Crawford State Park

State Park in Crawford, CO

Hours:

Park: Daily, 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Office: Daily, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. as staffing permits

Entrance Fees:

Daily Vehicle Pass: $​10

Individual Daily Pass: $4

Animals Permitted:

  • Leashed Dogs
  • Service Animals
  • Horses

Park Address:

40468 Hwy 92
Crawford, CO 81415
United States

Contact:

970-921-5721

[email protected]

Crawford State Park offers its visitors camping, fishing, watersports, hunting and numerous other leisure time activities in scenic mountainous terrain.

Crawford State Park

State Park in Crawford, CO

Crawford State Park offers its visitors camping, fishing, watersports, hunting and numerous other leisure time activities in scenic mountainous terrain.

Hours:

Park: Daily, 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Office: Daily, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. as staffing permits

Entrance Fees:

Daily Vehicle Pass: $​10

Individual Daily Pass: $4

Animals Permitted:

  • Leashed Dogs
  • Service Animals
  • Horses

Park Address:

40468 Hwy 92
Crawford, CO 81415
United States

Contact:

970-921-5721

[email protected]

Navigate to:

Mountains reflecting off the waters of Crawford State Park

Mountains reflecting off the waters of Crawford State Park

Welcome to Crawford State Park

Crawford State Park is calling all adventurers to the Western Slope! You can camp, fish, do watersports, go hunting and lots more, all surrounded by scenic mountains. The park has 337 acres of land and a 400-acre reservoir. The park's 6,600-foot elevation means the climate is mild at any season. Crawford is the perfect spot to relax and have fun outdoors with amazing views. It's peaceful during the week and at other off-peak times.

400

acre reservoir

220

species of birds

66

campsites

3.2

miles of trails

Directions

Accessing the Park

From Delta, take Colorado Highway 92 east to Hotchkiss. Stay right on 92 where it intersects Colorado Highway 133, and drive 10 miles to Crawford. The park is one mile south of town.

    The Crawford Visitor Center​ and park office is located on the east side of the park. From Crawford, turn right off Highway 92 before you reach the Clear Fork campground. 

    Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.  

    Peninsula Ramp
    The east boat ramp is located on the east side of the lake on the peninsula, past the Visitor Center.

    Iron Creek Ramp
    The southeast boat ramp is located on the southern end of the reservoir next to the Iron Creek Campground.

    Fees and Passes

    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

    Keep Colorado Wild Pass

    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

    Beavers, chipmunks, rabbits, skunks and mule deer live in or around the park and can often be seen at the lake shoreline late in the evening. A variety of waterfowl, from western grebes to graceful Canada geese, may also be seen at the park, either stopping off during migrations or nesting. 

    Be on the Lookout for Birds

    Can you spot all 220 bird species? Download the Bird List Brochure (PDF).

      Birds You Might Find

      • Turkey Vulture
      • Great Blue Heron
      • Mountain Blue Bird
      • American Avocet
      Great blue heron on water's edge

      Mammals You Might Find

      • Mule Deer
      • White-tailed Prairie Dog
      • American Beaver
      • Common Raccoon
      Mule deer buck in velvet grazing a field

      Geology at This Park

      The spectacular Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is only 12 miles from Crawford State Park. A number of famous geological landmarks near Crawford State Park include Needle Rock, Castle Rock and Saddle Mountain.

      Scenic views of Crawford State Park geology

      Habitats and Plants at This Park

      Ecologically, park uplands are dominated by pinyon-juniper woodlands, where Utah juniper, pinyon pine, mountain mahogany, Gambel oak, serviceberry, squaw-apple, Fendlerbush, Mormon-tea, skunkbrush and Spanish bayonet are overstory dominants. Western wheatgrass, Junegrass and galleta are common understory grass species in this community. 

      Deeper soils of upland flats support a sagebrush shrubland community dominated by big sagebrush, rabbitbrush, four-wing saltbush, shadscale, prickly-pear, western wheatgrass, galleta and squirreltail. West Slope grassland occurs in pockets within and bands adjacent to woodland and shrub communities. 

      The common grasses present include western wheatgrass, galleta and squirreltail. Diverse wetland, riparian and aquatic plant communities are established around the reservoir, within drainages, on ground water seeps and below the dam. Irrigated hay meadows have replaced native plant communities in much of the landscape surrounding the park.

      View of Crawford State Park

      Upcoming Events

      Oct

      11

      Hug a Tree

      Friday, Oct 11

      Mueller State Park

      Basic survival and wilderness safety for kids (and parents). Ages 5 and up. At the Visitor Center 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

      Oct

      11

      Registration Required:

      Event participants must register

      Hug a Tree

      Friday, Oct 11

      Mueller State Park

      Basic survival and wilderness safety for kids (and parents). Ages 5 and up. At the Visitor Center 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

      Oct

      11

      Sunset Elk Hike

      Friday, Oct 11

      Mueller State Park

      Fall is a great time of year to see and hear elk. Join us on this three mile hike through elk habitat to learn about elk and their behavior. Bring binoculars if you have them because the group will stop at certain locations to spend time looking for elk and other wildlife. The hike back to the trailhead will be dark, so also bring a headlamp or flashlight. This hike does include hills. Fun is guaranteed, seeing and/or hearing elk is not. Meet at Grouse Mountain Trailhead 5:30 p.m. In order to have a better chance at seeing wildlife the number of spots for this hike are limited. Please call the visitor center to sign up at 719-687-2366.

      Oct

      11

      Registration Required:

      Event participants must register

      Sunset Elk Hike

      Friday, Oct 11

      Mueller State Park

      Fall is a great time of year to see and hear elk. Join us on this three mile hike through elk habitat to learn about elk and their behavior. Bring binoculars if you have them because the group will stop at certain locations to spend time looking for elk and other wildlife. The hike back to the trailhead will be dark, so also bring a headlamp or flashlight. This hike does include hills. Fun is guaranteed, seeing and/or hearing elk is not. Meet at Grouse Mountain Trailhead 5:30 p.m. In order to have a better chance at seeing wildlife the number of spots for this hike are limited. Please call the visitor center to sign up at 719-687-2366.

      Oct

      12

      Firewood Sale at Mueller

      Saturday, Oct 12

      Mueller State Park

      Come support the park at the Friends of Mueller State Park’s annual firewood sale!

      Oct

      12

      Registration Required:

      Event participants must register

      Firewood Sale at Mueller

      Saturday, Oct 12

      Mueller State Park

      Come support the park at the Friends of Mueller State Park’s annual firewood sale!

      Oct

      11

      Hug a Tree

      Friday, Oct 11

      Mueller State Park

      Basic survival and wilderness safety for kids (and parents). Ages 5 and up. At the Visitor Center 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

      Oct

      11

      Registration Required:

      Event participants must register

      Hug a Tree

      Friday, Oct 11

      Mueller State Park

      Basic survival and wilderness safety for kids (and parents). Ages 5 and up. At the Visitor Center 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

      Oct

      11

      Sunset Elk Hike

      Friday, Oct 11

      Mueller State Park

      Fall is a great time of year to see and hear elk. Join us on this three mile hike through elk habitat to learn about elk and their behavior. Bring binoculars if you have them because the group will stop at certain locations to spend time looking for elk and other wildlife. The hike back to the trailhead will be dark, so also bring a headlamp or flashlight. This hike does include hills. Fun is guaranteed, seeing and/or hearing elk is not. Meet at Grouse Mountain Trailhead 5:30 p.m. In order to have a better chance at seeing wildlife the number of spots for this hike are limited. Please call the visitor center to sign up at 719-687-2366.

      Oct

      11

      Registration Required:

      Event participants must register

      Sunset Elk Hike

      Friday, Oct 11

      Mueller State Park

      Fall is a great time of year to see and hear elk. Join us on this three mile hike through elk habitat to learn about elk and their behavior. Bring binoculars if you have them because the group will stop at certain locations to spend time looking for elk and other wildlife. The hike back to the trailhead will be dark, so also bring a headlamp or flashlight. This hike does include hills. Fun is guaranteed, seeing and/or hearing elk is not. Meet at Grouse Mountain Trailhead 5:30 p.m. In order to have a better chance at seeing wildlife the number of spots for this hike are limited. Please call the visitor center to sign up at 719-687-2366.

      Oct

      12

      Firewood Sale at Mueller

      Saturday, Oct 12

      Mueller State Park

      Come support the park at the Friends of Mueller State Park’s annual firewood sale!

      Oct

      12

      Registration Required:

      Event participants must register

      Firewood Sale at Mueller

      Saturday, Oct 12

      Mueller State Park

      Come support the park at the Friends of Mueller State Park’s annual firewood sale!

      History

      Within the boundaries of Crawford State Park are 337 land acres and the 400-acre reservoir, which was built in 1963 by the US Bureau of Reclamation. Colorado Parks and Wildlife has administered the area since 1965.