Contact Information
70 County Road 502
Walsenburg, CO 81089
719-738-2376
Lathrop State Park features two reservoirs with a combined surface acreage of 320 acres. These reservoirs are fed by the Coler Ditch from the Cucharas River and named Martin and Horseshoe Lakes. Recreation opportunities in the park are focus around these two bodies of water. The park is open year-round and provides camping facilities for the warmer months. As you enter the park you'll pass a visitor center with some historical murals that shouldn't be missed. An intersection shortly after the entrance provides access to all areas of the park. Turning right at this intersection will bring you to the dam on the eastern side of Martin Lake. East of the dam is the Yucca Campground that includes 19 individual campsites and two group sites. Each site has a table and grill. Vault toilets and water hydrants are also provided in this campground. Also east of the dam is a picnic area and wheelchair accessible fishing area.
Immediately north of the fishing area is a nine-hole golf course and clubhouse. North of the clubhouse is the Piqon Campground, which is a modern area with 79 paved sites. Each site includes a table, grill and access to a visitor services building with showers, laundry facility and flush toilets. Half of these sites have electricity and a playground is located close to the campground. A dump station is located at the entrance to the campground. The Hogback Ridge Trail forms a loop immediately west of Piqon Campground. South of the campground, on the lake shore is a picnic ground and several fishing access sites.
Continuing to the western shore of Martin Lake you'll pass a picnic area with one group site that can hold approximately 110 people. There are several individual picnic sites immediately south of the group site. Both of these have access to the lake and fishing. In the southwestern corner of Martin Lake is a swimming area, boat launch and designated water skiing area. Picnic sites are also available on the southwestern shore.
The eastern shore of Horseshoe Lake supports all facilities. The southern most facility is a boat ramp. (No wake boating is permitted on this lake.) Several fishing sites line the eastern shore two of them being piers. A second boat ramp lies on the northeastern shoreline of Horseshoe Lake.
Recreation at Lathrop State Park is water-based. The lakes support good fishing and are well-stocked with trout, catfish, bass, bluegill, crappie, walleye, wipers and muskies. Between the two lakes visitors can participate in sailing, boating, windsurfing and water skiing. On the terrain surrounding the lake visitors can enjoy picnicking, camping, golf and hiking.
This region has one of the warmer climates in Colorado. It lies at 6,180 feet, in a semiarid landscape. The topography provides hot summers and mild winters, although Pueblo easily succumbs to cold snaps that pervade the eastern plains of the state. Generally, the winter temperatures range from the 60 to 30 degrees Fahrenheit. Summer temperatures can reach in to triple digits. Usually the daytime highs reach 90 and drop to 80 degrees at night.
