The 800-surface-area Trinidad Lake with summer water temperatures around 70 degrees, holds many opportunities for water-lovers. Visitors can enjoy water-skiing, windsurfing, boat fishing and jet-skiing.
The water level at Trinidad Lake fluctuates throughout the year as you can see from this USGS graph. Boaters are warned to be especially alert to submerged hazards and must observe the Colorado boating statutes and regulations, available at the park office and entrances.
Boaters must observe wakeless speeds around the boat launch area and within 150 feet of shore fishermen. Boats are not allowed around the outlet structure or buoyed areas.
ANS Advisory
The program to prevent the spread of Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) such as zebra and quagga mussels in Colorado’s waterways will continue this year. ANS inspections will resume at the Boat Ramp sometime after mid-April between the hours of 7 am to 7 pm, seven days a week.
Zebra mussels were discovered at Lake Pueblo last year and vigorous inspection programs have been implemented at many Colorado State Parks, including Trinidad Lake State Park, to prevent the mussels from spreading. Zebra mussels are a non-native, invasive species that spreads rapidly through waterways, clogging water distribution systems and hydroelectric facilities. Quagga mussels, which are related to zebra mussels, have been confirmed in several other reservoirs in Colorado.
Trailered boats are the primary way that mussels are spread. The adult mussels attach to boats, aquatic plants carried by boats, bait buckets and other water recreation equipment. Microscopic larvae are transported in water held in the live well, bilge, engine cooling system, bait buckets, and ballast tanks. Once the boat is transported to another body of water, the adult mussels can migrate off the boat or larvae can be deposited into the new water.
There are no reported cases of ANS currently at Trinidad Lake and it is the intent of Colorado State Parks to prevent ANS contamination. The public is encouraged to support the preventative program.
All boats will be inspected before launch and when coming off the lake. Colored seals will be attached to inspected boats leaving the lake. This should simplify the inspection process upon return. A normal boat inspection should take around five minutes.
To protect Colorado waters from aquatic invasive species (ANS), Colorado State Parks encourages all boaters to take a few simple, precautionary steps every time they go to a lake, river or reservoir. Before leaving a lake or other waterway, boaters should:
- DRAIN the water from the boat, live well and lower unit of the engine.
- INSPECT all exposed surfaces.
- REMOVE all plant and animal material.
- CLEAN the hull of your boat.
- DRY the boat, fishing gear, and equipment.
