Sweetwater Lake State Park

Sweetwater Lake State Park is a state park in Colorado centered around a mountain lake within White River National Forest. The landscape features forested hillsides, open shorelines, and mountain views throughout the property.

The area became Colorado's 43rd state park in 2022 through a partnership between state authorities and the U.S. Forest Service. This collaboration represented a new approach to managing federal land as a state park.

Local residents and conservation groups worked together to protect 488 acres of land around the lake from residential and commercial development.

The park welcomes visitors for fishing, boating, hiking, and camping, with each activity following its own set of rules. Plan your visit based on which activities interest you and check conditions beforehand.

This was the first state park in the United States to be built on U.S. Forest Service land. The unusual arrangement shows how creative government cooperation can reshape public land management.

Location: Colorado

Website: https://cpw.state.co.us/placestogo/parks/sweetwaterlake

GPS coordinates: 39.79910,-107.16540

Latest update: December 14, 2025 11:22