Park Facilities
Boat Ramps
March 1 to September 30 is the usual boating season at Highline and Mack Mesa Lakes, weather and ice conditions permitting. Boat ramps are located at the east and west sides of Highline Lake, and docks are in the water during the boating season.
When open for boating, Highline Lake is open to gas and electric motors, paddle boards, canoes, and kayaks.
Mack Mesa Lake is open to hand-propelled boats or boats with electric motors ONLY! Paddle boards, canoes, and kayaks are also welcome.
Any watercraft on a trailer must be inspected before launching at either Highline or Mack Mesa Lake. Any watercraft with a motor or sail must also have a current registration and ANS stamp!
(Updated: 3/17/2023 3:54 PM)
Camper Services Building
Located in the center of the Campground, the Camper Services Building is heated and open year-round, with free hot showers and updated restroom equipment. In the laundry room are coin-operated washers and dryers. There are 7 lb bags of ice and bundles of firewood available in the campground. See the on-duty camphost or go to the Visitor Center to purchase ice and firewood.
(Updated: 1/6/2023 2:38 PM)
Campgrounds
Each campsite at Highline Lake features a grill, fire ring, and picnic table.
- The heated camper services building features free hot showers and coin-operated laundry facilities; there is a change machine outside the camper services building for your convenience.
- Water hydrants, showers, laundry facilities, and a dump station are available.
- Bundles of firewood and 7 lb bags of ice are available from the on-duty camphosts, or from the visitor center.
For more information, see the Highline camping page.
(Updated: 1/6/2023 2:37 PM)
Duck Blinds
During waterfowl season, there are seven blinds available to hunters at Highline Lake.
- All waterfowl hunting must be done from one of the blinds.
- See the Hunting page for more information.
(Updated: 1/6/2023 2:38 PM)
Dump Station
The dump station is located in Bookcliff Campground, between sites 12 and 14.
(Updated: 5/25/2024 4:17 PM)
Electric Vehicle Charging Station
Two charging stations are located in the Visitor Center parking lot. They are first come, first serve and accessible 8 am to 10 pm daily. A valid Daily Parks Pass or Annual Pass is required to enter the park.
(Updated: 5/25/2024 3:25 PM)
Entrance Station
Please stop at all stop signs!
There are two entrance stations at Highline Lake:
- The East Gate, on the east side of Highline Lake, leads to the Visitor’s Center, the east boat ramp, the campground, the group area, the swim beach, and the picnic areas on the east side of the park.
- The West Gate, on the west side of Highline Lake, leads to the west boat ramp, nature overlook, duck blinds, Uintah fishing access, and Mack Mesa Lake.
Licenses and day passes may be purchased at the Visitor Center when open. Annual and daily vehicle passes, as well as Individual passes, may be purchased from the automated machine just beyond the Visitor Center, or from the automated machine at the west entrance of the park.
Automated machines accept credit cards ONLY! Cash, check, gift certificates, and All credit cards EXCEPT American Express are accepted at the Visitor Center.
If you do not have a Keep Colorado Wild pass on your registration, then a daily or an annual park vehicle pass must be attached to the windshield inside each vehicle in the park, or a hang-tag pass must be clearly visible from the outside of the vehicle windshield.
Anyone over 16 entering the park on a bicycle, on foot, or horseback must have an annual pass receipt or an individual pass!
(Updated: 3/7/2023 4:27 PM)
Fishing Piers
There is a handicapped-accessible fishing pier at Mack Mesa.
(Updated: 1/6/2023 2:41 PM)
Group Campground
Group tent camping for up to 100 persons is available year-round by making a reservation.
For tent camping ONLY, this area includes modern restrooms, running water (March through October), a covered shelter, extra-large grill, electricity, fire ring, volleyball and net, and horseshoe pit with horseshoes.
There are no RV’s or Van’s allowed in the Group Area!
Reservations for this area go very quickly; reserve your special date as soon as possible, and up to one year in advance! Call Pam at the park office at (970) 858-7208 or email highline.park@state.co.us for additional information, to make a reservation or to check availability!
(Updated: 1/6/2023 2:42 PM)
Group Picnic Area
Up to 100 people are allowed in the group picnic area!
Open year-round for fun, unique business or family functions, weddings, receptions, reunions, or anytime a group of people want an area separate from the public day-use areas. During the season, there is a lockable restroom building available.
There’s an extra-large fire grill, electricity, modern restrooms, water (March through October), a fire ring and benches, and a covered shelter with several picnic tables on a cement pad!
There is also a permanent volleyball set-up and horseshoe pit (volleyballs and horseshoes are available at the Visitor Center).
Reservations are required, and may be made up to one year in advance!
Call Pam at Highline Lake at (970) 858-7208, or email to highline.park@state.co.us.
Dates go very quickly, so reserve your special date as soon as possible, and up to one year in advance!
(Updated: 1/6/2023 2:43 PM)
Picnic Sites
Choose from 44 family picnic sites with grills, some on turf with shade trees, others under shade cabanas in the sand and on the lakeshores.
All picnic sites not in the group area are first-come first-served, so large groups should consider arriving early in the day, or reserving the Group Area up to one year ahead of time.
(Updated: 1/6/2023 2:45 PM)
Playground
Our new and fun-filled playground is located in the Day Use area of the park, near picnicking and swimming areas.
(Updated: 1/6/2023 2:47 PM)
Retail Store
Located in the Visitor Center at Highline Lake, our Retail store offers a variety of just-in-case-you-realize-you-forgot-to-bring-something items. We carry all kinds of items needed for camping, picnicking, riding, walking, or hiking the trails, or playing at the swim beach!
Come in and choose your favorite Blue Bunny frozen treat!! We have a big variety of flavors and colors, at prices that are a HUGE bargain!
There is an eclectic, ever-changing variety of merchandise in our Retail store, so stop in and treat yourself! Pick up an awesome one-of-a-kind tee shirt, sweatshirt or ball cap; or a Highline Lake sticker souvenir! How about treating yourself to a new book, an awesome 3-D puzzle to put together, or new maps and atlases to help you find your way around the area, state, or west?
We carry lots of games and books for the kid in all of us! You will also find an entire Zoo-full of stuffed critters of all sizes, just-for-fun items for kids of all ages!
Our stock changes regularly; come in and see what we have today! We also carry night crawlers - just what you need to catch “the big one”!
Ice is available in 7 lb. bags for $3.50 and firewood comes in large bundles for only $6 per bundle - great prices! See the Camphosts or stop by the Visitor Center!
The Visitor’s Center offers a friendly welcome and loads of information, as well as selling all registrations, renewals, passes, and licenses, including fishing! We also have Gift Certificates for an unusual and welcome gift!
The Visitor Center also offers smiles, answers questions, gives directions, and if we don’t know the answer to a question, we’ll find out!
Come and see the Retail Store, inside the Visitor Center!!
(Updated: 1/6/2023 2:45 PM)
Showers
Hot free showers are available year-round in the Camper Services Building. There’s nothing like a nice, hot shower after a day of fishing, hiking, or biking, and the shower pressure is great!
(Updated: 1/6/2023 2:44 PM)
Trails
Hike or bike the 3.5 mile Highline Lake Trail; the World-Famous 7+ mile “18 Hour Trail”; or connect with several trail loops within the park.
One section of the “18 Hour Trail” is a challenging squiggle just north and west of the inlet bridge; did we say it is challenging?
Another section takes a rider along the edge of several coves on the West side of the lake - the views are amazing, if you have time to look!
Then there’s “Switchback Hill” south of Mack Mesa Lake on the west side of the park! You may meet yourself coming and going!
Within just minutes of the park are miles and miles of additional world-class trails, such as Kokopelli and the North Fruita Desert Area, all great for hiking and biking enthusiasts.
Stop at the visitor center for all of the trail maps!
(Updated: 1/6/2023 2:43 PM)
Visitor Center
Visitor Center hours are 8:00 am to 4:00 pm daily.
STOP at the Visitor Center window, to allow time for on-duty staff to welcome you, and answer any questions you may have!
If you plan to come to Highline Lake’s Visitor Center during the off-season, please call (970) 858-7208 first, to be sure the building is staffed!
Enjoy one-stop-shopping at Highline Lake’s Visitor Center! In addition to purchasing all required passes, visitors can purchase OHV, boat and snowmobile registrations and renewals, as well as fishing and hunting licenses.
Our retail section features an ever-changing variety of items! Just in case you forgot to bring something, come to the Visitor Center Retail Store - we might have it! We carry all kinds of items needed for camping, picnicking, riding, walking, or hiking the trails!
Our book and map selection is varied and we have lots of games and puzzles for all ages! And, we have a wildlife. Check out our Highline Lake ball caps, tee shirts, and sweatshirts in exciting designs, colors, and sizes!
At the Highline Lake State Park Visitor Center, we also have a wealth of information, brochures, maps, and smiles!
Call (970) 858-7208 or email highline.park@state.co.us for current lobby hours and more information.
(Updated: 3/17/2023 3:55 PM)
Wedding Facilities
Unique outdoor wedding and reception facilities are available in the Group Area! Up to 100 persons are currently welcome in the group area. Contact Alan or Pam at (970) 858-7208 or email highline.park@state.co.us for current information. The area is open year-round by reservation ONLY! For information and fees, contact Pam or Alan at (970) 858-7208 or email highline.park@state.co.us.
(Updated: 1/6/2023 2:42 PM)