Pueblo, CO – Lake Pueblo State Park will begin winter operations on Sunday, Oct. 16. With its popular reservoir and campgrounds, the park remains open for year-round use, but with some limitations during the winter season. Throughout the winter, the mandatory boat inspection program will remain in effect.

The boat inspection program was implemented in 2008 to prevent the spread of aquatic nuisance species (ANS) that can harm water delivery systems and entire fisheries.

Lake Pueblo is open to boating 24 hours a day, but boats can only be launched when the inspection stations are open. The winter hours are 5 a.m. to 6 p.m. When the stations are closed, the gates to the boat ramps will be locked and no boats will be able to enter or leave the water.

The 2012 summer season for boating will start on March 15, 2012. Summer boat ramp and inspection station hours will be from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m.

“Boaters can still fish or stay on their boats 24 hours a day. However, they will only be able to launch and load when the ramps and inspection stations are open,” said Brad Henley, manager at Lake Pueblo State Park.

In addition to the winter boating hours, the park’s campgrounds also shift into winter mode on Oct. 16. Several areas within the park’s three campgrounds will close for the season, but year-round camping will be available.

The Juniper Breaks campground, which has basic sites without electric hook-ups, will have sites 100 through 124 open. A vault toilet facility is open to service those sites.

Electrical sites available will be Eagle View Loop 300 through 314 in the Northern Plains Campground. These electrical sites will have a restroom with vault toilets available. There will be no showers, laundry or dump stations open through the winter.

All of the sites open are available for reservation at 1-800-678-2267 or at http://parks.state.co.us/Reservations/.

A large construction project to renovate the water delivery system for the south side of the park starts in November and will continue throughout the winter months. Due to this major project, all of the Arkansas Point campground will be closed for this winter. It will close on Sunday, Oct. 16.

For specific information on the reservoir closure dates at each Colorado State Park, go to www.parks.state.co.us and select the park of your choice.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife gets everyone outdoors! Attracting more than 12 million visitors per year, Colorado’s 41 State Parks are a vital cornerstone of Colorado’s economy and quality of life. Colorado State Parks encompass 224,447 land and water acres, offering some of the best outdoor recreation destinations in the state. Colorado Parks and Wildlife is a leader in providing opportunities for outdoor recreation, protecting the state’s favorite landscapes, teaching generations about nature and partnering with communities. Colorado State Parks also manages more than 4,300 campsites, and 63 cabins and yurts. For more information on Colorado State Parks or to purchase an annual pass online, visit www.parks.state.co.us.