Between Aspen And Colorado Springs Is An Underrated Mountain State Park With Premier Fishing And Boating

When March turns to April each year, the countdown is on: Early spring is when Spinney Mountain Reservoir, one of the country's best places to fish, opens for the season. A hot spot for anglers eager to catch supersized rainbow trout, the 2,444-acre reservoir is the centerpiece of Colorado's Spinney Mountain State Park, an otherwise off-the-radar destination that also offers excellent boating. 

Located between Aspen and Colorado Springs — about a two-hour drive west of Pikes Peak, the mountain in the Rockies that inspired "America the Beautiful" — the day-use-only state park opens annually from April to November. Home to deer, coyotes, antelopes, pelicans, and raptors, it's a fine place for wildlife viewing, and its wide-open landscapes are especially appealing to birding enthusiasts who occasionally glimpse bald and golden eagles. But the park's main draw is the reservoir itself. There's no swimming (or even wading) allowed, and waterskiing and jet skiing are also prohibited. But you can get out on the water on a boat using ramps, provided you're up for an adventure: Gusty winds of up to 40 mph sometimes blow across the water, creating high waves.

The conditions can be ideal for sailing and windsurfing but may pose a challenge for smaller watercraft. "I paddled by kayak across and over to the dam before it started getting really windy," said one past visitor on Google Reviews. "I would recommend going there with a motor boat." Visitors can rent fishing boats and pontoons from 11 Mile Marina in nearby Lake George, where you'll find Colorado's scenic Eleven Mile State Park.

Spinney Mountain State Park's most popular activity is fishing. Thanks to the reservoir's prime position on the South Platte River, it's full of large rainbow trout, northern pike, and yellow perch — so much so that the lake is officially designated as "Gold Medal Waters," says the state park's website. Many people prefer to fish from a boat, according to online reviews. But plenty of visitors mention that fishing can also be done from the shoreline, and a few specifically recommended casting a line near the boat ramps.

For all its merits, Spinney Mountain State Park remains somewhat sparsely visited and underrated. "We went on a Saturday and felt we had the place to ourselves," wrote one traveler on Google Reviews. While anglers in the know are well aware of the incredible fishing at the reservoir, the place stays relatively quiet. "Love this lake," said a visitor. "Not as many boats or people so [I] actually enjoyed fishing here." Another chimed in, "Great fishing, isolated and peaceful." 

Visitors can bring food to the state park to enjoy in its various picnic areas but should be aware that there's no shade or covered tables, and the sun can be intense in the middle of the day. During its regular April through November season, Spinney Mountain State Park opens 30 minutes before sunrise and closes one hour after sunset. The day-use fee is $10 per vehicle, as of this writing. The closest major city is Colorado Springs, slightly over an hour away by car. Looking for more beautiful lakes to visit in Colorado? Consider a detour to the sparkling Grand Lake in the Rocky Mountains.