Highline Lake State Park
State Park in Loma, CO
Hours:
Park: Daily, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Visitor Center: Daily, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Entrance Fees:
Daily Vehicle Pass: $10-$15
Individual Daily Pass: $4
Animals Permitted:
- Leashed Dogs
- Service Animals
- Horses
Park Address:
1800 11.8 Road
Loma, CO 81524
United States
Highline Lake State Park
State Park in Loma, CO
Hours:
Park: Daily, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Visitor Center: Daily, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Entrance Fees:
Daily Vehicle Pass: $10-$15
Individual Daily Pass: $4
Animals Permitted:
- Leashed Dogs
- Service Animals
- Horses
Park Address:
1800 11.8 Road
Loma, CO 81524
United States
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Mesa County Stage 2 Fire Restrictions -
Effective immediately 6-26-26 until further notice: Building, maintaining, attending, or using an open fire, campfire, or open flame outdoors is PROHIBITED, including in developed campgrounds & picnic areas. This includes charcoal grills, BBQs, coal & wood-burning stoves. More Info: Mesa County.
Construction -
Two large projects on the park's west side may bring weekday noise & dust near Sunset Ridge Campground & the Boat Inspection, Decontamination Station. Intermittent road closures, detours may occur with little notice. Learn more.
Park Highlight
Explore the Lakes at Highline
The park's main attraction is the 160 surface acre reservoir. The warm water provides a comfortable setting for water-skiing, fishing and other water activities.
Highline Lake
Highline Lake is open to power boating, jet skiing, water skiing, sailboarding and paddleboarding from March 1 through September 30, weather permitting. The lake is closed annually from October 1 through February 28 to provide a resting location for migratory birds.
Mack Mesa Lake
Mack Mesa Lake is restricted to hand-launched vessels such as paddleboards, kayaks and small fishing boats with electric-motors only. All electric motors must be inspected for Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) prior to launching, and after pulling out of the lake.
Lake Facilities
Facilities
Docks are in the water during the boating season.
- The West Boat Ramp is located on the west side of the park through the park’s West Entrance.
- The East Ramp, located near the Visitor Center, is not open to motorized vessels, but is available for hand-launched vessels such as paddleboards and kayaks.
Any watercraft on a trailer must be inspected before and after launching at either Highline or Mack Mesa Lake. See the Mandatory Boat Inspections section lower on the page for more details.
There is a handicapped-accessible fishing pier at Mack Mesa.
Located through the East entrance, Lakeview Swim Beach is open from the second weekend in May through the end of September. It is located 50-75 yards from the parking lot and is accessible with assistance.
The area is perfect for families looking to enjoy a day at the lake with access to several picnic areas with grills and tables. Water temperatures range from the high-60s to low-80s.
Swimming is ONLY allowed in the buoyed-off swimming area of Highline Lake. Swimming at Mack Mesa is not permitted.
Pets are not permitted on the swim beach and may not be left elsewhere in the park unattended. Please plan accordingly.
Water Safety
Colorado Water is Cold Water
Colorado waters are classified as "cold water" (anything under 70 degrees) for most of the year. Swimming in cold water risks cold water shock, which can lead to drowning even for strong, experienced swimmers.
Life Jackets Save Lives
The majority of swimming, paddleboarding and kayaking fatalities occur when people are not wearing a life jacket. By keeping you above water, life jackets can be a last line of defense that prevents a bad situation from getting far worse. Colorado law requires that all water vessels have appropriately sized life jackets readily accessible for every person on board.
Boating and Fishing
Boating
On weekends, May through Labor Day, Highline Lake regularly reaches boat capacity, requiring boats to wait to enter the water until one leaves. Wait times can exceed four hours, therefore, consider arriving early. There is rarely a wait on weekdays and evenings, though, so bring your boat to Highline Lake after work, or on your weekday off!
Wednesdays are wakeless on Highline Lake (excluding July 4 on years it falls on a Wednesday). This means that vessels may not create a wake while they are under power, typically traveling less than 5 miles per hour.
Park Rangers patrol Highline Lake regularly to provide emergency assistance and carry out boat safety inspections on the lakes within the park. All boats must carry the appropriate safety equipment outlined in the Colorado boating regulations and statutes. Since underwater hazards may not be marked, use caution when boating.
Note: Mack Mesa Lake is restricted to paddleboards, kayaking and hand or electric-motor powered boats only. No gasoline or diesel engines are allowed to launch on Mack Mesa, even if not turned on.
Fishing
There are two lakes to fish at Highline Lake State Park: Mack Mesa Lake and Highline Lake. Anglers can enjoy the warm-water fishing opportunities, which include largemouth bass, black crappie, bluegill, channel catfish and rainbow trout. Mack Mesa and Highline lakes are typically stocked in the spring and fall.
Beginning in early spring, trout fishing is great for families. Call the Visitor Center at 970-858-7208 for the latest fishing report.
Mack Mesa Lake is popular with early season and fall trout fishing, as well as its great ice fishing during cold winters. The smaller of the two lakes, it is popular with shore anglers for much of the year. It's easy accessibility also makes it a great fishing spot for families with small children.
Take advantage of the loaner kid's fishing poles and tackle boxes available to borrow in the Visitor's Center. An adult can sign the equipment out with a driver's license.
Worms, lures, and Powerbait are usually available for purchase at the Visitor Center.
Fish Species and Bag Limits
See the Fishing Atlas for fishable species at this location and the Fishing Brochure (PDF) for daily bag limits. Largemouth bass are the only fish in the park with special regulations - anglers may only keep 2 and they must be a minimum of 15” in length.
Fishing Awards and Records
Colorado Parks and Wildlife awards anglers who catch big fish. Visit the Fishing Awards and Records page for more records.
Clean Your Gear: Fishing
Help Protect Colorado Waters
Clean Your Gear
Cleaning your gear before and after use helps protect our water from aquatic nuisance species. Check out these videos to learn how to clean your fishing gear.
Water Activities
Water Skiing
Special zoning regulations are in effect; all boats must travel in counter-clockwise direction, have an observer on board, and carry an orange warning flag. Waterskiers must wear a U.S. Coast Guard approved personal flotation device. Water skiing is restricted to sunrise through sunset for safety reasons.
Swimming
Swimming is only allowed in the buoyed-off Lakeview Swim Beach area of Highline Lake. With hot temperatures in the summer, the swim beach is a great way to beat the heat. The swim beach opens the second weekend of May and closes on the last day of September annually.
Paddling
Paddleboarding, kayaking and canoeing are popular at Highline Lake. There are several places to easily launch and retrieve gear. Explore the coves and serene north end to enjoy fishing or wildlife watching. Life jackets are required for each person on board and children 12 years old and younger are required to wear a life jacket at all times. The Visitor Center has a free Life Jacket Loaner Program. All you need is identification.
For a calmer experience, visit on Wakeless Wednesdays. Each Wednesday, vessels are not permitted to break a wake, travelling at 5 mph or less. The only Wednesday that does not apply is July 4, during years it falls on a Wednesday.
Mandatory Boat Inspections for ANS at Highline
To boat on Highline Lake, an aquatic nuisance species (ANS) stamp, current boat registration and a pre-launch boat inspection is required. The Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) Station is located on the west side of the park just before the West Boat Ramp.
Upon exiting the lake, all boaters will have their boat inspected, decontaminated and will be issued a blue receipt that indicates it was last used on a body of water with a known aquatic nuisance species.
Hand-launched and human-powered vessels (such as paddleboards and kayaks) are exempt from mandatory ANS inspections. The park does offer a self-decontamination station near the vault toilet at Mack Mesa Lake to keep your exempt vessels and fishing gear Clean, Drained and Dry. For instructions, see Clean Your Gear.
Learn more about aquatic nuisance species.
Inspection Hours
Current ANS Inspection/ Decontamination hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. Ramp gates lock promptly as closing time.
Highline Lake is open to boating from March 1st through September 30th annually.
Zebra or Quagga Mussels
Highline Lake and Mack Mesa Lake have the designation of “infested” for zebra mussels.
Zebra, quagga and golden mussels are considered the most serious threat to Colorado’s waters. They attach themselves in large, densely packed groups to water storage, treatment and distribution systems, causing clogs and other disruptions. This causes devastating problems for municipal, agricultural and industrial infrastructure.
Oh, SHELL NO
Be a Pain in the ANS
Recreation in Colorado’s water could be impacted by the spread of invasive species in the water. Aquatic nuisance species (ANS) are invasive species that damage bodies of water. This can have huge impacts on many of the industries and products we all know and love: wine, corn, beer, peaches, drinking water, outdoor recreation and many more. If you’re recreating in the water, you can be a Pain in the ANS — and stop the spread of invasive species.
Bring the Brochures with You
Fishing Brochure
Read up on the location you want to fish before you head out.
Download the Brochure
Land and Water Regulations Brochure
Have a question about regulations? Check the brochure.
Download the Brochure
Boating Regulations Handbook
Boaters, please follow all Colorado's boating statutes and regulations.
Download the BrochureBorrow Equipment
The Visitor Center has free gear you can borrow while you're at the park.
Life Jackets
Did you forget to bring your life jacket? Loaner life jackets are available in the Visitor Center with identification.
Kid’s Fishing Equipment
Kid fishing poles and tackle boxes are available to borrow in the Visitor Center. An adult can sign the equipment out with a driver's license.
Activity Backpack
Enhance your park adventure with our free Activity Backpacks, available for checkout with identification at the park visitor center. Each interactive pack is filled with tools like bug boxes, magnifiers, guide books, binoculars and a nature journal. These resources are perfect for inspiring imaginative play or guiding structured exploration of the park's natural wonders.
Learn More