Pueblo Activities

Pueblo's mild climate makes it a popular destination for boating, fishing, and other outdoor recreation, with several major stops for the region's outdoor enthusiasts.

Watersport aficionados are drawn to Lake Pueblo State Park (also called Pueblo Reservoir), which boasts some 4,500 surface acres of water and 60 miles of shoreline. There's boating of all kinds, plus swimming, hiking, biking, and horseback riding. The park's North Marina (tel. 719/547-3880) provides a gas dock, boating and fishing supplies, groceries, and a restaurant. The South Marina (tel. 719/564-1043; www.thesouthshoremarina.com) provides the same services and also rents pontoon boats ($120-$160 for 4 hours and $240-$320 for 9 hours, plus fuel) and fishing boats ($80-$100 for 4 hours and $160-$200 for 9 hours, plus fuel), April through October.

The Rock Canyon Swim Beach (tel. 719/564-0065) at the east end of the park is open Memorial Day through Labor Day daily from 11am to 7pm, and has lifeguards on duty. There's a five-story, three-flume water slide, plus rentals of bumper boats and paddle boats, and a snack bar. Entrance to the beach costs $1 in addition to the general park admission fee.

Pueblo Lake is popular among anglers trying for rainbow trout, brown trout, crappie, black bass, and channel catfish, and there's a free fish-cleaning station.

Lake Pueblo State Park has about 400 campsites, some with electric and water hookups. A dump station and showers are available, and camping rates are $14 to $22 May 1 through Labor Day; $12 to $20 the rest of the year. Camping reservations are available for an extra charge of $8 by calling tel. 800/678-2267, or through the state parks website listed below. Day use costs $5 per vehicle, and campers must pay this in addition to camping fees. From Pueblo, take U.S. 50 west for 4 miles, turn south onto Pueblo Boulevard and go another 4 miles to Thatcher Avenue, then turn west and go 6 miles to the park. For information, contact the park office at tel. 719/561-9320, or go to www.parks.state.co.us.

Pueblo's $28-million Historic Arkansas Riverwalk of Pueblo (HARP) covers some 26 acres (which, as you may have noticed, brings the cost to just over $1 million per acre). This beautifully landscaped waterfront park has pedestrian and bike paths, benches, sculptures, gardens, and natural areas that provide good wildlife-viewing opportunities. Pedal-boat rentals are available from early April through late September on a small lake along the Riverwalk, daily in summer and weekends only at the beginning and end of the season. Rates are $6 per half-hour for a one-person boat and $10 per half-hour for a two-to-four-seater boat. Excursion boat rides along the Arkansas take place on weekends in April, and operate daily from May through late September. Rates for the narrated 25-minute tours are $5 adults, $4 for seniors and members of the military, and $3 for children 3 to 12. Hours for both pedal-boat rentals and the excursion-boat rides vary throughout the season; call the boathouse (tel. 719/595-1589) for the schedule. The Riverwalk is located near the south end of the Union Avenue Historic District (see "What to See & Do"), and is easily accessed via Main Street. For information, contact HARP Authority, 200 W. First St., Suite 303, Pueblo, CO 81003 (tel. 719/595-0242; www.puebloharp.com).

Also in town, stop at City Park, northeast of the intersection of Pueblo Boulevard (Colo. 45) and Thatcher Avenue. The park, home to the Pueblo Zoo , covers some 200 acres, and offers 2 fishing lakes, 17 tennis courts, a swimming pool (open in summer), and playgrounds. There's also a beautiful hand-carved antique carousel built in 1911, with music provided by a 1920 Wurlitzer Military Band Organ. The carousel is open evenings and Sunday afternoons in summer; the park is open daily year-round. For information, call the Pueblo Parks and Recreation Department (tel. 719/566-1745).

For information on hiking, backpacking, mountain biking, and fishing in nearby lands under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Service, contact the headquarters of the Pike and San Isabel National Forests and Comanche and Cimarron National Grasslands, 2840 Kachina Dr., Pueblo, CO 81008 (tel. 719/553-1400; www.fs.fed.us/r2).

Local golf courses open to the public include Walking Stick, 4301 Walking Stick Blvd. (tel. 719/584-3400), at the northwest corner of the University of Southern Colorado. Rated among Colorado's best courses and best values, this 18-hole course has a driving range and charges $26 to $28 for 18 holes. Other local courses include Elmwood at City Park, 3900 Thatcher Ave. (tel. 719/561-4946), with an 18-hole regulation course plus executive 9-hole course. Greens fees for 18 holes are $24 to $26. Desert Hawk Golf Course at Pueblo West, 251 S. McCulloch Blvd. (tel. 719/547-2280), is an 18-hole regulation course with greens fees for 18 holes from $25 to $32.