Barr Lake State Park

We came to check out all the wild birds but we didn’t get to see THAT many. Wrong season maybe?
The park is clean and maintained quite well; we saw that they were constructing a new path/​bridge around the lake which will be really nice when finished. We met some people on the path who said they saw a Great Horned Owl but we missed him I guess :(I was sad we didn’t get to see him.
There were a ton of geese out on the lake and we did get to see a cute woodpecker but other than that wildlife was scarce. We had a nice time walking around the lake though :)

Love this place. Clean and lots to do. Great for kids.

Hate having to double back because I have well behaved dog. What would it take to create an alternate route a bit further out from the wildlife?

We enjoyed a few hours at Barr Lake this morning and were lucky enough to see a bald eagle and to NOT see any snakes. It is a bit of a surprise to find this place so close to Denver — the vegetation is so different from anything you would normally see around here. It is almost swampy and thus all the birds. I would not call the walk around the lake a «hike» it is a totally flat walk or bike ride. We will definitely go back and check the wildlife out in the different seasons.

This was touted as an excellent place to fish. To that I say… hogwash!
First, pollution is bad and it’s painfully obvious.
Second, spots to fish are extremely limited from the shoreline as a majority of the area is overrun by weeds and fallen trees.
There are a few pros to this location however. It is off the beaten path. The park wasn’t crowded for an awesome weekend day.
The path around the lake was clean and easy to hike.
There is an unbelievable amount of bird species active in the area.
I will probably keep this as one my places to observe wildlife, but not fish.

Very calm & pretty. Great place to relax. I wouldn’t want to swim in the water, but it’s nice for kayaking.

Is it the best park EVER? No, but it’s a pretty decent place close to Denver. There’s a path around the lake, 8.8 miles long. Only half is accessible if you have a dog so be prepared to turn around. There’s archery and hunting during select seasons. Fishing is available along certain portions of the trail, or if you have a boat you can take it out into the lake, be ready for inspections. LOTS of different types of birds and as other have mentioned Bald Eagles! We saw a couple of Bull snakes or Rat snakes not sure which but they are there and cross the trail frequently so be aware. Carp were being fished out of the overflow ditch. It’s a fun neat place to go and lots to see. It’s not Yellowstone but it’s a nice place to go for the afternoon.

Probably not the most well known Colorado state park, probably not the most visited, but it’s just a short drive northeast of Denver and has a lot to offer! Fishing, boating, bicycling, hiking, horseback riding, wildlife viewing, etc.
Just off I-​76, East of Brighton, CO, you probably wouldn’t know that you were driving past a state park, but next time you’re in the area, give it a try. Along with being a state park, it’s also a wildlife preserve and home to numerous types of birds, including bald eagles who return to nest and raise their young each year.
There are a decent number of covered & uncovered picnic tables as well as a large covered pavillion suitable for a single large group or numerous small groups. There’s also an archery range that’s free to use with park admission.
The park office has a small gift shop along with a large learning area for children. The park regularly holds events for kids so this is a great spot to spend a day. There are adult/​family events too including day and moonlight hikes & fishing clinics.
Overall, I was very impressed with the offerings at Barr Lake State park and expect that we’ll be back regularly!

And now for a scathing review of this place for us dog owners and hikers… before going to state parks, I do my research to ensure Chuckles and I can hike around. Upon going onto THIS state parks’ website, I learn there is an 8.8 mile loop that goes along the perimeter of the lake and as long as said pooch remains on this trail, they can come along on a hike. 4.3 miles in, the sign then says pets are no longer permitted without any other directions as to where to continue with a 4-​legged pal.
Uh, only route is to return from whence one came??? Ugh, I’m livid!
And return we did, doing 8.6 miles today, but NOT around the lake but rather retracing steps already taken…
Either fix the website or have an alternative trail marked with where us ppl with our pooches can continue…

It’s been a while since our visit but when we came here for a family outing in June there were hornets nests on every single picnic site. We didn’t eat at the picnic site, but found some shaded dirt instead. The walk around the lake is fairly decent. (But if you’re afraid of snakes, beware!)
There are way more beautiful places for a picnic and a hike in Colorado, in my opinion. It’s no surprise we haven’t been back.

It must be timing with this hike. I trekked around the lake yesterday and was in awe! However, it happened to be a 60 degree day in January. It was so beautiful. It took me 4 hours. I’ve never hiked/​walked 9 miles. There are benches strategically placed along the entire lake. If you go counter-​clockwise, there is a new, public restroom at the stone house — about ¼ through the hike at the end of the dam on your right (saved me!) I started at 1:30 and finished at 5:30 so I was able to witness the most beautiful, peaceful sunset. Yes — after the dam, you’ll be near the railroad tracks and highway. The railroad tracks are about 30 ft away for about ½ mile and about 6 feet away for another ½ mile. Didn’t bother me (yet, no train came by). Once you get a little further along, it gets so beautiful, you forget about the railroad and highway. I just loved everything about this long hike/​walk!

I would have to address Mo C. and Ron… the time of day at which one is hiking is very important. Wildlife is more easily spotted in the cooler hours (early or late in the day). True, the path is not paved. Though it is a state park, it is actually owned by the irrigation corporation, FRICO, and only maintained by the state. There are two parts of the lake. One allows fishing (nearer the dam)…no motors greater than 10 hp are allowed, however. The other is designated as a wildlife sanctuary. That section is where the eagles nest. In the spring and summertime, a hike around 6:00 A.M. or at 6:00 P.M. on the sanctuary end (there is a covered gazebo) will net one views of white pelicans, bald eagles and numerous hawks. The deer pass through at their whim, so I cannot tell you when to view them.
The water from this lake is used for irrigation (NOT sewage) and so the lake goes down drastically as the summer progresses. Nevertheless, the wildlife remains and the park is a wonderful place to visit at any time of year. If one wants paved paths, irrigated lawns and tended gardens, I would recommend the Botanic Gardens on York Street (or, as Ron suggested, Chatfield). If one wants a healthy hike where they will enjoy nature in all of its facets, Barr Lake State Park is a gem. Understated, pristine and peaceful… it’s easy to see why the wildlife flocks here.

This place was okay. Great play ground for kids. We walked along the lake and there were fire ants everywhere along with a ton of bloated dead fish. Oh and lots of strange lake people. CO is so beautiful and this did not showcase it well.

only been there once and was not impressed for it being a state park. Found out that it used to be a sewage depot. And that this guy donated the land to the state. My goodness, do you think the state could spend just a little money to fix this place up. just a little please. What an embarrassment…

Love this park and lake! Very beautiful and educational. A great place to go fishing (even tho I’ve yet to catch one there.) Also a great place to take the dogs and kids and it’s not too far from home.

What a horrible hike!
So, I decided to take on the 9mile Lake Perimeter hike at Barr Lake (mostly because my Parks Pass expires next month and I want to max my use of it). Bad choice!
The hike is not paved like Chatfield, so make sure to wear your hiking boots or bring your mountain bike. Cover yourself with bug spray, because the bugs are flippin everywhere! Wear a gallon of sunscreen and a hat because there is about zero shade. And, the brilliant people who placed the benches along the way, didn’t even bother to put them in shady places for you to rest, they’re in the hot freakin sun!
Oh, and my favorite part, was the part of the hike where you must walk along the train tracks, just 5 feet from a 120mph speeding train! I’ve never been so scared. Plus, there are big red signs that say don’t you dare get off the trail, so it’s just you and the train, and of course the conductor honking that you should not be walking along the tracks (seriously dude, if I had any other option).
It’s flat and boring and the extent of the wildlife I saw was one snake in my path and the butt of one deer. There is a bald eagle sanctuary, but I saw no trace of any birds. Boo!
Take a pass on this one, unless you have a boat to play on in the lake or a fishing pole that needs some exercise.