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:
People enjoying boating, tubing and jet skiing at Jackson Lake
Activities and Trails
What to Do at Jackson Lake
Jackson Lake State Park in northern Colorado is a beloved recreation spot known for its sandy beaches, warm water, and stargazing-friendly camping. With 251 campsites, including 243 with electrical hookups, it's perfect for year-round stays. Popular activities range from boating, water skiing, OHV riding, fishing, and swimming to picnicking, hiking, wildlife watching, and hunting.
- Biking
- Birding
- Boating
- Camping
- Education Programs
- Fishing
- Geocaching
- Group Camping
- Group Picnicking
- Hiking
- Waterfowl Hunting
- Ice Fishing
- Ice Skating
- Jet Skiing
- OHV Riding
- Photography
- Picnicking
- Sailboarding
- Swimming
- Volleyball
- Water Skiing
- Wildlife Viewing
Best of Jackson Lake
The lake
The park's main attraction, the 2,500-surface-acre lake, draws visitors who want to boat, fish, jet ski and swim.
Off-highway Vehicle Track
The off-highway vehicle track is laid out in a 1.5 mile loop over rolling prairie terrain. Since OHVs (except those licensed with DMV) are not permitted on roads or in other areas of the park, they must be trailered into the staging area, which is located on the south side of the park at the Cottonwood parking lot. A park pass gets visitors access to the track without an additional fee.
Stargazing
Jackson Lake was designated as an International Dark Sky Park by the International Dark Sky Association, becoming just the fifth national park and eighth total location in Colorado to receive the designation. Enjoy the stars by reserving a campsite. Hammock camping is allowed at our tent sites for the best views.
Birding
Bird enthusiasts travel to the region because of the abundance and diversity of bird species. Long-billed curlews and whooping cranes are occasionally observed. Ferruginous and rough-legged hawks are present in the winter, while Swainson’s hawks return for the summer months.
Upcoming Events
Aug
8
Night Hike
Friday, Aug 8
Jackson Lake State Park
Meet at the Visitor Center to take a walk as it begins to get dark. Connect to your senses as we explore Jackson Lake at night.
...
Aug
8
Night Hike
Friday, Aug 8
Jackson Lake State Park
Meet at the Visitor Center to take a walk as it begins to get dark. Connect to your senses as we explore Jackson Lake at night.
...
Aug
9
Nature Walk: Intro to Birding
Saturday, Aug 9
Jackson Lake State Park
Join our Ranger on a morning walk to see if you can spot some of the birds that frequent Jackson Jackson Lake.
Aug
9
Nature Walk: Intro to Birding
Saturday, Aug 9
Jackson Lake State Park
Join our Ranger on a morning walk to see if you can spot some of the birds that frequent Jackson Jackson Lake.
Aug
9
S'more ya Know: Junior Ranger
Saturday, Aug 9
Jackson Lake State Park
Do you want to know what it takes to be a ranger? Come meet with some of our rangers and learn how to earn your junior ranger...
Aug
9
S'more ya Know: Junior Ranger
Saturday, Aug 9
Jackson Lake State Park
Do you want to know what it takes to be a ranger? Come meet with some of our rangers and learn how to earn your junior ranger...
Aug
8
Night Hike
Friday, Aug 8
Jackson Lake State Park
Meet at the Visitor Center to take a walk as it begins to get dark. Connect to your senses as we explore Jackson Lake at night.
...
Aug
8
Night Hike
Friday, Aug 8
Jackson Lake State Park
Meet at the Visitor Center to take a walk as it begins to get dark. Connect to your senses as we explore Jackson Lake at night.
...
Aug
9
Nature Walk: Intro to Birding
Saturday, Aug 9
Jackson Lake State Park
Join our Ranger on a morning walk to see if you can spot some of the birds that frequent Jackson Jackson Lake.
Aug
9
Nature Walk: Intro to Birding
Saturday, Aug 9
Jackson Lake State Park
Join our Ranger on a morning walk to see if you can spot some of the birds that frequent Jackson Jackson Lake.
Aug
9
S'more ya Know: Junior Ranger
Saturday, Aug 9
Jackson Lake State Park
Do you want to know what it takes to be a ranger? Come meet with some of our rangers and learn how to earn your junior ranger...
Aug
9
S'more ya Know: Junior Ranger
Saturday, Aug 9
Jackson Lake State Park
Do you want to know what it takes to be a ranger? Come meet with some of our rangers and learn how to earn your junior ranger...
Trails
Jackson Lake offers visitors two trails to hike and walk. Park visitors can also enjoy walking along the shoreline or along park roadways.
Prairie Wetland Nature Self-Guided Trail
0.25 miles
Hiking
Access point: North of Cove Campground
Trail
1.5 miles
Hiking
Access point: Located between the Visitor Center north to Northview Campground. Part of the trail is a self-guided nature trail.
Waterfowl and Birds
Hunting
Jackson Lake offers opportunities for hunting waterfowl and upland birds.
All designated hunting areas in the park are open seven days a week. Waterfowl hunting can be decoyed along the shoreline and ponds. Upland birds can be found in all of the designated areas as well as rabbit, squirrel, pheasant and dove. Hunting is not allowed within 100 yards of designated campgrounds, trails or buildings.
The Bureau of Reclamation property is a popular area for hunting and allows hunting seven days a week. To hunt on this land, park at the inlet. All roads on this property are closed to the public.