Office & Parks Winter Weather Closures
Due to expected extreme weather conditions, Denver Colorado Parks and Wildlife Headquarters (including the Call Center), Northeast Region and Littleton Offices, are closing at noon Friday, Nov. 8. Castlewood Canyon State Park is closed. Cherry Creek, Chatfield and Barr Lake Park visitor centers are closed.
Veteran's Day Office Closures
Colorado Parks and Wildlife offices, including park visitor centers, will be closed for the state holiday, Monday, Nov. 11.
State Park in Trinidad, CO
Hours:
Park: Daily, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Office: Daily, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Entrance Fees:
Daily Vehicle Pass: $10
Individual Daily Pass: $4
Animals Permitted:
Park Address:
32610 Highway 12
Trinidad, CO 81082
United States
State Park in Trinidad, CO
Hours:
Park: Daily, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Office: Daily, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Entrance Fees:
Daily Vehicle Pass: $10
Individual Daily Pass: $4
Animals Permitted:
Park Address:
32610 Highway 12
Trinidad, CO 81082
United States
Navigate to:
Aerial view of Trinidad Lake including campsites
About this park
Trinidad Lake offers a serene escape from crowds, serving as an excellent base camp for exploring the outdoors and nearby attractions. With its mild climate and large lake, the park is perfect for water sports. Anglers can reel in rainbow and brown trout, largemouth bass, channel catfish, walleye, crappie and bluegill.
2,960
acres
73
campsites
46
picnic sites
10.3
miles of trails
Directions
From I-25
Follow I-25 S to County Rd 69.1 in Las Animas County. Take exit 11 from I-25 S. Follow County Rd 69.1 to County Rd 18.3. Turn Left on HWY 12. Turn left at the park sign/entrance road.
The Trinidad Lake Visitor Center is located on the north side of the reservoir by the Carpios Ridge campground. This area can be accessed from Highway 12.
Hours: 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily.
The boat ramp is located on the north side of the lake near the Carpios Ridge campground and accessed from Highway 12.
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 |
The pinyon-juniper forest offers wildlife viewing of many bird species, including pinyon jay and roadrunners. A variety of mammals can be seen, such as deer, elk and smaller animals.
Be on the Lookout for Birds
Can you spot all the resident and visiting bird species? Download the Bird List Brochure (PDF).
The park is home to the K-T or K-Pg Boundary, which marks the boundary between the Mesozoic and Cenozoic geologic eras. It is believed that the park offers one of the best examples in the world of this boundary. Within the park, the Purgatoire River cuts through Upper Cretaceous Trinidad sandstone, which caps the valley rim, and Pierre shale, which is visible throughout the park. The combination of buff-colored sandstone and dark-gray siltstone and shale provides a subtle backdrop for the lake and river valley.
Pinyon-juniper woodland and short and mixed-grass prairies occupy park uplands. The pinyon-juniper woodland community occurs on rocky outcrops and slopes over one-third of the park. Pinyon pine, one-seed juniper, Rocky Mountain juniper, and scrubland species such as Gambel oak, mountain mahogany and serviceberry occupy the park.
Mixed-grass prairie is made of western wheatgrass, needle and thread grass, and Indian ricegrass. Shortgrass prairie is made of blue grama, galleta and side oats grama. Saline bottomland scrubland, made of rabbitbrush, four-wing saltbush and alkali sacaton, grows in areas disturbed in the past by ground work and earthmoving activities.
Diverse wetland, riparian and aquatic plant communities have become established around the reservoir, in the Purgatoire River Valley above the reservoir and below the dam. Riparian scrubland is made of sandbar willow and typically grows adjacent to cottonwood forests.
Nov
11
Monday, Nov 11
Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area
Nov
11
Monday, Nov 11
Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area
Nov
11
Monday, Nov 11
Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area
Nov
11
Monday, Nov 11
Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area
The legacy of Trinidad's early days and the influence of various groups are evident in historic sites like the Trinidad History Museum Complex, the Cokedale Historic District, and others listed on national and state registries. Archaeological sites in the park date from the early Sopris Phase (1075 to 1150 CE) to the Baca Phase, which was the Spanish-American occupation of the area from 1860 through 1900. The most widespread Native Tribes were the Jicarilla Apache, Utes and Comanches.
