Colorado Parks & Wildlife - Park Conditions

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Park Conditions

Park Conditions

Boat Ramps
Blue Heron Reservoir is CLOSED to boating for the season.
No fishing is permitted from or across the boat ramp or boat dock, even during ice season.
No swimming is permitted from the boat ramp or docks.
(Updated: 11/21/2022 5:07 PM)
Boating
All of the ponds are CLOSED to boating. All bodies of water will remain CLOSED until March 1st or if ice remains (whichever occurs last).

(Updated: 11/21/2022 5:08 PM)
Camping
For more information, see the Camping page.
(Updated: 3/27/2020 10:26 AM)
Cell Phone Coverage
Excellent cell phone coverage from nearby towers.
No WIFI on park, but available at nearby coffee shops and fast-food chains.
(Updated: 3/8/2021 8:57 AM)
Fire Restrictions
Fires are permitted in the park's designated grills and fire rings. Fires must remain attended. Conditions are very dry, please be careful. FIREWORKS ARE NOT PERMITTED.
(Updated: 10/18/2020 12:40 PM)
Fishing Report
There are 11 fishable ponds at St. Vrain, that are stocked on a regular basis.
Ice fishing is allowed on all ponds except Pelican Pond, which has an aeration system that makes ice extremely dangerous. Ice fishing is not recommended when ice is less than 4" thick, cracking, or pocked. Check ice conditions below for updated information.
Bald Eagle Pond must be fished with artificial flies and lures only. No bait of any kind is permitted.
Bald Eagle Pond and Blue Heron Reservoir are trophy bass fisheries: all bass caught on these 2 ponds must be immediately returned to the water!
Only 1 catfish in your standard bag and possession limit can exceed 20" on Blue Heron Reservoir. All others kept must be smaller.
Blue Heron has produced some good sized Black Crappie, Largemouth Bass, and Walleye/Saugeye on jigs and lures.
Trout fishing is very productive from fall through spring, especially for ice-fishing. Stocked trout are not picky and will be easy to catch by any legal method using a fly, lure, or bait. However, trout populations do very poorly in the summer at St. Vrain as water temps can reach the mid 80s.
Bluegill, Sunfish, Pumpkin Seed, and other smaller fish and panfish will do well on small jigs, flies, and spinning lures; anglers also have luck with small live bait on ponds where it is legal to use bait.
Bass, Saugeye, Perch, and Crappie do well on jigs, spinners, streamers, poppers, seasonal flies, or live bait rigs where allowed. Water temperature and spawning time will effect productivity.
Carp and Catfish are plentiful, but fairly picky. Smelly bait, where legal, is productive. Cottonwood seed and topwater flies can be productive in the summer in the shallows for Carp.
Pike and Walleye/Saugeye will also chase larger swim baits and spoons, but we recommend suspending only a few feet down, as most ponds with Pike are very shallow at St. Vrain. Pike and Walleye/Saugeye will also chase streamers and poppers, but will usually require some form of a leader to prevent breaking free.
Check the state Stocking Report for trout stocking. For more information, see Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s Statewide Fishing Report pages, including Conditions. The Colorado Fishing Atlas allows users to search for fishing opportunities by species, specific interest or proximity to your home or destination. To stay informed of fishing conditions and much more, please sign up for our Fishing eNews and Fishing Report.

Don't forget your fishing license!
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(Updated: 4/15/2022 2:22 PM)
Hunting
No hunting permitted, including collection of sheds.
(Updated: 3/14/2019 1:11 PM)
Icing Conditions
Avocet: 0-skim
Bald Eagle: 0-skim - 50% open: North shoreline ice free
Blue Heron: 0-skim - 99% open
Coot: 0-skim
Killdeer: 0-skim
Mallard: 0-skim
Pelican: Closed to ice fishing - Aeration System makes ice exceptionally dangerous
Pintail: 0-skim
Redtail: 0-skim
Sandpiper: 0-skim
Yellowlegs: 0-skim
(Updated: 12/3/2022 5:48 PM)
Park Entrance
Open for Camping Reservations (for day-of, immediate occupancy when available). Reservations are recommended, especially on weekends, March through October. Advance Reservations and after-hours can be made through www.cpwshop.com or by calling 1-800-244-5613.
Daily and Annual type Passes available for purchase; applications available for specialty parks passes: Columbine, Centennial, Blue Spruce, and Independence Passes. Daily, Annual, and Family Annual Passes can be purchased by card after hours at the "Iron Ranger" Self Serve Kiosk. Daily Passes may also be bought with cash or exact change at the Self Serve Kiosk.
Hunting and Fishing Licenses, Big Game Licenses, Registrations/Renewals, and Duplicates are available for purchase at the Station. After-hours licenses can be purchased online at www.cpwshop.com.
Dump Station fees can be paid at the Entrance Station or at Self-Serve for $14 after hours.
All other inquiries can call 303-678-9402 to speak to a staff member.
(Updated: 2/3/2022 8:06 AM)
Road Conditions
Roads are clear; speed limit enforced at 15mph.
(Updated: 1/21/2022 1:40 PM)
Seasonal Closures
Coot, Kestrel, and Pelican Campgrounds are CLOSED until March 6th.

All of the ponds are CLOSED to boating until March 1st or once the ice has completely thawed (which ever occurs last).

(Updated: 11/21/2022 5:09 PM)
Trails
Trails are dry and in good condition.
The Colorado Front Range Trail at St. Vrain State Park is paved and currently runs from the Weld Legacy Trail on the east side of I-25 into the park along St. Vrain Creek.
It follows the shorelines of Pelican Pond to the Entrance Station and Blue Heron Reservoir parking lot.
From there a portion of the Front Range Trail provides ADA access along the east shoreline of the reservoir, while a second connects the north half of the reservoir to County Road 7 (the Entrance Road from Highway 119).
The trail continues for 0.6 miles west from County Road 7 onto the LaFarge Proprty at St. Vrain State Park; this trail will eventually connect to City of Longmont trails that are not yet under construction.
For the time being, this section of trail to the west is open for walking and biking, however, there is not any access to other trail systems, or across any fences onto the rest of the LaFarge Property: it is effectively a dead-end trail. Access is currently limited to the boundaries of the paved trail. This area can be very good for wildlife viewing and birding, as it allows a view into a large Great Blue Heron rookery to the north of the trail and large rafters of migratory waterfowl, especially a wide variety of ducks, to the south.
There is no parking at this location, so any vehicles used to drop off hikers/bikers must utilize the designated area at the Blue Heron Reservoir Parking Lot on the east side of the reservoir.
(Updated: 11/3/2022 2:09 PM)
Water Temperature
~32*F
(Updated: 11/21/2022 5:09 PM)