Trinidad Lake State Park
ABOUT THE PLACE
Trinidad Lake State Park, Colorado
We spent three nights here in March 2026, on our drive from Austin back to Colorado in March 2026. We were in sites 34 and 47 in the Carpios Ridge campground and paid about $40 a night. Our full field report is still being written, so here is what to know about the place itself.
The short version
Trinidad Lake State Park covers 2,960 acres in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, near Trinidad in southern Colorado. Its centerpiece is an 800-surface-acre reservoir, with pinyon-juniper woodland, grassland and cottonwood bottoms around it.
A little history
- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built Trinidad Dam in 1978 for irrigation and flood control. The state began managing the park in 1980.
- Archaeological sites in the park date from about 1075 CE into the 1800s. The Santa Fe Trail, opened in 1821, passes nearby.
- The Reilly Canyon Bridge, built in 1936 by the WPA, is on the State Register of Historic Properties.
What it is known for
- Fishing for rainbow and brown trout, walleye, largemouth bass, catfish, crappie and bluegill. The lake is stocked with trout each year.
- About ten miles of trails, including the self-guided Levsa Canyon Trail and the 4-mile Reilly Canyon Trail.
- Geology: Colorado Parks and Wildlife says the K-T boundary, between the Mesozoic and Cenozoic eras, is exposed in the park.
Camping
- 73 campsites in two campgrounds.
- Carpios Ridge has electric at every site and a handful of full hookup sites in season. Part of it stays open all year.
- South Shore is seasonal. Showers and laundry close in winter, and there is a dump station.
Good to know
- A reservation is required to camp, bookable up to six months ahead, and every vehicle needs a park pass.
- Motorized boats must pass an aquatic nuisance species inspection before launching.
- Hunting is allowed in parts of the park from after Labor Day to before Memorial Day, so stay on trails and wear bright colors.
Facts checked October 2026. Things change, so check the official site before you go.
IN THE JOURNAL
Where we wrote about it
-
Texas vs. Colorado State Park Passes: What Ours Actually Saved Us
The Texas State Parks Pass paid us back more than $200 on $70, and Colorado's $29 Keep Colorado Wild pass covered itself in three days. What…
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Our Snowbird RV Route: Colorado to Texas and Back
Our first snowbird winter in the Brinkley: Colorado to Texas through New Mexico, and home through Arizona. Every stop in order, with costs by state.
-
Colorado RV Camping: Every Spot We’ve Stayed, by Region
Eleven Colorado campgrounds from our first year in the Brinkley, sorted by region. BLM land ran under $10 a night.
Field report coming soon.
we stayed here, we're still writing it up
