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Park Activities
Park Activities

  • Backcountry camping

    Dispersed camping in the National Forest is accessible by hiking the Pearl Lake connection trail.
    (Updated: 7/5/2019 2:44 PM)

  • Boating

    06/4/23: Pearl Lake is now opened to boating.​ Boaters will have to have their boats inspected at the Steamboat Lake ANS Inspection Station found in the Dutch Hill Campground before going on the water. 

    ​Late Summer Boat Ramp and ANS Inspection Hours (starting 8/14):

    Monday - Wednesday: 8am - 4pm
    Thursday: 8am - 8pm
    Friday - Sunday: 7am -8pm

    If an inspector is not at the ramp during regular inspection hours, please call the Visitor Center: (970)879-3922
    The ramp will be gated and locked outside of inspection hours. It is illegal to launch or go around the gate to get on or off the water after​ it is closed.  ​VIOLATORS WILL BE CITED!

     ​

    Pristine and quiet with great fishing and wakeless-only boating, it’s what a mountain lake should be. In order to keep Pearl Lake and other lakes this way, all trailer launched vessels and those powered by motor or sail MUST be inspected prior to launch.

    Inspections are available at the Steamboat Lake during the boating season​.​​

    (Updated: 8/14/2023 10:32 AM)

  • Cabins and Yurts

    Two yurts are available year-round at Pearl Lake.  The camping minimum night stay for the yurts is two nights. 

    During the winter months, it is a 6-8 minute hike or cross-country ski or snowmobile trek to reach the yurts. 

    Both yurts are heated and have electricity. 

    Yurt #16 is pet friendly and requires a nightly non refundable deposit that must be paid at the Steamboat Lake Visitor Center. 

    Yurt # 6 does not allow pets inside.

    Trash and recycling receptacles are available at the day use area. Check out Project Greenify, a local Girl Scout project, inspiring people to conserve resources through recycling and proper waste disposal!

    For more information, see the Camping & Yurts page.

    ​

    (Updated: 5/29/2023 1:03 PM)

  • Camping

    CAMPING PRICES DO NOT INCLUDE THE REQUIRED PARK PASS!

    ​    Reservations Season: Memorial Day Weekend - September 30th
    • Basic: $28/night
    For anything outside the reservation season
    • Basic: $18/night 

    ​​The modest Pearl Lake campground offers thirty four individual campsites (which are non-electric) and two yurts (each yurt has electric lights and heat) and is a quiet getaway. Some sites in the lower loop are near the shoreline, but all sites are within easy walking distance of the reservoir. Campers can stay up to 14 days at Pearl Lake during a 28 day period.

    For more information, see the Camping & Yurts page.

    Please help us take care of our amenities​ and do not dump or flush sanitary wipes, diapers or any other foreign material in vault toilets, flushable toilets and the dump station.  These items cause costly repairs to our waste water system and leads to the dump station and Camper Services Building to be closed.​​

    (Updated: 8/20/2023 11:29 AM)

  • Cross-country Skiing

    Being off the beaten path, Pearl Lake gets plenty of snowfall each winter, and is an excellent place to hop on your skis and go.  There are no groomed trails, so this is a backcountry experience. 

    (Updated: 5/7/2018 2:20 PM)

  • Dog-friendly

    ​Dogs are welcome in the park and in yurt #16 as long as:

    • they are on a six foot or shorter leash at all times

    • their waste is properly disposed of​

    (Updated: 5/7/2018 2:20 PM)

  • Education Programs

    Upcoming programs are posted on the Steamboat Lake Facebook page, homepage, and in the Steamboat Pilot. Information is also available at the Steamboat Lake Visitor Center. Please call (970) 879-3922 for more information.

    (Updated: 6/1/2019 11:26 AM)

  • Fishing

    Anglers catch cutthroat trout and grayling from this 167 acre reservoir. The best fishing of the year tends to be mid-to-late May during ice-off and again in the fall. Fishing at Pearl Lake is restricted to flies and artificial lures. No bait is allowed. A two-fish bag limit is enforced and each fish must be over 18 inches. Fishing licenses are available at the Visitor Center. The lake is available for ice fishing during the winter months but is restricted to flies and lures only.


    For ice fishing conditions please feel free to call us at 970-879-3922 or visit our Facebook or Instagram page.​

    (Updated: 4/4/2023 10:36 AM)

  • Hiking

    Hike from the boat ramp to the dam and connect with the Coulton Creek Trail on the Routt National Forest.
    (Updated: 5/7/2018 2:22 PM)

  • Ice Fishing

    Ice fishing for cutthroat trout and grayling are allowed. Pearl Lake is restricted to flies and lures only with a two-fish, over 18 inches bag limit. Ice fishers will have to snowshoe or cross-country ski a half-mile to reach the lake. Ice conditions can vary dramatically, and falling through can be fatal. Please use caution and carry self-rescue equipment, such as: ice awls.

    Please feel free to call us at 970-879-3922 or visit our Facebook or Instagram​ page for current conditions and pictures.

    (Updated: 4/4/2023 10:42 AM)

  • OHV Riding

    ​OHV's are not allowed to operate in the park; however, there are hundreds of miles of excellent trails on forest service service land immediately surrounding the park. 

    OHV registrations and Forest Service and Motor Vehicle Use Maps are available at the Steamboat Lake Visitor Center.




    ​

    (Updated: 7/29/2022 5:24 PM)

  • Paddle Boarding

    The wakeless waters of Pearl Lake have become a popular destination for standup paddle boarding​. Please remember your PFD before launching in our waters. Paddleboards are available for rent from a vendor on the weekends.​


    6/4/23: Pearl Lake is now open for the 2023 season. We recommend(required for children 13 and below)​ the use of ​a PDF when going on the lake. Swimming is not allowed at Pearl Lake.  ​

    (Updated: 8/8/2023 11:11 AM)

  • Picnicking

    Picnickers have the option of seven different sites with tables and grills or fire rings overlooking the lake. A watchable wildlife viewing deck provides picture postcard views along the tree lined shore. A universally accessible picnic site is located by the boat ramp.

    Note: Pets--on a leash and under control--are welcome.

    (Updated: 5/7/2018 2:22 PM)

  • Snowmobiling

    (Updated: 8/4/2021 2:21 PM)

  • Snowshoeing

    An excellent area for snowshoeing!
    (Updated: 5/7/2018 2:22 PM)

  • Winter Activities

    Park roads and facilities are closed by over 300 inches of annual snowfall making the park accessible by snowshoes, cross-country skis or snowmobile. Snowmobile registrations can be purchased at the Steamboat Lake Visitor Center.

    Caution: Before going out onto a frozen lake, pond or river, it’s important to take safety precautions to reduce the risk of falling through the ice. Knowing how to judge ice conditions will also help you make more informed decisions while enjoying winter activities.

    (Updated: 7/22/2019 1:11 PM)

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