Discover the most magical spots to pitch your tent or park your rig on your next Paonia State Park adventure.























Situated in a canyon surrounding the long, narrow Paonia Reservoir, this state camp is a popular choice for campers and water skiing enthusiasts in the summer months and cross-country skiers come winter. The park feels a bit wilder than the average Colorado State Park, with wildflowers, mountain scenery, and a two-mile long reservoir, but not much in terms of creature comforts. In other words, if you want to camp here, be prepared to bring your own drinking water—facilities are limited to two primitive campgrounds with vault toilets, picnic tables, and fire rings (though one does have a boat launch).
Paonia State Park is open throughout the year. While some people come here for cross-country skiing during the snowy winter, the park is at its most popular in the summer months when the weather is warm enough for camping and water sports. Boating is allowed in the park from mid-June until usually about August, depending on the water level. Once the water gets too low to use the boat ramp, only carry-on boats are permitted.