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 Sterling, CO
Hours:
Park: Daily, 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Office/Visitor Center: Monday-Tuesday: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesday-Thursday: CLOSED, Friday-Sunday: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Entrance Fees:
Daily Vehicle Pass: $10-$15
Individual Daily Pass: $4
Animals Permitted:
Park Address:
22527 County Road 33
Sterling, CO 80751
United States
State Park in Sterling, CO
Hours:
Park: Daily, 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Office/Visitor Center: Monday-Tuesday: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesday-Thursday: CLOSED, Friday-Sunday: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Entrance Fees:
Daily Vehicle Pass: $10-$15
Individual Daily Pass: $4
Animals Permitted:
Park Address:
22527 County Road 33
Sterling, CO 80751
United States
Navigate to:
A person on a jet ski, boat passing in background
North Sterling State Park is a gateway to outdoor fun and relaxation. From May through September, North Sterling Reservoir attracts both locals and tourists, and waterfowl hunters flock to the area during the hunting season. Wide, golden grasslands extend in every direction around the large high-plains reservoir, flanked by majestic bluffs to the north and the open landscapes of farms and ranches to the east, all beneath clear blue skies. Feel the warmth of a campfire as you relax, gazing at the brilliant stars overhead.
5,022
acres
3,000
acre reservoir
38
picnic sites
6.4
miles of trails
From I-76
From I-76, take exit 125 (Sterling) and turn west on Hwy 6. (Eastbound traffic from Denver: Turn left off the exit ramp; westbound traffic from Julesburg/Nebraska: Turn right off the exit ramp.) Follow Hwy 6 west for two miles over the bridge. Turn right (north) on N 3rd St. Take a slight left onto Sidney Ave and continue north for 1.5 miles. Turn left onto County Road 34 and continue west for one mile. Turn right onto County Road 39 and follow the paved road north for 10 miles.
IMPORTANT: If you are using a GPS unit to navigate, be aware that this road changes names several times. Don't turn onto any unpaved roads.
After the large S curves, turn left onto County Road 46 and continue for 2 miles west to County Road 33. Turn right on CR-33 and follow the paved road north. The south park entrance (which includes the Visitor Center) will be on the left, or you can continue on CR-33 to the northern Elks Entrance.
The new visitor center building is open and located at 22527 County Road 33, Sterling, Colorado 80751. Follow the south park entrance above to access.
Spring Hours
Monday-Tuesday: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Wednesday-Thursday: CLOSED
Friday-Sunday: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Two public boat ramps are located inside the South and Elks entrances. The North (Elks) boat ramp is located at the North end of the park. The South boat ramp is located on the east side of the reservoir between the Chimney View campground and the dam.
For more information on North Sterling‘s boat ramps, including seasonal openings and hours and mandatory boat inspections, see the Park Highlights page. For statewide boating information, visit the CPW Statewide Boating page.
The Elks boat ramp and marina store and boat slip rentals are now open. See the Park Highlights page for more information.
The swim beach is now open. See the Park Highlights page for more information.
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 |
One hundred miles due east of the Rocky Mountains, North Sterling Reservoir State Park is nestled in the gently rolling prairie grasslands on the western edge of the Great Plains. The view goes on for miles in every direction, broken only by the bluffs and canyons to the north, with blue skies above. The open prairie may look unremarkable at first glance, but visitors who take the time to look a little closer at the wildlife, plants and geology of North Sterling State Park will find a hardy ecosystem just as unique and fascinating as any mountain forest.
Bird, plant and wildlife guides may be available at the park book store. You can also use North Sterling 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 lacking vital data on amphibian and reptile populations. By logging your reptile and amphibian observations into North Sterling State Park's iNaturalist app, you'll help us collect data that's essential for protecting and preserving the Park's natural resources.
North Sterling is situated on the South Platte Terrace, part of the Ogallala Formation. The lake, sitting between 4,065 and 4,138 feet in elevation, is located on an area known as the South Platte Terrace, characterized by thin silty loess deposits, thick eolian sand deposits and alluvial materials.
The park features Brule Siltstone and interbedded sandstone outcrops, along with fossils primarily from the Cretaceous period. The intermittent Cedar and Darby creek drainages cut through the Verdos Alluvium and White River/Chadron Formations in the Stoneham-Cushman-Shingle unit, which underlie much of the reservoir. These soils are prone to soil blowing, and vulnerable to both wind and water erosion.
The area’s topography is gently rolling and nearly level, with outcrops of shale and siltstone commonly protruding through the exposed areas above the reservoir. Deposits of decomposed Brule siltstone, sandstone and shale overlie bedrock formations consisting of gneiss, granites, quartz, chert and pegmatites. Eroding out of these beds are numerous vertebrate fossils, identified as probable Rhinocerotidae and Brontotheriidae (ancient rhinoceros ancestors). The fossil jawbone of a Brontothere discovered in the park is on display in a large boulder at the Balanced Rock trailhead near an interpretive sign.
One hundred miles due east of the Rocky Mountains, North Sterling Reservoir State Park lies tucked into the gently rolling prairie grasslands along the western edge of the Great Plains. The view stretches for miles in every direction, broken only by bluffs and canyons to the north, beneath an unbroken sweep of blue sky. The whistling wind and the unusual quiet can make the landscape seem empty and bleak—until coyotes lift their voices in evening song, and the sharp chirrk! of alarmed prairie dogs cuts the air as a red-tailed hawk dives for his dinner.
The open prairie may look unremarkable at first glance, but visitors who take the time to look a little closer at the wildlife, plants and geology of North Sterling State Park will find a hardy ecosystem just as unique and fascinating as any mountain forest.
Jun
6
Jun 6, 2026 · 6:00am - Jun 7, 2026 · 10:00pm
Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area
Fish for free June 6-7, 2026 and experience why people get hooked on fishing in Colorado.
Jun
6
Jun 6, 2026 · 6:00am - Jun 7, 2026 · 10:00pm
Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area
Fish for free June 6-7, 2026 and experience why people get hooked on fishing in Colorado.
Jun
6
Jun 6, 2026 · 6:00am - Jun 7, 2026 · 10:00pm
Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area
Fish for free June 6-7, 2026 and experience why people get hooked on fishing in Colorado.
Jun
6
Jun 6, 2026 · 6:00am - Jun 7, 2026 · 10:00pm
Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area
Fish for free June 6-7, 2026 and experience why people get hooked on fishing in Colorado.
Artifacts of prehistoric origin suggest that nomadic hunters of Paleo-Indian and later Archaic cultures foraged across northeastern Colorado in the vicinity of what is now North Sterling Reservoir. During the post-Archaic era, Plains Woodland foragers gave way to the Upper Republican culture, which migrated into northeast Colorado after 1000 CE. Over time, distinct tribal units emerged: Cheyenne, Arapaho and Pawnee tribes all inhabited northeastern Colorado, following the great herds of buffalo in their migrations across the Great Plains.
The first Europeans in the area were generally believed to be French fur trappers, who followed the South Platte River in pursuit of furbearers. Several trading posts and forts sprang up in the early 1800s, but settlement was nearly nonexistent until the discovery of gold in California (1849) and later in Colorado (1858). The Overland Trail, which paralleled the Platte River, became the most heavily used highway in the country between 1862 and 1868.
An ambitious, privately-financed project comprising what is now the North Sterling Irrigation District was conceived in 1893. Originally known as Point of Rocks Reservoir, North Sterling was constructed to supply water for the irrigation of table lands above the South Platte River drainage northeast of Sterling.
This was a mammoth undertaking for its time, involving the construction of a 3,000-acre reservoir, dam, 62-mile inlet canal, 63-mile outlet canal, and numerous bridges and diversion structures. On February 19, 1909, the Empire Construction Company was awarded the contract to build the reservoir at the Point of Rocks site on Cedar Creek for the sum of $1,689,375. Construction began on May 7, 1909. Local farmers and ranchers were hired to build the reservoir at 25 cents an hour, or 50 cents an hour if they furnished their own horse and equipment. Fifteen hundred horses and mules were used on a daily basis to excavate the reservoir and build the earthen dam. The reservoir was completed on August 16, 1911.
The North Sterling Irrigation District first entered into an agreement with the former Game, Fish and Parks Division to lease the reservoir for public recreation, hunting, fishing and boating in 1958. The Colorado Division of Wildlife continued to manage North Sterling Reservoir until October 1, 1992, when Colorado Parks and Wildlife acquired the property. Colorado Parks and Wildlife manages recreation on the reservoir through a perpetual easement with North Sterling Irrigation District. An additional 2,800 acres of land support a wide variety of recreational activities
