Ridgway State Park

State Park in Ridgway, CO

Hours:

Park: Daily, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Office: Daily, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Entrance Fees:

Daily Vehicle Pass: $​10
Individual Daily Pass: $4

Animals Permitted:

  • Leashed Dogs
  • Service Animals
  • Horses

Park Address:

28555 Highway 550
Ridgway, CO 81432
United States

Contact:

970-626-5822

[email protected]

Red wildflowers frame the reservoir, distant snowcapped mountains, and cloud-dotted sky.

Ridgway State Park

State Park in Ridgway, CO

Red wildflowers frame the reservoir, distant snowcapped mountains, and cloud-dotted sky.

Hours:

Park: Daily, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Office: Daily, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Entrance Fees:

Daily Vehicle Pass: $​10
Individual Daily Pass: $4

Animals Permitted:

  • Leashed Dogs
  • Service Animals
  • Horses

Park Address:

28555 Highway 550
Ridgway, CO 81432
United States

Contact:

970-626-5822

[email protected]

Navigate to:

Road Closure: US Highway 50 Closed -

A safety closure is in place for a bridge on US Highway 50 located west of Gunnison going over the Blue Mesa Reservoir.  All traffic is closed to the public on Hwy 50 between Montrose and Gunnison. Please use use COtrip.org to plan an alternate route.

Get Involved

Whether you are an avid hiker, mountain biker or hunter, or you simply appreciate all the Colorado outdoors has to offer, there are many ways you can get involved. Colorado state parks have a variety of employment and volunteer opportunities. Jobs include naturalists and maintenance and administrative work, and range from full to part time and temporary. Volunteer opportunities include wildlife monitoring and campground host. Check out the opportunities below for more information.

A staff member helps a family reel in a fish they caught.

A staff member helps a family reel in a fish they caught.

Jobs

Every year we hire: 

  • Park Entrance Attendants
  • Campground Attendants
  • Certified Lifeguards
  • Aquatic Invasive Species (ANS) Inspectors
  • Interpretive Naturalists
  • Maintenance Workers
  • Limited-Commissioned​ Law Enforcement ​Personnel

All temporary, YIP internship and full-time jobs are posted directly on the state's career website.

Volunteer

A volunteer walks beside Track-Chair users.

Accessibility Volunteer

Colorado Parks and Wildlife values the right of every visitor to experience our state's natural beauty. To provide this opportunity to the disabled community, Ridgway State Park offers the use of the Action Track-Chair, floating wheelchair and inflatable wheelchair paddle board, which allows visitors to explore designated trails in the park.

A close up picture of pink flowers on a branch

Citizen Science

Ridgway State Park values the data collection needed to know about current flora and fauna populations at the park. Butterfly monitoring happens annually April through September to capture which butterfly species are migrating and how many are passing through.

Staff on a boat fill out paperwork.

Marina Customer Service

Provide excellent customer service to rental customers and visitors to the park. Ensure safety procedures are followed by customers and team members. Seek assistance as needed from emergency personnel. Ensure all proper financial and safety forms have been completed by the customers and forwarded to the finance department in timely manner daily.

A staff member talks to a group of adults and children about the tipi.

Naturalist

Put your passion for interpretation and environmental education to use by helping kids of all ages become more aware of the world around them while encouraging them to become active stewards of our precious resources. Naturalist/Education volunteers assist the park interpreter with assigned programs and projects.

A cactus with bright red blossoms

A cactus with bright red blossoms

Friends of Ridgway State Park

The Friends are made up of both local and seasonal residents who have a common interest in promoting and maintaining the park to preserve Ridgway State Park for future generations. 

In addition to environmental and educational programs, the Friends also work on: 

  • Tree planting
  • Trail maintenance
  • Campsite shelter and tent-pad construction
  • Staffing Friends booths at various art shows and other local venues
  • Monitoring the bluebird-house trail
  • Beautification projects including maintaining the park's many flower beds
  • Highway cleanups and more

For more information or to join, please contact the Ridgway Volunteer Coordinator at 970-626-5822.  ​