Fight the tiger

The park terrain except for the hogback is flat averaging 6425 feet of elevation. The hogback on the park north boundary gains 40 feet of elevation in the west and increased to 140 of elevation in the east. Much of the park ground cover is prairie and juniper prickly with scattered candelabra cholla. The park woodlands are primarily juniper and piñon. Exotic woodlands are cottonwood and Russian olive. The area west of Horseshoe Lake is partially marsh land with cattails and bulrush.

Lathrop State Park, while sitting in the shadows of the Spanish Peaks, has the honor of being Colorado’s 1st State Park and covers 1594 acres. The main features of the park are its two lakes; Martin Lake, which covers about 180 surface-acres; and Horseshoe Lake which covers 150 surface-acres. Both host a wide range of water activities and catchable fish.

Lathrop State Park is 3 miles west of Walsenburg via US Hwy. 160. Entrance to Lathrop State Park requires a park pass that can be purchased at the visitor center for display on your vehicle windshield. There is also a self-serve station near the park entrance, to purchase a pass if the visitor center is closed. The visitor center sells annual parks passes as well. Colorado disabled veterans displaying Colorado Disabled Veteran (DV) license plates are admitted free without a pass.

Beginning on Memorial Day weekend and ending on Labor Day weekend, each Friday and a different illustrated or “talks-and-props” presentation is offered at the amphitheater. History, geology, and wildlife of the area are just some of the many programs presented.

Lathrop’s picnic areas, which received an outdoor recreation award for America’s Top 15 Picnic Areas, are situated around both Martin Lake and Horseshoe Reservoir. Each table has a stand up fire grill, and most tables are shaded. Picnic tables are on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Keep your eyes peeled for the many bird species that inhabit the park year-round!

Be aware that there are rattlesnakes in the park.

1986 through 1999 several game fish were established into Martin Lake and Horseshoe Lake. The tiger muskie a hybrid of a muskellunge and northern pike, and can easily grow to 3 feet in length that will give anglers a tough fight. The tiger muskie is only in Horseshoe Lake. The largemouth bass, wiper, a cross between a white bass and a striped bass, were also established into Martin Lake and Horseshoe lake. In the late 1990’s Northern pike were discovered in the lakes that came from an unknown source. Live Northern Pike used as bait is suspected as the source.