The Colorado State Park Worth Driving Across The State To Explore
By Christy Articola|Updated on April 20, 2024(Originally published August 15, 2023)
×
Christy Articola
Author
Christy Articola has lived in Colorado since 2013 and considers herself a Centennial State enthusiast and expert through and through. She's based in Denver metro, but over the past decade, she has traveled to every corner, river, village, park, town, and city in the state and continues to explore it deeper and further whenever she can. Christy simply can't get enough of Colorado, and loves sharing all her adventures with you through Only In Your State! She graduated with a degree in journalism from Fordham University and is thrilled to be working as a full time travel writer for this and other sites - she finally found her perfect niche - and is so grateful for that.
If you’re looking to take a fantastic road trip across Colorado to an incredible and breathtaking destination, then you should head on out to Ridgway State Park. This 3,201-acre park is in Ouray County near Montrose and is, without a doubt, one of the most spectacular parks in our state parks system. I’ve been fortunate to have the opportunity to visit every Colorado state park, and Ridgway may very well be my favorite. Let’s check it out:
Ridgway State Park has it all. It offers amazing views of the snow-capped San Juan Mountains and the Uncompahgre River, camping, hiking, swimming, boating, fishing, and so much more.
The Ridgway Reservoir is huge! It was built as part of the Dallas Creek Project. Construction of the Ridgway Dam began in 1978 and was completed in 1987. The park opened in 1989.
Boating is popular in the reservoir. Motorized boats are allowed - with prior inspection, of course. People also love paddleboarding, kayaking, row boating, windsurfing, water skiing, wakeboarding, and canoeing on it as well.
This park is full of wildlife. Deer, mountain lions, coyotes, rabbits, elk, and bears live here, and you can also see dozens of species of birds. Over 140 different bird species have been observed in Ridgway State Park.
This park is a great one for camping. Reservations are required, but you can camp in Ridgway State Park year-round. There are lovely sites for RVs and campers.
If you don't have an RV or a tent, you can rent a yurt at this park. They sleep up to six guests and have heat, electricity, microwaves, and refrigerators.
Mesa Verde is another one of our favorite places to explore in Colorado. Take a look at this fascinating national park in this video:
If you haven’t visited it before, plan a trip to check it out immediately. If you have been there before, isn’t it time to visit again? This park is a jewel of the Colorado State Parks system. This is YOUR park and OUR park – go enjoy it!
Do you need gear for your hiking or camping visit? Why not check out REI.com and support a national outfitter that started right here in The Centennial State?
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
