Barr Lake State Park
State Park in Brighton, CO
Hours:
Park: 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Office: Monday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Entrance Fees:
- Daily Vehicle Pass: $10
- Individual Daily Pass: $4
Animals Permitted:
- Leashed Dogs
- Service Animals
- Horses
Park Address:
13401 Picadilly Road
Brighton, CO 80603
United States
Barr Lake State Park
State Park in Brighton, CO
Hours:
Park: 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Office: Monday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Entrance Fees:
- Daily Vehicle Pass: $10
- Individual Daily Pass: $4
Animals Permitted:
- Leashed Dogs
- Service Animals
- Horses
Park Address:
13401 Picadilly Road
Brighton, CO 80603
United States
Lake Closed to All Vessels -
Due to low water levels, which makes rescues more difficult, the lake is closed to ALL boats for the remainder of the season, including hand-launch vessels.
Person in an orange kayak on Barr Lake
About this park
Welcome to Barr Lake State Park
Barr Lake State Park provides a sanctuary for both wildlife and people. A reservoir that covers more than 1,950 acres is the heart of this 2,715-acre park. The lake is surrounded by cottonwoods and marshes and is home to aquatic plants. Its southern half has been chosen as a wildlife refuge to shelter animals and a greater variety and number of birds than anywhere else in Colorado. Just a short drive northeast of the Denver area, Barr Lake State Park has something for every type of outdoors person, from the fishing enthusiast and boater to the naturalist.
2,715
acres
371+
species of birds
60
picnic sites
21
miles of trails
Directions
Accessing the Park
From Denver
Take I-76 northeast and then exit 22 to Bromley Lane. Go east to Piccadilly Road, then south to the park entrance.
From E-470
From E-470 exit 34, 120th Ave, go east to Tower Rd. Turn left onto Tower Rd. and follow the pavement to Piccadilly Rd. Make a left on Piccadilly. The park entrance is about a mile ahead on the left.
The Barr Lake Visitor and Nature Center is located near the south parking lot.
Hours:
Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. through 5 p.m.
The boat ramp is located on the east side of the lake and accessed through the main entrance.
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
Barr Lake State Park offers the nature enthusiast a remarkable opportunity to observe all types of wildlife.
Be on the Lookout for Birds
Can you spot all 371 bird species? Download the Bird List Brochure (PDF).
Birds You Might Find
- Blackbird
- Longspur
- Pheasant
- Sparrow
- Tanager
Mammals You Might Find
- Deer
- Elk
- Coyote
- Red Fox
Reptiles and Amphibians You Might Find
- Prairie Rattlesnake
- Western Hognose
- Snapping Turtle
- Six Lined Racerunner
Geology at This Park
Barr Lake is a great place to view the Rocky Mountains rising from the plains much as early settlers did when they first arrived in the area. Historically, Barr Lake was a bison wallow — a deflation basin created by strong prairie winds. Native vegetation like sand dropseed and sand sage speak of our sandy soil, comprising Pleistocene, recent alluvium, and sand blown from the South Platte River Basin.
Habitats and Plants at This Park
While much of the prairie at Barr Lake is a mix of drought-tolerant exotic species, prairie restoration efforts have returned some natives to the area. Observe a native mixed grass prairie "lawn" at the Nature Center. Buffalo grass, side-oats grama and blue grama create a delightfully beautiful (and low-maintenance) lawn full of color and interest. Other prairie restoration efforts around the lake have created stands of native little and big bluestem grasses.
Upcoming Events
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History
Barr Lake is named for one of the civil engineers who worked on the railroad in the area.
More than 150 years ago, the Barr Lake area was a bison wallow where bison, wolves and elk gathered, taking advantage of available water. Nearby, pronghorn antelope roamed the fertile mixed-grass prairie. All this wildlife brought Native American tribes like the Arapaho, Cheyenne and Ute to the area. They would come here at different times of the year to hunt and find food.
- 1860s: Cowboys and Spanish steers move to the Barr Lake area. The wallow is an important rest stop on the way from Texas to Wyoming on the Goodnight-Loving Trail.
- 1883: The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy railroads complete a link between Denver and Chicago that passes right by the Barr Lake area. Suddenly, this prairie oasis is ripe for settlement — if only there were a reliable source of water.
- 1886: Construction begins on the Burlington Canal, a reliable water source for settlers. The canal diverts water from the South Platte River into the wallow to create Oasis Reservoir. The grassy landscape next to the reservoir becomes a cottonwood forest, creating an important refuge for wildlife.
- 1908: The Farmers Reservoir and Irrigation Company increases the size of Oasis Dam. The new dam combines Oasis Reservoir and the smaller Burlington Reservoir to create what is now known as Barr Lake. With a reliable water source, local sugar-beet farmers are soon producing "more gold than all the miners in the mountains."
- 1964–1965: Clean water legislation and the flood of ’65 flushes Barr Lake clean after over 70 years of pollution from Denver’s untreated wastewater.
- 1975: Colorado Parks and Wildlife receives a recreational lease for Barr Lake State Park.
- 1977: Barr Lake State Park opens to the public.