Jackson Lake State Park
State Park in Orchard, CO
Hours:
Park: Daily, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Office: Monday through Friday, 8 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:
26363 County Road 3
Orchard, CO 80649
United States
Jackson Lake State Park
State Park in Orchard, CO
Hours:
Park: Daily, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Office: Monday through Friday, 8 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:
26363 County Road 3
Orchard, CO 80649
United States
Navigate to:
Adults enjoying the beach
Welcome to Jackson Lake State Park
Jackson Lake is ranked one of the Top 15 Park Beaches by Reserve America for its shoreline camping and its large warmwater reservoir with sandy bottom and beaches. Anglers, boaters and naturalists alike will enjoy the variety of water and land-based recreation and facilities found here.
Jackson Lake State Park is the first Colorado State Park to be certified by the International Dark-Sky Association.
4,600
acres
247
campsites
18
picnic sites
3.4
miles of trails
Directions
Accessing the Park
From Denver
Head east on I-76. Take the second Wiggins exit (exit 66). Turn left (north) on CO 39/CO 52. Drive approximately nine miles. Continue half a mile past Goodrich. Turn left onto County Road Y.5 and stay on County Road Y.5. It will turn north after a couple of miles. This will take you past the park’s south side and into the main park area on the west side.
The Jackson Lake Visitor Center is located on the west side of the lake north of the entrance station.
Hours: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.
The four-lane boat ramp is located on the west side of the lake at the marina.
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
Visitors to Jackson Lake might see deer, rabbits, squirrels and coyote, along with an abundance of migratory bird species.
Be on the Lookout for Birds
Can you spot all the resident and visiting bird species? Download the Bird List Brochure (PDF).
Birds You Might Find
- American White Pelican
- Whooping Crane
- Northern Harrier
- Lark Bunting
Mammals You Might Find
- White-tailed Deer
- Black-tailed Jackrabbit
- Fox Squirrel
- Red Fox
Reptiles and Amphibians You Might Find
- Painted Turtle
- Bullfrog
- Snapping Turtle
- Western Hognose Snake
Geology At This Park
The area near Jackson Lake is covered by sand and silt from the Pleistocene and recent times. This material formed as dunes were carried by the wind from the South Platte River basin. On top of shales from the upper Cretaceous Pierre Formation, you'll find sand hills, and these shales are visible just north of the park's boundary.
Habitats and Plants At This Park
Short grass and mixed grass prairie communities cover the park’s uplands. Vegetation composition consists of species tolerant of clay and sandy soils and drought. The dominant grassland species in clay soils include blue grama, needle-and-thread grass, western wheatgrass, buffalo grass and thread leaf sedge.
On sandy soils, prairie sandreed grass, sand and little bluestem, sandhill muhly, sand dropseed and indian ricegrass are the dominant species. Some shrub invasion of grasslands has occurred by sand sagebrush, yucca and prickly-pear cactus.
Diverse wetland, riparian and aquatic plant communities have become established around the reservoir, below the dam and on large seeps that exist below distribution canals. One rare plant species, the showy prairie gentian, is known to occur in the park.
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History
One of the main land features in the area surrounding Jackson Lake State Park is the South Platte River, which runs across the northeastern region of Colorado. This area was originally inhabited by Sioux, Cheyenne and Arapahoe American Indians.
- 18th century: French explorers name both the South and North Platte rivers.
- 1820: Major Stephen H. Long explores the Colorado prairies, expressing doubts about the land's agricultural potential due to limited water from the South Platte River.
1850: Gold discovery in the late 1850s leads to the development of the Overland Trail as a transportation route to Denver. The trail brings thousands of pioneers to the Front Range. - 1901–1902: With increased population and the need for water storage, Jackson Reservoir is built by the South Platte Land, Reservoir and Irrigation Company. Jackson Reservoir is named after Leonard A. Jackson, a Weld County pioneer, in recognition of his contributions to canal construction. Agricultural use of the land continues for several decades.
- 1962: The State of Colorado purchases the property around the reservoir, establishing it as a hunting and fishing sanctuary.
- 1965: The Colorado Game, Fish,and Parks Department takes over recreational facilities, marking the birth of Jackson Lake State Park.
Today, Jackson Lake State Park is managed by Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Park visitors come to enjoy some of the best boating, fishing, swimming and water skiing conditions in Colorado. With 3,303 acres of land and water to explore, Jackson Lake State Park is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts.