Steamboat Lake State Park

Occupancy & Duration

Cabins can accommodate up to six people, depending on the cabin. A two-night minimum stay is required (three-night minimum during holidays). Check-in time is 4 p.m. and check-out time is 10 a.m. In the summer, camper cabins are drive in. Cabin reservations should be made through the Steamboat Lake Marina.

Pet Policy

Pets are allowed with a $25/night per pet fee (limit two pets).

Staying During Winter

Cabin reservations are ONLY available during the spring through fall seasons. Contact the Steamboat Lake Marina to find out more about the amenities available .

A cabin with red chairs out front

Know Before You Go

Cabin Amenities

• Accommodates five to six people
• Picnic table
• Fire ring
• Electric heater
• Refrigerator
• Beds with mattresses
• Bath house with showers and flush toilets
• Drive-in access during summer

Activities

• Backcountry Camping
• Biking
• Birding
• Boating
• Camping
• Cross-country Skiing
• Education Programs
• Fishing
• Geocaching
• Hiking
• Horseback Riding
• Hunting
• Ice Fishing
• Jet Skiing
• Paddleboarding
• Photography
• Picnicking
• Sailboarding
• Snowmobiling
• Snowshoeing
• Swimming
• Track Chair (all-terrain, battery-powered wheelchair)
• Water Skiing

Best of Steamboat Lake

Steamboat Lake

The park's main attraction is the 1,053-surface-acre lake. Visitors enjoy views of the Continental Divide from the water as they boat, fish, jet ski, paddle board, sail and water ski.

Water Activities

Picnicking

With its diverse array of plant and animal life, blue skies, plenty of brilliant aspen trees in the fall and breathtaking sunsets year-round, our valley is one of the most scenic in Colorado. Picnic tables offering either grills or fire rings are available at the Placer Cove day-use area, Tombstone Nature Trail trailhead, Sage Flats day-use area and the Dutch Hill Marina area.

Paddleboarding

Over a thousand acres of gorgeous waters beckon both beginners and experienced enthusiasts! Rent paddle boards on site from our marina as availability permits.

Rent a Paddle Board

Swim Beach

The swim area is in the Dutch Hill Campground by the marina parking . The swim beach is located in the Placer Cove Day Use Area and is tested regularly throughout the summer for water quality. Colorado State Park swim beaches do not have lifeguards on duty. Swim at your own risk. Children must be supervised by adults at all times.

Trails

Horseback Riding

Horseback riding is allowed in undeveloped areas of the park around the southeast corner of the lake. Guided rides are available from Steamboat Lake Outpost at 970-879-4404.

More Trails

The trails at adjacent Routt National Forest also provide many hiking, mountain biking and four-wheel driving opportunities.

Find a Trail

Poverty Bar Trail

1.1 miles, non-paved

Hiking, biking, horseback riding

ADA accessible

Dog friendly

Willow Creek Trail

3.8 miles, non-paved

Hiking, biking

ADA accessible

Dog friendly

Tombstone Nature Trail

1.1 miles, non-paved

Hiking

Dog friendly

Steamboat Lake Non-motorized Trails/Ski Touring Center

Winter Trail

4.20 miles, groomed

Cross-country and skate skiers, fat-tire biking, snowshoeing

Dog friendly

Steamboat Lake Multiple Use Access Trail

Winter Trail

5.0 miles, groomed

Cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobile riding

Dog friendly

Trail Conditions

Conditions

All trails are available.

For the most up-to-date trail conditions, please call the park at 970-879-3922 or visit the park's social media pages on Facebook and Instagram.

Trail Map

Track Chair Program

Visitors with mobility challenges and/or disabilities can explore the Willow Creek Trail at Steamboat Lake State Park using a track chair. It is a guided 2.2 mile, roundtrip, out-and-back hike that offers views of gorgeous park features including high grassy meadows, a wide variety of wildlife and wildflowers, a view of the Clara Henry Cabin, and a view of the Steamboat Lake Dam. The trail offers spectacular views of Hahn’s Peak, Little Mountain, Sand Mountains, Meaden Peak, and Diamond Peak. Use of the track chair is free of charge. A park pass is required on all vehicles entering the park.

Make a Reservation

The track chair is available to reserve on Saturdays and Sundays, from June through October, weather depending. The track chair is capable of operating in the rain and we welcome you to use it in those conditions. We reserve the right to cancel any booking due to inclement weather. Your safety is our top priority.

Once you make a reservation, you will receive a confirmation email.

Make a Reservation

Young male riding in Track Chair, with smiling family to the right, on a Steamboat Lake State Park trail

Track Chair Information

Planning Your Hike

Please arrive at the Steamboat Lake State Park Visitor Center parking lot 15 minutes ahead of your reservation time for a safety briefing. The address is 61105 RCR 129, Clark, CO 80428.

All hikers must bring an adult companion with them. Companions should be able to walk up to 2.2 miles without assistance.

CPW staff and volunteers are not able to help with transfers. A slide board and/or gait belt is available to facilitate transfers, but if additional assistance is needed, the guest of the track chair user will be responsible.

Service animals and dogs are allowed, but must be leashed and under the control of the companion person. Service animals are not permitted inside the track chair, and hikers should not be holding a leash while the machine is occupied and in motion.

Children are welcome to hike alongside the track chair, but they are not allowed to sit in the lap of the user while the machine is in motion.

For more detailed information to help prepare you for your track chair experience, please contact the park at [email protected] or at 970-879-3922, extension 3.

What To Bring

If you have specific items that you rely on for your personal comfort, it is recommended that you bring them. The park elevation ranges from 8,000-8,100 feet and is subject to a rapidly changing mountain-weather environment. Thermoregulation is your responsibility, so make a point to check the local weather forecast and bring adequate clothing to maintain an appropriate level of comfort. The trail is nearly 100% exposed with almost no shade.

Please bring more water than you think you’ll need, sunglasses, a hat, raingear, and sunscreen. Please wear close-toed shoes if possible.

Chair Transfer

If needed, the park offers a slide board to facilitate transfer into the track chair. If you require special accommodation, we ask that a friend, family member, or caregiver provide the assistance needed. Steamboat Lake State Park staff and volunteers have received training in assisting with transfers, but are limited in the level of assistance they can provide.

Accessible Parking

There are two accessible parking spots at the Steamboat Lake State Park visitor center. Staff can meet you at your car with the track chair.

Donate Towards Track Chair Program

You can help make a difference for visitors with mobility challenges or disabilities by donating to the track chair program through the Friends of Colorado Parks organization. On the donate page, choose "Make my donation go towards Friends of Steamboat Lake SP Track Chair Program."

Donate Now

Safety during Hunting Season

Most of Colorado's outdoors is multi-use and intended to be shared. Hunters and nonhunters should show respect and courtesy to all users engaged in outdoor recreation.

• Learn where and when hunting is taking place. Stay out of designated hunt areas.
• Stay on designated trails. Enjoying activities only on designated trails will reduce the likelihood of entering designated hunt areas.
• Make yourself easily visible by wearing bright clothing. Choose colors that stand out, like bright, fluorescent red, orange or green.
• For protection, it is recommended to keep your dog on a leash. Tie a brightly-colored bandana around your dog’s neck or purchase a blaze orange dog vest to make your dog more visible.
• Make noise. Alert hunters to your presence by whistling, singing or carrying on a conversation as you walk.
• If you hear shooting, raise your voice and let hunters know you are in the vicinity.
• Be courteous. Once a hunter is aware of your presence, don’t make unnecessary noise that disturbs wildlife. Avoid conflict. Please note it is illegal to intentionally interfere with hunters.

Hunting

Licensed hunters are welcome during all legal seasons beginning the Tuesday after Labor Day and continuing through the Friday prior to Memorial Day.

• Hunters must sign in on the board in front of the Visitor Center before hunting in the park.
• It is prohibited to discharge firearms and/or other weapons within 100 yards of any designated campground, picnic area, boat ramp, swimming or water skiing beach, or nature trail and study area.

Hunting in Colorado

Upcoming Events

View All Events

The track chair is available to reserve on Saturdays and Sundays, from June through October, weather depending. The track chair is capable of operating in the rain and we welcome you to use it in those conditions. We reserve the right to cancel any booking due to inclement weather. Your safety is our top priority.

Young male riding in Track Chair, with smiling family to the right, on a Steamboat Lake State Park trail

CPW staff and volunteers are not able to help with transfers. A slide board and/or gait belt is available to facilitate transfers, but if additional assistance is needed, the guest of the track chair user will be responsible.

Service animals and dogs are allowed, but must be leashed and under the control of the companion person. Service animals are not permitted inside the track chair, and hikers should not be holding a leash while the machine is occupied and in motion.

Children are welcome to hike alongside the track chair, but they are not allowed to sit in the lap of the user while the machine is in motion.

For more detailed information to help prepare you for your track chair experience, please contact the park at [email protected] or at 970-879-3922, extension 3.

If needed, the park offers a slide board to facilitate transfer into the track chair. If you require special accommodation, we ask that a friend, family member, or caregiver provide the assistance needed. Steamboat Lake State Park staff and volunteers have received training in assisting with transfers, but are limited in the level of assistance they can provide.

There are two accessible parking spots at the Steamboat Lake State Park visitor center. Staff can meet you at your car with the track chair.

You can help make a difference for visitors with mobility challenges or disabilities by donating to the track chair program through the Friends of Colorado Parks organization. On the donate page, choose "Make my donation go towards Friends of Steamboat Lake SP Track Chair Program."

Steamboat Lake State Park offers a range of camping options, from non-electric to electric sites suitable for RVs or tents, though full hook-ups are not provided. An ADA-accessible campsite is offered, along with water fill stations and a dump station. Note: sites 181 to 200 are walk-in only. Truck campers or pop-up campers are not allowed in the parking areas for these sites.

Whether you’re staying in a tent or cabin, a cozy evening by the campfire makes a perfect ending to a day on the lake. One campsite is accessible.

Yurt reservations are available year-round at Pearl Lake, but when the roads close to snow they are only accessible by snowshoe, ski or snowmobile. This can add to your peaceful remote adventure, though! Find out more on Pearl's Camping & Lodging page (see At This Park > Yurts and Know Before You Go (yurts) sections).

Located near the marina, Steamboat Lake’s ten cabins offer a rustic, serene mountain retreat after a day of outdoor activities. Cabin 5 is wheelchair accessible. These cabins are owned by the marina. Cabin reservations should be made through the Steamboat Lake Marina.