Eleven Mile State Park Hiking Trail Guide
Eleven Mile State Park is a 7,000+ acre park located in central Colorado. The park is most popular for boating, fishing and camping but offers over 6 mile of hiking trails along the beautiful namesake reservoir. Hiking trails work into the forests surrounding the reservoir and of course the water itself. All hiking in Eleven Mile State Park is suitable for hikers of all age and levels.
Eleven Mile State Park Quick Facts
Eleven Mile State Park: ★★★★ (4/5 Stars)
Distance: 6.05 Miles of Total Trails – View Park Map Here
Elevation Start: 8,883 TH
Highest Point: 9,070ft
Total Elevation Gain: Various – most trails under 500ft
Estimated Time to Complete: Most trails can be completed in under 2 hours
Difficulty: Easy Difficulty System Explained
Class: Class 1 What does this mean?
Season: Year Round – Expect snow November to April
Weather: Check the Weather Forecast
Directions to Eleven Mile State Park
Trailhead: Eleven Mile State Park
Getting Here: From 285/Points West: Take US 24 for 23 miles until you reach San Juan St on your right. Take this for about 2.8 miles and then turn left on County Road 59. Continue for about 2.5 miles bearing left to continue towards the State Park. After 5.4 miles you will reach the State Park and the obvious pay station.
From Divide/Points East: Take US 24 for 13.5 miles and turn left onto County Road 90. Take this for 4.1 miles and then bear left to continue on County Road 92. After 5.9 miles you will reach the main park entrance and pay station your right.
In either case, the hiking TH starts a bit away from the visitor’s center with a sign indicating “hiking trails” that you will pass just before the visitors center.
Fees: As of 2021, the day use fee is $9 to enter all Colorado State Parks. Read more about fees here.
Parking: Parking for hiking at Eleven Mile State Park is very limited and will absolutely fill up on most weekends and holidays. If the small lot is full, you can simply park at the visitors center and take the social trails along the lake or walk along the road to reach the start of the hiking area. The visitors center has full service restrooms and the hiking TH has a non plumbing bathroom.
Summary
Camping: There are A TON of awesome options for camping at Eleven Mile State Park. Read more about all of them here.
Dogs: Eleven Mile State Park is dog friendly throughout the park so long as dogs are kept on a 6 ft leash and picked up after. Dogs (and humans) are prohibited from entering the water of the lake.
Make it a Loop: Hiking at Eleven Mile Park is somewhat limited, but there are a number of loops that can be formed when hiking. View Park Map Here
Trail X Factor: Limited Hiking Terrain
Don’t get me wrong, the hiking trails at Eleven Mile State Park are great, but with only 6 miles of hiking terrain, you could easily hike this entire park in a few hours. If you don’t live local to the area or want to spend a full day at the park, be prepared to pass the time with other activities. If you are looking for more hiking in the area, check out Mueller State Park which has many miles of additional hiking. Be advised though, Muller does not allow dogs.
Hike Tip(s): If you are looking for a low key weekend of hiking and nice camping, I would 100% recommend camping at this state park. There are some really awesome camping sites that are a very short distance away from the parking area. While you need to hike in a bit, they are pretty accessible while also feeling secluded. If camping is not your thing, pack in a nice lunch and soak in the amazing views of the reservoir with much less weight in your bag.
Best Views: Personally, my favorite views at Eleven Mile State Park were along the reservoir itself looking west towards the Sawatch Mountains. In particular, the far south end of the Midland Trail brings you into a lovely cove of the reservoir and in my opinion, the best views on the hiking trails. Really though, the entire hike was very scenic.
Eleven Mile State Park Hike Route
Gear Needed
- Mickey’s Mountain Kit
- Men’s Trail Runners
- Women’s Trail Runners
- La Sportiva Trango Hiking Boots (Men’s)
- La Sportiva Trango Hiking Booths (Women’s)
- Backpack
- Food & Water
- Optional: Garmin inReach
- Optional: Hiking Poles
- Optional: Headlamp
- Optional: Garmin Fenix Watch
- Optional: Camera and Lens
- Optional: GoPro, Joby Tripod
- *Links included in this description might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you.
My Trip: Eleven Mile State Park: June 2020
The late spring weather in Colorado brought a summer like pattern with high winds, afternoon thunderstorms and high chances of rain. Instead of risking unsafe conditions at high elevations, I decided to explore a new state park with Juno. I had never been to or even heard of Eleven Mile State Park but after a little research decided to give it a go. There was not a ton of hiking in the park as it it mostly used for fishing, boating and camping but I have to say I was pleasantly surprised with the beautiful trails and hiking experience. Check out some pictures from the park below.
