Lake Colorado City State Park – Texas State Park 11/89

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The Deets

Lake Colorado City State Park is located less than 15 minutes outside of Colorado City, TX. Abilene, TX, is just over an hour away, and Big Spring, TX, is only 40 minutes down the road. As you can gather from the park name, the lake is the main draw here, and you can swim, fish, and paddle. In addition to that, they have a boat dock and fishing pier as well. You can also camp or hike the two trails in the park. The entry fee is $4 for adults and free for children aged 12 and under (or free for everyone if using a Park Pass).

The History

Lake Colorado City is not a natural formation. It was man-made in 1949 to provide water to cool Morgan Creek Power Plant. It is no longer used for that purpose and is solely for enjoyment these days. The utility company leased the land to the state in 1971 for a term of 99 years and the park opened to the public in 1972.

Our Experience

We had an enjoyable visit to Lake Colorado City State Park. The woman at the front was very helpful and nice, and the bathrooms we used were clean and tidy. We came for the trails and made pretty short work of it. We enjoyed finding an old wrecked car that we didn’t know was out there. I wish we knew the history behind it!

The Trails

The two trails at Lake Colorado City State Park couldn’t be more different. We started with Cactus Cut Trail, a one-mile trail that you’ll need to backtrack since it only goes out one way. As the name implies, there is a TON of cactus on this trail! The terrain is rugged in areas and traverses large slabs of stone. We really enjoyed this one for that reason. While it may not be our favorite scenery, the trail was fun. It is also very well signposted, with yellow poles leading the way. There are many branch-offs to the lake and some offer beautiful views. Keep an eye on small children and dogs while on this path. Cactus and mesquite are encroaching on the trail and mostly at ankle height. It would be easy to cut or poke yourself.

The Roadrunner Loop Trail is quite the opposite. It is mostly a dirt track and we spotted deer tracks constantly. The scenery is cactus and mesquite in every direction. This trail is a loop instead of a one-way, which is nice. Unlike the other trail, this one is not signposted at all. With the many game trails in the area, one could easily wander off the path. One sure-fire trick to know you’re off the trail? Low hanging branches. They won’t bother the animals, but they will definitely bother you. We found an old wrecked car on this trail. It dates from the 20s or 30s and is off the trail in a gully. It was neat to see!

Our Takeaway

Lake Colorado City State Park is a nice place to visit and is probably a hotspot for folks in the summer. If you like being out on the water or fishing, we’d definitely recommend it. The trails aren’t too hard, and if you’re lucky, you might see some wildlife.

Prefer to see the parkin action? Check out our vlog episode for Lake Colorado City State Park here.
Cheers,
Lydia and Billy