Eleven Mile State Park
Eleven Mile Reservoir (3,400 surface acres) is noted for the quality of the fishing: pike, kokanee salmon, and rainbow, cutthroat and brown trout. This reservoir has offered up some of the largest fish ever caught in Colorado. Fishing is allowed everywhere on the reservoir except in the restricted area near the dam.
Eleven Mile State Park (4,000 land acres) is along the reservoir's shoreline and offers nearly 5 miles of scenic hiking and biking trails in addition to some excellent camping. Lots of wildlife in the woods, lots of birds in the air and some excellent waterfowl hunting in season (hunting is allowed during legal seasons except in areas posted as closed).
Eleven Mile State Park offers 349 campsites, although only the Rocky Ridge Campground offers electrical hook-ups (no water or sewer hook-ups anywhere in the park). Virtually all the campsites can accommodate tents, pick-up campers, trailers and RV motor homes. Near the east end of the reservoir there is a back country area that has 25 walk-in/boat-in campsites. Each campsite is allowed 1 camping unit or a maximum of 6 people. Some areas of the park and some areas in the campgrounds have been adapted to be universally accessible - ask at the Park Office.
Eleven Mile Reservoir is large and often used for sailing, windsurfing and winter ice boating in addition to kayaking and motor boating. Something to watch out for: tricky winds and fast-rising storms that generate high waves. You also want to be careful when within 150 feet of the shoreline: there are underwater hazards and not all of them are marked. At the other end of the reservoir is a USFS campground, and passes from that campground are not honored at Eleven Mile State Park (and vice versa). Spinney Mountain State Park is just a couple miles up the road.
Eleven Mile State Park Rules & Regulations
- Water contact sports (swimming, water-skiing, wading, scuba diving) are not allowed.
- Boat docks are for loading or unloading only. Do not use them for mooring or fishing.
- No boating allowed from 1/2 hour after sunset to 1/2 hour before sunrise.
- All islands and the restricted area at the southeast end of the lake are off limits. Do not go there.
- Vehicles are allowed only on the designated roadways and parking areas.
- Camping is allowed only in established campsites.
- Fires are allowed only in the provided grills at the campsites.
- Keep all pets under control and on a leash of 6 feet or less at all times.
- Keep your area clean. Put all trash, garbage, fish entrails, etc. in the provided trash receptacles.
- Per state law: only 3.2% alcoholic beverages are allowed.
The dam at Eleven Mile Reservoir
Upper photo of Eleven Mile State Park courtesy of Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Lower photo of the dam at Eleven Mile Reservoir courtesy of the US Forest Service