Nearby Attractions
While not offered within the park, Rifle Gap is also
close to a championship 18 hole golf course and world
class climbing. Visitors hoping to golf at Rifle Creek
Golf Course http://www.riflecreekgolf.com or climb
at Rifle Mountain Park http://www.rifleco.org are able
to enjoy the amenities at Rifle Gap while using it as a
“base camp.”
C O L O R A D O PA R K S & W I L D L I F E
Rifle Gap
State Park
ENJOY YOUR STATE PARKS
History
In 1964, near the abandoned site of the tiny town
of Austin, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, working
with the Silt Water Conservation District, began
construction of the Rifle Gap Dam at the confluence
of East and West Rifle Creeks. This project was
completed in 1968 to provide irrigation water for
farmers and ranchers in the area. Rifle Gap became
a state park in 1967. Forty years later, the park,
with help from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and
Great Outdoors Colorado, completed extensive
renovations and additions. Please help us maintain
these new facilities!
Location
JAMES M. ROBBCOLORADO
RIVER
STATE PARK
GRAND
JUNCTION
RIFLE
HARVEY GAP
STATE PARK
GYPSUM
EAGLE
DOTSERO
GLENWOOD
SPRINGS
Visitors Center
Park staff is available to answer your questions and
provide first aid and emergency assistance when
needed. The visitor center is located on the northeast
side of the reservoir on State Highway 325. From
Rifle, head north on Highway 13 for approximately
two miles. Turn right at Highway 325 and travel
six miles to the visitors center, located at the main
entrance. For information call (970) 625-1607.
CARBONDALE
GRAND MESA
ASPEN
REDSTONE
Entrance Fees
Rifle Gap State Park
5775 Highway 325 • Rifle, CO 81650
E-mail: rifle.gap.park@state.co.us
cpw.state.co.us
Funded in part by Great Outdoors Colorado
through Colorado Lottery proceeds.
R
ifle Gap State Park and its 360 surface acre
reservoir lies at the foot of the majestic
Grand Hogback, just nine miles north
of Rifle. The clean clear waters of this reservoir
provide excellent boating, fishing, waterskiing and
swimming opportunities for our warm weather
visitors. During the colder months, visitors enjoy
excellent hunting and ice fishing opportunities
within the park. In addition to the water based
activities, this newly renovated park is a popular
camping and picnicking destination.
CPW_RMRF_10.5_3/16
cpw.state.co.us
Entrance fees help us maintain these new facilities.
State Park passes are required year round and are
available at the Visitor Center and self-serve stations
located throughout the park. Visitors may chose to
either purchase a daily park pass which is valid from
the date purchased until noon the next day or they
may purchase an annual pass which is valid at any
Colorado State Park. Colorado residents age 64 and
older may purchase annual passes (Aspen Leaf) at a
discounted rate.
Regulations
Regulations also play an important role in maintaining
our facilities, protecting our resources, and helping
ensure that everyone has a safe, enjoyable stay. The
following list includes answers to some of our most
commonly asked questions. Please do your part to help
alleviate these concerns.
• Quiet hours last from 10 p.m. until 6 a.m. Please
respect others and keep noise down within the
campgrounds.
• Pets must be under control and on a leash no
longer than six feet. This limits conflicts between
pets and decreases the likelihood of an accidental
dog bite. Controlled pets are also less likely to
attack wildlife.
• Fires are only allowed in designated grills. Please
make sure to constantly monitor your fire and
completely extinguish it when it is no longer
needed. Firewood gathering is prohibited within
the park; however firewood is available from
camp hosts and at the visitor center.
• Keep vehicles on designated roads and parking
spots. Driving vehicles off road can damage
vegetation and soil.
Common sense and common courtesy will help all of
us enjoy the park more.
Park Activities
Camping
The renovation of the campgrounds
at Rifle Gap was completed in 2007.
The park now has 89 campsites
located in five campgrounds on the
north shore of the reservoir. Each
campground is unique and offers
its own advantages.
Cottonwood Campground has eight campsites
with water and 50 amp electrical hook-ups at each
campsite. This campground is very close to the
reservoir during high water years and offers more
natural shade than any other campground in the park.
Lakeview Campground has 46 campsites offering
great panoramic views of the park and the valley below.
Whether you want a secluded tent site or an RV site with
all the utilities (water, sewer and 50 amp electrical hookups) Lakeview campground is a great choice!
Rifle Gap State Park
BLM
Access
To Rifle Falls and
Harvey Gap State Parks
East Rifle Creek
D
C
F
Fishing and Hunting
Main
Entrance
B
A
E
LEGEND
Visitors Center/
Headquarters
oa
R
ty
un
Co
J
ADA
Fishing Access
Boat Ramp
d
Camping
25
2
Ski West
G
Dam
H
To R
ifl
e, 7 M
iles
Christo
Picnic Area
ay 325
Highw
I
A - Cottonwood Campground
B - Lakeview Campground
C - Cedar Campground
D - Sage Campground
E - Pinyon Campground
F - Brown Day-use
G - Dam Day-use
H - Perch Day-use
I - Walleye Day-use
J - Bass Day-use
Dump Station
Group Picnic Area
Overlook
Picnic Area
Showers
Swim Beach
Water-Skiing
Park Boundary
Roads and
Parking Areas
Buoy Line
Wakeless
Cedar Campground has fifteen campsites with
electricity (50 amp). Water available within the loop.
The spacious campsites are close to the reservoir and
provide excellent fishing and boating access.
Pinyon Campground has five secluded campsites
nestled amongst pinyon and juniper trees. The
campground offers excellent views of the reservoir,
plenty of natural shade and a central location.
center and the self service station. Reservations are also
accepted with a minimum of three days notice.
Sage Campground has fifteen centrally located
campsites that provide easy access to the boat
ramp, swim beach and neighboring Bureau of
Land Management (BLM) property. This is the
only campground that allows ATV/OHV operation
although riders are reminded that they can only
operate their machines from Sage campground onto
BLM property There is centrally located drinking
water within this campground.
All five campgrounds have restroom facilities,
however Cedar, Cottonwood and Lakeview have flush
toilets and coin operated showers. There is also a
dump station near Cottonwood Campground that is
available for our campers.
You can also make reservations online at
www.cpw.state.co.us.
All campers must have a valid park pass for their
vehicles and camping permits for their campsites.
Camping permits are available at the park visitors
Please call (303) 470-1144 in the Denver metro area or
1-800-678-2267 to make your reservation.
Fishing is an extremely popular year-round activity at
Rifle Gap. This diverse fishery is home to near state
record perch and northern pike along with trout, bass
and walleye. Hunting in the park is limited; however
excellent hunting opportunities exist just outside the
park on neighboring BLM and Forest Service land. Hot
showers and clean facilities make the park a popular
base camp for many hunters. During the winter
months, the park is an excellent ice fishing destination.
Water Sports
During the summer months water skiers, personal
water craft (pwc) operators and fisherman all share
the reservoir. Please respect the
rights of other users by following
applicable laws and regulations. This
information is available at the boat
ramp and from park staff. Boaters
should also keep in mind that Sunday
is the busiest day on the reservoir.
Swimming is also allowed at the
park, however it is only allowed at the swim beach.
While park staff try to maintain a safe environment,
all recreational activities carry a degree of risk that our
visitors must assume. Please be careful. The park is
closed to boating November 1st thru March 31st.
Picnicking
Picnic tables are located throughout the park, however
the greatest concentrations are within Bass Day
Use area, the swim beach and in the general area of
Cottonwood campground. Bass day use area has ten
secluded picnic sites bordered by the reservoir. During
high water years these picnic sites are extremely
popular. The Group Picnic Area (GPA) located
adjacent to Cottonwood campground is available for
reservations by calling the park office at (970) 6251607. This facility has fourteen picnic tables located
under a large pavilion with electricity and large bar-b-q
grills available for your use. There are an additional
seven picnic tables nearby that are available on a “first
come/first served” basis. The swim beach has nine
picnic tables that are very popular with our swimming
and boating visitors. Please remember that pets and
glass are prohibited at the swim beach.
