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 Eagle, CO
Hours:
Park: Daily, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Office: Daily, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., as staffing permits
Entrance Fees:
Daily Vehicle Pass: $10-$15
Individual Daily Pass: $4
Animals Permitted:
Park Address:
10200 Brush Creek Road
Eagle, CO 81631
United States
State Park in Eagle, CO
Hours:
Park: Daily, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Office: Daily, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., as staffing permits
Entrance Fees:
Daily Vehicle Pass: $10-$15
Individual Daily Pass: $4
Animals Permitted:
Park Address:
10200 Brush Creek Road
Eagle, CO 81631
United States
Navigate to:
Water Shortage -
Due to drought conditions, the park's spring-fed water supply is critically low. Water is currently available but may change at any time. Fill your camper tank before arriving; limited potable water is also available at the Visitor Center. Read more.
A canoe next to a dock with a wide view of Sylvan Lake and the nearby mountains
At Sylvan State Park, tranquility meets nature in a picturesque setting surrounded by the White River National Forest. The breathtaking mountain landscape, plentiful recreational activities, opportunities for wildlife observation, and excellent fishing and hiking options offer year-round enjoyment for visitors seeking a serene and wooded escape.
There is no cell or internet service in the Sylvan Lake State Park area.
1,550
acres
30
picnic sites
42
acre lake
7.8
miles of trails
From I-70
Take I-70 to Eagle (exit 147). Turn south through the Eby Creek roundabouts, under the railroad and across the river, then west on US Hwy 6 (Grand Ave) for 0.9 miles. At the roundabout, take the third exit onto Sylvan Lake Road for 1.7 miles. Turn south on Brush Creek Road and travel nine miles to the Visitor Center. Continue on Brush Creek Road until the road forks and becomes dirt.
To the Park, Cabins and Campsites
At the fork, stay right and travel 5 miles to the lake, campground and cabins.
To the Yurts
At the fork, take the left fork and travel 4.5 miles. The yurts are on the left at the top of the switchbacks. The yurts are 9.5 miles from the lake.
The Sylvan Lake Visitor Center is 10 miles south of Eagle on Brush Creek Road.
Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.
The boat ramp is located on the north side of the lake between the cabins and the day use area, and accessed from Brush Creek Road / Forest Road 400.
For more information on Sylvan ‘s boat ramps and mandatory boat inspections, see the Park Highlights page. For more statewide boating information visit the CPW Statewide Boating page.
Due to the historic drought in Colorado, we are experiencing a water shortage at the park. Our water system at the campground is spring fed, and is running very low. Water is currently available at the park, but this could change at any time. It is recommended that camper tanks are filled before you arrive, however we do have limited potable water available at the Visitor Center if needed. We will keep this alert updated. Please contact park staff at 970-328-2021 or [email protected] if you have further questions. Thank you and apologies for the inconvenience.
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 |
The understory in the aspen forest serves as a home for various mammals, like voles, shrews, red foxes, marmots, mule deer, elk, black bears, pine martens, coyotes, porcupines, cottontail rabbits and beavers. The park also hosts a variety of bird species typical to mountainous riparian shrublands and dense conifer/aspen forests, including broad-tailed hummingbirds and mountain bluebirds.
Bird, plant and wildlife guides are available at the park book store or on Sylvan Lake 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 bordered on the southwest side by deposits from the Pleistocene era, which are remnants of more recent glacial activity of the Bull Lake and Pinedale glaciations. On the eastern side of the park, you'll find rocks from the Pennsylvanian/Permian Maroon Formation, characterized by maroon and grayish-red sandstones, conglomerates and mudstones. Moving to the northern boundary, there are rocks from the Permian and Triassic periods, forming the State Bridge Formation, with its distinctive orange-red to red-brown siltstones and sandstones.
Sylvan Lake is located at 8,500 feet in the montane and lower subalpine life zones. The major plant communities on the slopes above the lake are aspen and montane coniferous forest. Lodgepole pine and Douglas fir dominate the montane coniferous forest community on moist slopes, while ponderosa pine and Rocky Mountain juniper occupy drier slopes.
The aspen forest is floristically diverse, with aspen, narrowleaf cottonwood, Colorado blue spruce and lodgepole pine in the overstory, and serviceberry, snowberry and a variety of wildflowers in the understory.
Near the reservoir, introduced grasslands are dominated by smooth brome, orchard grass and timothy. This area was planted for hay production in the past. Mesic sagebrush shrubland and mixed mountain shrubland occupy a small amount of the park. Diverse wetland, riparian and aquatic plant communities have become established around the reservoir and in West Brush Creek above and below the dam.
The Ute lived in the Brush Creek Valley long before miners and homesteaders arrived in the 1880s. Archaeological evidence verifies the presence of hunter-gatherers in the area more than 10,000 years ago. These earliest residents likely lived in the Eagle Valley seasonally, migrating as seasons changed and the animals they hunted moved across the land.
Today Sylvan Lake State Park draws visitors looking for outdoor alpine recreation in a picturesque setting. The park’s key features include a 42-acre mountain lake, which is stocked with trout and is popular with anglers. Additionally, the campground at Sylvan Lake State Park, which is nestled against a mountain backdrop, is one of the most scenic spots in Colorado.
