John Martin Reservoir State Park

30703 Road 24 Hasty, Colorado 81044 / (719) 829-1801

johnmartin.statepark@state.co.us

John Martin Reservoir has been called the sapphire of the plains and rightly so. As I traveled west on US 50 from Lake Scott State Park, I was once again immersed in an unchanging landscape with only the occasional small town and vibrant fragrance of feed lots to break-up the monotony. Wow are those things are ripe! I thought I had stepped in something 5 miles later but I digress.

Although the landscape was still the same when I turned left onto the park road my eyes began to bug out as the deep blue waters of John Martin Reservoir came into view. Colorado is famous for its majestic mountain peaks but after a long journey across the prairie, John Martin Reservoir was an awesome site to behold.

The dam, built between 1939 and 1948, impedes the flow of the Arkansas River running from Buena Vista, Colorado to the Mississippi River. It was built as an irrigation and flood-control project by the Corp. of Engineers (COE) and as a result it formed the John Martin Reservoir. The Arkansas River is an impressive body of water ranking as the 2nd largest tributary of the Mississippi River (Missour River #1) and the 6th longest river in the United States. Just a few weeks ago I camped on the banks of this same River at Maumelle Park, west of Little Rock, Arkansas. I was amazed and surprised that it stretched so far.

Nature abounds at John Martin Reservoir

As the largest lake in Colorado there are great opportunities for fishing, boating, and wildlife viewing. The deep blue waters of John Martin are home to several sport fish including Large and Smallmouth Bass, White Bass, Striped Bass, Wiper, Walleye, Saugeye Crappie and Catfish.

If birding is your thing then John Martin is a premier destination, boasting an impressive 415 documented species which includes the threatened Piping Plover and the endangered Interior Least Tern. During my short stay I spotted White Pelicans, Turkey, Greater Yellow Legs, Solitary Sandpipers, Cormorants, a Great Horned Owl, an Osprey, Western Meadowlark and a few that even I was unable to identify.

Camping opportunities

The state park has 213 campsites which can accommodate RV’s, Tents and trailers. Each site is equipped with a covered picnic table and fire ring. Within the park there are two separate campgrounds, Lake Hasty and the Point Campground. Lake Hasty is located below the dam and is broken into 2 sections. One section is close to Lake Hasty and provides ample shade under large trees. The other section is near the dam and more exposed. Both sections provide electrical hook ups and have modern restrooms nearby. On this trip I stayed in the area near the dam which was virtually empty.

The Point Campground is located above the Dam on the north shore of the lake. The sites have no utilities or shade and are categorized as basic. However the sites are large, mostly pull throughs and many of the sites have a great view of the lake. During my stay there were only 2 fifth wheels occupying the entire Point Campground. I think the next time I visit I will save five bucks a night and stay out there and enjoy the solitude, stars and lake views. After all what good is a 10,000 HP diesel generator if you are always plugged in?

It is a short 20 minute drive to the City of Lamar. Larmar is a vibrant little town with a Walmart, fast food restaurants, local restaurants, gas stations, churches and even a movie theater. The Verizon signal was good in the park and HD TV signal poor below the dam. However a quick drive to the top of the dam both signals improve greatly.

John Martin Reservoir State Park is definitely on my repeat list of campgrounds as it has all that I enjoy; solitude, nature, birds, great fishing and plenty of empty campsites.

I would like to give a special thanks to the camp host Heath Martin. He took great care of the place and I could tell he really took pride in campground he served. Oh and did I mention he is a fellow BUCKEYE? He lived Wadsworth, Ohio which was only 30 minutes of my home town of Akron. It was great meeting him and hearing about his camp hosting experiences and living as a Full Time RVer.

How do I reserve my site?

Effective January 1, 2019 all sites at this park (I think all Colorado State Parks) will be available by reservation ONLY.  If you wish to occupy a site at this park, you may reserve it 24/7 at www.cpwshop.com​​, by calling 1-800-244-5613, or during business hours at the Visitor Center. Walk-up reservations at the Visitor Center are accepted but are dependent upon site availability. There is an additional $8.00 per day vehicle fee which can purchased at the guard house or Visitor Center. This fee is in addition to your reservation fee and is required for any vehicle (other than RV) that you park at any of the facilities (i.e. boat ramps, trailheads and picnic areas).

If you are in Colorado and want to Lose Track of Time watching waves, catching fish, birdwatching, chasing Jack Rabbits or enjoying sunsets then don’t pass up the John Martin Reservoir State Park. It truly is a Sapphire on the Plains.