of Howbert.
On the west and south edges of the park, there are Thirtynine Mile andesite deposits. Andesite is a kind of igneous, volcanic rock, and Thirtynine Mile andesite is volcanic rock from the extinct Thirtynine Mile volcano area. Cross Creek cuts through another deposit called Trachyte. Trachyte is a kind of igneous, volcanic rock. Steep cliffs along the southwest edge of the reservoir show Wall Mountain Tuff, a kind of rock made of volcanic ash and pumice. Thirtynine Mile andesite covers both granite and Tuff formations on the southern edge of the reservoir.
Habitats and Plants at This Park
Ecologically, the park uplands are dominated by montane grassland and short-grass prairie species, including Arizona fescue, Parry oatgrass, blue grama, needle-and-thread grass, western wheatgrass, Junegrass and squirreltail. Common wildflowers and shrubs include Indian paintbrush, scrub oak, golden aster, gilia, copper mallow, wallflower, sulfur-flower, wild rose, locoweed, fringed sagewort, rabbitbrush and snakeweed. A sparse montane coniferous forest grows on the flanks of slopes and ridges, where both ponderosa and limber pine are present with an understory of mountain mahogany, rabbitbrush, currant and Spanish bayonet.
In moist canyons, Douglas fir becomes the dominant tree, mixing with Colorado blue spruce, ponderosa and limber pines. Stands of aspen grow in shallow soils over bedrock and around rock outcrops along the lower slopes of canyons and drainages, along with shrubby cinquefoil, common juniper, thimbleberry, waxflower, valerian, yarrow and pussytoes.
Diverse wetlands, riparian and aquatic plant communities have become established around the reservoir in seeps, tributary drainages and below the dam. Found here are pale blue-eyed grass and few-flowered ragwort, both considered to be rare plant species.
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History
The cultural history of Eleven Mile State Park likely began about 12,000 years ago. Archaeological evidence recovered from surveys in parts of the park indicates that the Folsom, Plano, Archaic and Woodland prehistoric cultures were all present. The earliest year-round inhabitants of the area were the Ute tribes, who found an abundance of wildlife here. The intrusion of the Spanish and French explorers in the 1500s caused the Ute to leave the area temporarily, resettling here during the late 1600s after the first quest for gold was ended.
- 1806: President Thomas Jefferson sends Lieutenant Zebulon Pike with 21 men to explore the South Park Area.
- 1859: The first mining era begins with the rediscovery of gold in the northern and western portions of South Park, and the Ute are once again forced to leave their favorite hunting grounds.
- 1861–1870: Nearly 11,000 miners converge on South Park and establish permanent settlements. Several towns sprout in the Eleven Mile Canyon area. The influx of people leads to the establishment of many trails and wagon roads, which provide a logical route for the railroads to follow.
- 1887: Population growth makes it profitable to open the Colorado Midland Railroad, the first broad-gauge line into the Colorado Rockies. The railroad transports wealthy visitors from Colorado Springs to what is now Eleven Mile Reservoir so that they can enjoy the numerous wildflowers that grow along the banks of the South Platte River.
- 1930–1932: The Eleven Mile Canyon Dam is completed and heralded as an “engineering triumph.” The dam creates the largest artificial body of water in Colorado at the time. The Denver Water Department currently owns the dam, the water and most of the land that surrounds the reservoir. Eleven Mile is one of seven reservoirs that provide drinking water for Denver. Because of the obvious need to protect against pollution, strict regulations prohibiting certain recreational activities are in effect.
- 1960: The Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation assumes management of the area under a lease agreement with the Denver Water Board.
Today, the waters of Eleven Mile Reservoir cover the ranches and towns that once prospered long ago. The water line cut some ranches in half while others were totally submerged. Surrounding mountains and campgrounds in Eleven Mile State Park have been named after a few of the ranchers whose lands now lie underwater.