Pearl Lake State Park – Clark, CO | Activities at Pearl Lake near Steamboat Springs

Surrounded by wilderness in Northwest Colorado, Pearl Lake State Park is a true escape from the hustle and bustle. It’s located about 30 minutes north of Steamboat Springs and across County Road 129 from busier and bigger Steamboat Lake State Park.

The year round state park is a wonderful retreat centered around a beautiful alpine lake. You can camp here and rent one of two yurts. It’s more difficult to access during the winter, generally just offering snowshoeing and cross country skiers a set of trails to use, as well as renting the two yurts. Camping and boating are closed down for the winter.

Activities at Pearl Lake

Pearl Lake Blue Water Colorado — Pearl Lake blue water. Photo: Michael Kirsh

Boating: Open May 1 through November 1 each year. The 167 acre reservoir is open to wakeless-only boating.

Camping: Yes, 36 sites, snowy conditions usually permit camping from late May through mid-October. Winter camping is closed, yurts are still available for rent.

Peak fee (May through Sept), Non-peak fee (Oct thru April)
Yurts- 2 available for nightly rental, electric heat and power, ceiling fan and light, 2 sets of bunk beds.
Nearby Steamboat Lake keeps 14 electrical sites open in winter.

Read about the Camping near Steamboat Springs, Clark and Oak Creek.

Pearl Lake State Park Yurt — Yurt rentals are open year round.

Fishing: Restricted to flies and artificial lures. Fishing, no bait fishing. 2 fish bag limit, must be over 18 inches. Cutthroat trout common.

Hiking: Hike from boat ramp to the dam, then connect with Coulton Creek Trail on the Routt National Forest.

Pearl Lake Connection Trail (0.6mi) – A nice short, 1 hour round-trip hike from the boat ramp to the damn and back. Excellent views of Pearl Lake and Farewell Mountain; Possibility of connecting with Coulton Creek Trail for up to 6 miles one way.

Winter Recreation: Park and facilities are only accessible by snowshoe, cross-country ski or snowmobile in winter. Area gets over 300 inches of snow each year.

Cross-Country Skiing – Permitted, but no groomed trails.
Ice Fishing – Available during winter months, conditions permitting.
Snowshoeing – Plenty of places to snowshoe around.
Snowmobiling – Permitted during winter season.
Winter Camping (Yurts) – Trail to yurts is about 1/2 mile long and only accessible by snowshoe, ski, snowmobile.

Pearl Lake.