Prospect Lake in Memorial Park is the best place to paddle board in Colorado Springs for beginners: it’s small, central, has a beach and a rental stand, and is closed to motorboats on non-motorized days. For the most scenic paddle, drive up to Rampart Reservoir, a forest lake at 9,200 feet with granite boulders and views of Pikes Peak.
Colorado Springs isn’t a big water town, but it has a handful of good flatwater spots within an hour’s drive. The city’s two lakes are permit-only and easy for beginners; the reservoirs up in the national forest and down at Pueblo are bigger and wilder. Wherever you go, the water is cold for most of the year and afternoon wind arrives fast, so mornings are best.
Quick answer
- First time on a board: Prospect Lake on a Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday, when only non-motorized craft are allowed.
- Calm every day: Quail Lake, where motorboats are banned all the time.
- Most scenic: Rampart Reservoir, with Pikes Peak behind the water (bring a hard board; see the rules below).
- North of town: Monument Lake, a free, non-motorized lake with mountain views.
- A big-water day trip: Lake Pueblo State Park, about 45 miles south.
The best places to paddle board in Colorado Springs
Prospect Lake (Memorial Park)
Directions
Best for: beginners, families, SUP yoga, a quick after-work paddle. Flat water.
Prospect Lake is a 58-acre lake in Memorial Park, just east of downtown, with a beach, a boat ramp and a 1.25-mile paved loop around the shore. Pikes Peak sits on the skyline to the west, and on Labor Day weekend the lake is the launch site for the city’s hot air balloon festival.
Where to launch: From the beach or boat ramp. Every watercraft needs a city permit: a non-motorized day pass is $5 per board and an annual pass is $50 at the time of writing. Day passes are sold online and at a 24-hour kiosk by the lake; annual passes are sold at the Sertich Ice Center in Memorial Park.
What to avoid: Prospect Lake alternates between motorized and non-motorized days. The City of Colorado Springs allows non-motorized craft, including paddle boards, only on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays; motorboats have the lake on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Check before you go, because special events can also take over the lake.
Rentals and lessons: The city lists two on-site vendors at its lakes: SUP Colorado Springs, which rents paddle boards and kayaks and has operated since 2015, and Dragonfly Paddleboard Yoga.
Good to know: The lake is open sunrise to sunset. No anchors are allowed (they can damage the lake liner), swimming from a board is banned, and you can only swim at the designated beach.
Quail Lake
DirectionsBest for: beginners who want calm water any day of the week. Flat water.
Quail Lake is a city park lake in southwest Colorado Springs, between Cheyenne Mountain Boulevard and Quail Lake Road. The big advantage over Prospect Lake is that motorized watercraft are banned at Quail Lake entirely, so you can paddle here any day.
Where to launch: From the shore by the boat ramp. The same city permits apply as at Prospect Lake ($5 day pass or $50 annual pass at the time of writing), with day passes from the lakeside kiosk or online. Non-motorized hours are sunrise to sunset, daily.
Rentals and lessons: The city’s lake vendors serve Quail Lake too; SUP Colorado Springs lists rentals here as well as at Prospect Lake. Check its booking page for which lake it’s at on a given day.
Good to know: As at Prospect Lake, life jackets must be on board for every adult and worn by kids 12 and under, and you can’t swim from your board.
Monument Lake
Directions
Best for: a quiet paddle north of town, dog owners. Flat water.
Monument Lake sits above 7,000 feet in the town of Monument, north of Colorado Springs off I-25, with Mount Herman behind it. It’s non-motorized only, regularly stocked with trout, and open dawn to dusk all year.
Where to launch: From the park at 55 Mitchell Avenue, which has a large free parking lot, restrooms and picnic tables. Carry your board to the shore.
Good to know: We couldn’t find a permit requirement for paddling here, but check with the Town of Monument if you plan to paddle often. Leashed dogs are welcome at the park. Expect anglers along the shore; give their lines plenty of room.
Rampart Reservoir
Directions
Best for: scenery, a longer paddle, confident beginners and up. Flat water, but exposed to wind.
Rampart Reservoir is a forest lake in the Pike National Forest, 4.2 miles east of Woodland Park on Rampart Range Road, at 9,200 feet. Granite boulders and pine forest line the shore, and Pikes Peak fills the view to the south. It’s the most beautiful paddle near Colorado Springs, and a much bigger body of water than the city lakes.
Where to launch: From the boat ramp. The Forest Service allows hand-launched craft such as paddle boards every day from 7 am to 5 pm during the season, which runs from mid to late May until early October, depending on weather. Expect an $11 day-use fee at the time of writing. Stay at least 500 feet from the dam.
Rules to know before you go: Swimming, wading and all body contact with the water are banned, so plan on staying dry: kneel in wind and keep to calm days. The Forest Service also lists no rafts or inflatable devices. Its rules don’t say whether inflatable paddle boards count, so ask the Forest Service before you bring one, or bring a hard board. Every person needs a Coast Guard–approved life jacket on board.
Good to know: At this altitude the water is cold even in summer, and afternoon thunderstorms are common. Paddle in the morning, wear your life jacket, and head for shore at the first sign of a storm.
Lake Pueblo State Park
Directions
Best for: a big-lake day trip, warmer water. Flat water in coves; open water can get rough.
Lake Pueblo is a 4,600-acre reservoir run by Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), about 45 miles south of Colorado Springs. It’s far bigger and busier than anything in town, with powerboats, sailboats and anglers, but CPW says the water is great for paddle boarding as long as you watch for no-wake zones and boat traffic.
Where to launch: Pick a no-wake area or a sheltered cove rather than the open main lake. A state parks vehicle pass is required.
Good to know: Hand-launched, human-powered craft like paddle boards are exempt from CPW’s mandatory aquatic nuisance species inspection, but CPW asks you to clean, drain and dry your board before every launch. The reservoir averages 40 to 100 feet deep and water levels change through the year, so hidden hazards can appear near shore.
When to go
Paddling season around Colorado Springs runs from late spring to early fall. CPW classes Colorado’s water as “cold water,” meaning under 70°F, for most of the year, and cold-water shock can drown strong swimmers. Wear your life jacket rather than just carrying it, and dress for a fall in. Our wetsuit check uses water and air temperature to tell you what to wear.
- Late May to June: lakes open (Rampart’s season starts mid to late May), but the water is at its coldest.
- July to August: warmest water and the busiest lakes. Thunderstorms build most afternoons.
- September: often the best month, with fewer people and settled weather, until Rampart closes in early October.
- Time of day: go early. CPW warns that wind usually comes from the west in the early afternoon, and wind is the main reason paddlers fall in. Summer storms build fast, often from the west.
Planning a loop around Rampart? Our Trip time calculator estimates how long it’ll take at your pace.
Rules and safety in Colorado Springs
Colorado treats a paddle board as a vessel. According to Colorado Parks and Wildlife:
- Life jacket: carry a Coast Guard–approved life jacket for each person. Children 12 and younger must wear one whenever the board is on the water. See our pick of the best PFDs for SUP.
- Sound device: carry a whistle or horn.
- Invasive mussels: hand-launched paddle boards are exempt from mandatory inspections, but clean, drain and dry your board between lakes.
Local rules on top of that:
- City permits: every board on Prospect Lake or Quail Lake needs a city day or annual permit.
- Non-motorized days: paddle boards are allowed on Prospect Lake only on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
- No body contact at Rampart Reservoir, no inflatable devices, and stay 500 feet from the dam.
- No swimming from your board on city lakes, and no anchors on Prospect Lake.
- Lightning: the city bans all watercraft during electrical storms. Get off the water when you hear thunder.
FAQ
Where can beginners paddle board in Colorado Springs?
Prospect Lake, on a Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday, or Quail Lake on any day. Both are small, calm, motorboat-free on those days, and have rentals on site.
Do I need a permit to paddle board in Colorado Springs?
Yes, on the city lakes. Prospect Lake and Quail Lake require a non-motorized permit, $5 a day or $50 a year at the time of writing. Rampart Reservoir has a day-use fee, and Lake Pueblo needs a state parks pass.
Can I paddle board at Rampart Reservoir?
Yes, during its May-to-October season, from 7 am to 5 pm. Body contact with the water is banned, and inflatable devices aren’t allowed, so check with the Forest Service before bringing an inflatable board.
Can I take my dog paddle boarding near Colorado Springs?
Monument Lake welcomes leashed dogs in the park, and it’s non-motorized, so it’s a good choice. Read how to paddle board with a dog first and put your dog in a life jacket.
What size board do I need at altitude?
Altitude doesn’t change board size, but cold water and afternoon wind make stability matter more. Our Board Fitter suggests a size based on your weight and how you’ll paddle, and our guide to the best conditions for paddle boarding explains how much wind is too much.
