Jackson Lake State Park
4.2(1.7K)google
2.6(26)yelp
BeachBoatingFishingLake
Overview
Jackson Lake State Park is located northeast of Orchard, Colorado in western Morgan County, Colorado. It is situated on 2,411-acre (9.76 km2) Jackson reservoir that was built in the early 20th century. The reservoir, elevation 4,429 feet (1,350 m), receives water from the South Platte River and stores it for irrigation throughout the summer months.
Practical Info
Every dayOpen 24 hours
Suggested Duration3-6 hours
Best TimeJune to September is prime for sandy-shore swimming, jet-skiing, and lakeside campfire camping. For a world-class experience, visit overnight between 11:00 PM and 2:00 AM; as a certified International Dark Sky Park located on the remote northeastern plains far away from city light glare, the unobstructed Milky Way core creates a flawless star-scape reflection on the glassy lake.
Getting ThereSituated in the remote eastern agricultural plains at 26363 County Road 3 near Wiggins and Orchard. Driving is essential; from Denver, take I-76 E northeast straight for 65 miles to Exit 66 A-B at Wiggins. Merge onto state highway CO-144 W heading north for 7 miles through Orchard, then turn right north onto County Road 3 for 2 miles straight into the park's entrance station.
Travel Tips
- As a legally certified International Dark Sky Park, this high-plains sanctuary enforces strict night-sky light pollution codes. After midnight, utilizing high-output LED bars, operating white spotlights, flashlights without red filters, or flying illuminated drones is completely illegal and carries immediate natural resource citations.
- Operating under CPW frameworks, federal national park interagency cards pass zero fee exemptions here. All entrants must purchase a standard state park pass at the automated gate kiosks and stick it to the lower driver-side windshield; peak summer loads initiate a strict one-in, one-out vehicle gate freeze.
- The primary Pelican Station swim beach and North Boat Ramp footprints hit absolute maximum capacity before 9:30 AM on mid-summer weekends. If you are not launching a trailered motorized vessel, avoid the northern bottleneck completely; route to the southern gravel loops at Cove or Marina-East day-use zones.
Reviews
Positive
- Known as the 'oasis on the High Plains of Colorado,' it features rare and clean sandy beaches that are absolutely perfect for boating, paddleboarding, and camping.
- As a certified International Dark Sky Park, the night skies and Milky Way views are jaw-droppingly clear, completely free from light pollution for a perfect stargazing trip.
- The campgrounds are highly modern, equipped with clean coin-operated hot showers, flush toilets, electrical hookups, clear accessibility guides, and recycling bins.
- Compared to overcrowded spots in the Rockies, this park is wonderfully peaceful during non-holidays, offering pure wilderness serenity at a high-value entry rate.
Heads up
- Located in the arid plains, summer mosquitoes, midges, and biting flies are intensely thick; without heavy DEET spray, you will be swarmed on the beach within minutes.
- During hot, dry mid-summer weeks, the lake occasionally suffers from harmful blue-green algae blooms, triggering sudden swim bans that can completely ruin a trip.
- Trees around the reservoir are quite sparse; most campsites and beach spots are fully exposed to the blazing sun all day with very little natural shade, creating high heat.
- It is over an hour's drive from the Denver metro area through a monotonous landscape, and there are zero restaurants or supply stores inside, requiring shopping beforehand.