Mancos State Park is located near Mesa Verde National Park, the West Mancos Trailhead and the San Juan Skyway. The park is known to have been a dwelling place for Ancestral Puebloans. They lived in the Four Corners area in ancient times from AD 1 to 1300. It was also later controlled by the Spanish for 200 years from the 17th to the 19th century.
Visitor Map of Weber Mountain & Menefee Mountain Wilderness Study Areas (WSA) in the BLM Tres Rios Field Office area in Colorado. Published by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).
Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) for Hunting Season Game Retrieval of the Dolores Ranger District in San Juan National Forest (NF) in Colorado. Published by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS).
Colorado Fishing Guide. Published by Colorado Parks & Wildlife.
Mancos SP
https://cpw.state.co.us/placestogo/parks/Mancos
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mancos_State_Park
Mancos State Park is located near Mesa Verde National Park, the West Mancos Trailhead and the San Juan Skyway. The park is known to have been a dwelling place for Ancestral Puebloans. They lived in the Four Corners area in ancient times from AD 1 to 1300. It was also later controlled by the Spanish for 200 years from the 17th to the 19th century.
Regulations
Mancos State Park is maintained for your use and enjoyment. In the
interest of safety and the preservation of the park, we ask that you:
1. Place trash in receptacles provided.
2. K
eep your vehicle on designated roads and parking lots.
3. Keep your pets on a leash no longer than six feet.
4. Build fires only in grills provided.
5. Camp only in designated sites.
6. R
eport any vandalism or littering to a Colorado
Parks and Wildlife ranger.
7. H
onor park quiet hours, 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., for the
comfort of all campers.
8. Recognize only 3.2 alcohol is permitted.
9. Observe the campsite capacity limit of 6 people
and 2 vehicles.
10. No swimming is allowed.
C O L O R A D O PA R K S & W I L D L I F E
Mancos
State Park
S
cenic Mancos State Park is located only 12 miles
from historic Mesa Verde National Park in
southwest Colorado. Situated at an elevation
of 7,800 feet on the San Juan Skyway Scenic Byway,
Mancos State Park is surrounded by the majestic San
Juan mountain range. The area has more than 300 land
acres and Jackson Gulch Reservoir, lying within the park,
provides 216 surface acres of water for recreation.
Jackson Gulch Dam in Mancos State Park was
constructed in 1948 by the Bureau of Reclamation. It
supplies the drinking and irrigation water for Mesa Verde
and the surrounding rural Mancos Valley area.
ENJOY YOUR STATE PARKS
There is a beautiful campground here, nestled within
a mature ponderosa pine forest. Wakeless boating and
excellent year-round fishing await the recreationist
looking for a relaxing day. Picnickers and hikers will find
sites and trails sure to please.
Passes & Permits
In addition to Mesa Verde, visitors to the area have the
opportunity to view prehistoric Anasazi Indian ruins
at the Anasazi Heritage Center, located in Dolores,
approximately 20 miles northwest of Mancos. The
Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad in nearby
Durango offers the visitor a scenic trip through remote
wilderness areas of the San Juan National Forest.
Durango is 27 miles east of Mancos.
All vehicles entering the park, year-around, are required
to display a current Colorado State Parks Pass on the auto
windshield. A daily park pass is valid from the day purchased
until noon the following day. An annual park pass is valid at any
Colorado state park. For annual pass holders who own another
car, a multiple pass is available for an additional fee. Passes are
available at main park entrances and self-service dispensers.
Colorado residents 64 and older qualify for a special Aspen Leaf
annual park pass, available at a discounted rate. This allows
admission to all state parks every day.
Mancos State Park is managed by Colorado Parks
& Wildlife in cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of
Reclamation and the Mancos Water Conservancy District.
Colorado disabled veterans displaying Colorado Disabled
Veteran (DV) license plates are admitted free without a pass.
In addition to a parks pass, campers are required to purchase
and display a camping permit at their campsite.
The pleasant climate and many diversions make Mancos
a not-to-be-missed stop on your next trip through
southwestern Colorado.
Mancos State Park
Boaters must observe the Colorado boating statutes and
regulations, which are available in brochure form at
the park entrance. Life jackets must be worn by boaters
under the age of 13. Only wakeless boating is permitted at
Mancos. No water-skiing or swimming is allowed.
Boating
c/o Lone Mesa State Park
PO Box 1047 • 1321 Railroad Ave.
Dolores, CO 81323 • (970) 882-2213
Summer Season Only: (970) 533-7065
E-mail: mancos.park@state.co.us
Picnicking
In addition to a covered group shelter, Mancos State Park
has ten picnic sites with grills.
Fishing
cpw.state.co.us
Funded in part by Great Outdoors Colorado
through Colorado Lottery proceeds.
CPW_RMMC_3/17
Rainbow trout have been stocked
by Colorado Parks & Wildlife
for excellent year-round fishing.
Fishing licenses available at the park
entrance when open.
cpw.state.co.us
Camping & Dump Station
Mancos State Park has 32 campsites, most located on
the south side of the reservoir in a mature ponderosa
pine forest. There are vault toilets and drinking water
but no electrical hookups. Along the northwest side of
the reservoir, there are nine campsites, primarily for tent
campers, with restrooms but no drinking water nearby.
Check-out time is noon. A dump station is located at
the exit leaving the campground. Firewood may be
purchased at the park.
Mancos State Park also has two cabin-like yurts available for
rent year-round. A yurt is reminiscent of a nomadic portable
tent used by the Mongolian people of Siberia. They are
circular tents made of vinyl-impregnated canvas surrounding
a wooden lattice wall and ceiling. Yurts are heated for cold
nights. For camping or yurt information and reservations
call in Denver, (303) 470-1144, outside the Denver metro area,
1-800-678-2267 or online at cpw.state.co.us.
Hiking & Nature Trails
A five-mile
COLORADO
PA R K S
&
WILDLIFE
Your Guide to
Colorado’s 41
State Parks
2018 Edition
cpw.state.co.us
CAMPING RESERVATIONS • 1-800-244-5613 • cpw.state.co.us
i
Welcome to Your State Parks!
Wherever you go in Colorado, there’s
Cheyenne Mountain
a state park waiting to welcome
State Park
you. Mountains or prairies, rivers or
forests, out in the country or next to
the city… Colorado’s 41 state parks are
as diverse as the state itself, and they
offer something for everyone. Take a
hair-raising whitewater river trip, or
kick back in a lawn chair and watch
the sunset. Enjoy a family picnic, cast
a line in the water, take a hike, ride a
horse, try snowshoeing or discover
geocaching. From Eastern Plains
parks at 3,800 feet to high-mountain
parks at 9,500, the network of state
parks offers a wealth of activities
for busy people of all ages, or the
chance to do nothing at all. You can play on land or on water. On
a high peak or on the prairie. In the country or the city. In spring,
summer, winter or fall.
Golden Gate Canyon State Park
State parks are great places for families. There are plenty of
activities for families to enjoy together such as boating, hiking or
picnicking, as well as organized nature walks, talks and events.
Junior Ranger programs, activity backpacks, kid-friendly hikes
and fishing ponds for kids are among the many offerings for
youth. From toddler to teen and adult to senior, every family
member can enjoy their activity of choice, then come together to
share a meal and stories around the campfire.
Whether you’re an active
outdoor recreationist
or prefer to spend time
watching clouds go by,
you’ll enjoy the special
moments waiting for you
in the state parks.
Rifle Gap State Park
Cover photos:
Large photo: State Forest State Park; lower left: Pearl Lake State Park; lower center: Elkhead State Park;
lower right: Lory State Park
Plan Your Visit
Colorado’s state parks are open every day of the year, weather
permitting. Day-use areas are generally open from 5 a.m. to
10 p.m., and some parks may have closed gates after hours.
Campgrounds are open 24 hours a day. Contact individual
parks for hours of operation. Check our website for seasonal or
maintenance closures: cpw.state.co.us
Entrance Passes
All Colorado state parks charge an entrance fee. Cost of a daily
pass may vary by park ($7–$9). A pass covers all occupants of a
vehicle and is valid until noon the day after purchase. Some parks
may charge a per-person fee for cyclists and walk-ins. Fees are used
to help pay operating costs. Cherry Creek State Park charges an
additional fee for the Cherry Creek Basin Water Quality Authority.
Annual Pass
Who doesn’t love a deal? And the state parks annual pass is a
great one. For just one low price, the annual pass lets you enjoy
all 41 state parks for unlimited visits for 12 months from date of
purchase. That’s all the parks. That’s
unlimited times. The annual pass
pays for itself in as few as 10 visits.
If you’re a Colorado resident who’s
64 years or older, there’s even a
further discounted Aspen Leaf
annual pass. There are also passes
for disabled and income-eligible
residents. For details and to purchase a pass,
visit a Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) office, state park or buy
online: cpw.state.co.us
Extend Your Stay
Make more of your state park visit
by staying overnight. Bring your
tent or RV, spend a cozy night in a
cabin, camp in a tipi or discover a
comfortable, year-round alternative
State Forest State Park
to traditional camping with a yurt.
All together, the state parks have
more than 4,000 campsites and 58 cabins and yurts. Almost 300
campsites are ADA accessible. Many parks offer campsites or cabins
for large groups. Heated cabins and yurts make a park getaway
suitable any season of the year.
Camping Reservations
Summer weekends fill up quickly so advance reservations for
overnight stays are recommended. Reservations can be made six
months to three days ahead of arrival.
Reserve online: cpw.state.co.us
Toll Free: 1-800-244-5613
A nonrefundable reservation fee applies to bookings, and visitors
must purchase a daily or annual entrance pass in addition to
paying camping and reservation fees. Unreserved sites are
available on a first-come, first-served basis.
1
What Can I Do There?
Colorado’s state parks are places to have fun, get away, recreate and
re-create. Here are some park activities to help you do that:
Fishing
Top-notch fishing awaits anglers in 37 state parks across Colorado.
Think Gold Medal Waters and trophy fish. A valid fishing license
is required for all anglers 16 years and older. Licenses and our
annual Colorado Fishing regulations brochure are available online,
at most parks and at CPW authorized sales agents.
Water Sports
Many state parks are built around a lake or
Crawford
waterway, which means boating and other water
State Park
sports are among the headliners. Larger parks
offer boat rentals and full-service marinas. Any
boat with a motor or sail operated in Col