White River National Forest officials have released a proposal that would turn the idyllic Sweetwater Lake property in Garfield County over to Colorado Parks and Management for management and improvements. The USFS is now taking public comment on the plan.
Nestled between picturesque limestone cliffs, 14 miles north of Glenwood Canyon and a mile from the Flat Tops Wilderness, the lake and surrounding land once was a small resort dating back to the 1920s which fell into disrepair. The forest service acquired the majority of the 832-acre site in 2021 as a way to prevent private development.
But because the forest service lacks the resources to manage it, the federal agency asked CPW to take on the job. The site would remain forest service land.
In October of 2021, Gov. Jared Polis traveled to Sweetwater Lake to announce that it would become Colorado’s 43rd state park. The news alarmed local residents who feared that the relatively small site and 10-mile country road leading to it could be overwhelmed by visitors.
So far, the land hasn’t become a state park, however. Whether it does is yet to be determined.
In the meantime, the forest service has been formulating a management plan, which was released last week. According to the Sweetwater Lake Proposed Action, the agency wants to:
Authorize a 20-year special use permit with CPW to implement improvements and manage the property.
Redesign the site to promote better recreational opportunities.
Evaluate existing structures for possible retention and possibly restore retained buildings, in a style appropriate to the historic character of the site. Buildings there, some of which may be beyond repair, were built from 1920-40.
Possibly remove ramshackle structures that are in “a state of severe deferred maintenance.”
Develop 15-20 new primitive or semi-primitive campsites and convert the cramped existing nine-site campground into a day-use picnic area.
Construct up to 12 new primitive or semi-primitive cabins.
Move the existing equestrian area, provide a new barn and stables, and create new overnight equestrian campsites.
Construct a new lodge building.
Other aspects of the plan include creating new access points to the lake, closing wetlands and a historic pasture north of the lake to human entry, creating maintenance facilities and housing for site managers and maintenance personnel.
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A 90-day public comment period runs through Aug. 5. Public meetings will be held on June 5 in Glenwood Springs and June 6 in Gypsum.
“The proposed action is not set in stone, and may change based on public comments and the environmental analysis in the Environmental Impact Statement,” the forest service wrote in a fact sheet. “The more detailed the comments, the more effective they will be.”
The public can comment online through the forest service website.
Sweetwater Lake is in an idyllic setting 14 miles north of Glenwood Canyon in Garfield County. (Tom Lotshaw/provided by Colorado governor’s office)