Departed picnic table

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.

We recommend that you do not use the geocache description Driving Directions printed below the latitude and longitude coordinates. Using the Driving Directions could have you parking and walking on private land outside the Lathrop State Park boundary fence. You may be issued a citation and/or have your vehicle towed. There is one fence within Lathrop SP that separates Martin Lake and Horseshoe Lake. This fence has two roads to travel from one lake to the other for you to use. Please use your park map that you were issued when you entered the park to see the park boundary fence.

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 catch able 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.

In 1960 The City of Walsenburg decided to construct many recreational structures in the area for Martin Lake Park. Some of the prairie potholes in this geocache area had levees built to hold more water for recreational purposes. Prairie potholes are depressions in the land formed thousands of years ago as a result of retreating glaciers during the last Ice Age. In the early 20th Century the City of Walsenburg dammed a few prairie potholes to enlarge the present Martin Lake and Horseshoe Lake.

The city also built picnic areas around Martin Lake and Horseshoe Lake. This geocache has the remains of a picnic table and its roof for shade. This geocache is west of Horseshoe Lake and also west of several ponds. There is evidence of a picnic area, but no evidence of camping sites or fire rings

The developer of this geocache has walked many times through the park on abandoned service roads, parallel cow paths and cross-country for enjoyment and often comes across neat things of the near and distant past. This area to the west of the ponds and Horseshoe Lake was one of the large picnic areas. You may have walked a park service road before turning north cross-county to the cache.