• Menu
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Uncover Colorado Logo

  • Blog
  • Activities
  • Events
  • Towns
  • Lodging
  • Dining
  • Transport
  • Made in CO
  • Search
  • Blog
  • Activities
  • Events
  • Towns
  • Lodging
  • Dining
  • Transport
  • Made in CO
  • Search
Hartsel Colorado
Looking west on Highway 24 in downtown Hartsel, CO.

Hartsel, Colorado

8
SHARES
FacebookTwitter

Founded in 1880, Hartsel is known as “The Heart of Colorado”, due to its location at the geographic center of Colorado. Highway 24 runs through the commercial strip, which offers a restaurant, coffeehouse, gas station and a few stores.

Outdoor recreation is the main draw to the area. The South Platte River flows through town offering great trout fishing year round. Hunting is also popular on nearby federal lands and state wildlife areas. The town also gets a lot of traffic because of it’s near the intersection of Highway 9 and Highway 24.

Hartsel sits at 8,864 feet above sea level and covers 605 square miles of relatively flat land in South Park basin. In 2010 there were 909 reported residents.

Hartsel Colorado Panorama Spinney Mountain Reservoir
Overlooking Hartsel to west from Pike-San Isabel; Spinney Mountain Reservoir far left, downtown can’t see but in far center.

History

The town was named for Samuel Hartsel, a local cattle rancher and farmer who lived in the area from 1860 through 1908. He came to mine but soon realized how to make more money. He took his 160 homestead to 10,000 acres. He developed the Hartsel hot springs that the area became known for. The hot springs resort is closed now today, but you can still see the ruins nearby downtown.

Main Attractions

Antero Reservoir – Built in 1909 as the first dam placed on the South Platte River. Located 15 minutes west of downtown Hartsel, it’s open to fishing and boating.

Antero Reservoir South Shore Pier
South Shore Pier of Antero Reservoir.

Recreation

Camping – Camping is easy to come by in South Park, especially if you know where to look. There are campgrounds scattered in all directions from Hartsel, and even some free dispersed camping opportunities.

  • While nearby Spinney Mountain State Park doesn’t have camping, Eleven Mile State Park does. It has lakeside campgrounds perfect for both tents and RVs and even some “backcountry” hike-in camping.

Read about the Camping near Hartsel, around South Park.

Fishing – Fishing is what Hartsel does best. The South Platte River runs past town, offering numerous public access points, as well as emptying into multiple reservoirs open to fishing and boating.

  • Antero Reservoir, Spinney Mountain Reservoir, or Eleven Mile Reservoir are all great lakes to go fishing. You can even boat at them, with Eleven Mile being the largest.
  • Follow the South Platte River around town and you’ll find spots to go fishing. It’s pretty easy to find, you’ll pass over the South Platte where Highway 9 meets with Highway 24, only a mile or so west of downtown Hartsel.
  • The “Dream Stream” is a famous portion of the South Platte River near town. You can find its treasured waters between Spinney and Eleven Mile state parks. It’s even mappable on Google maps.

Hiking – Do some lakeside trekking at any of the aforementioned three lakes.

  • Head to Eleven Mile State Park in nearby Lake George for nearly 5 miles in trails at the Coyote Ridge area. Take a self guided tour on the Nature Trail or Orienteering Trail.
  • The San Isabel National Forest lies to the southwest of town. The Pike National Forest lies in nearly all other directions from town, but you access it quickly by heading east on Highway 24 to the woods. Meander around the nature in either of these national forests for a fun filled day, or find a designated trail and go on a real hike.

Accommodations



Booking.com

Read about the Top 9 Cool Hotels by Fairplay.

Welcome to Hartsel!
City limits.
Cafe and art shop.
Gas station and general store.
East on Highway 24.
Sheriff's Office.
Hartsel Jail.
Interpretive signs.
Heritage.
Recreation.
Area map.
Hot springs for lease.
Original Hartsel Hot Springs buildings.
Old train depot in distance.
Downtown Hartsel.
Highline Cafe & Saloon.
There's both a diner and bar side.
The Country Store of Hartsel.
Houses in town.
Hartsel Springs Ranch lots for sale.
Badger Basin.
Hartsel Fire Rescue.
Hartsel Community Library.
Historic schoolhouse.
Valley Drive.
Red barn.
Fishing hole.
South Platte River.
West on Highway 24.

Activities near Hartsel

Federal Lands:

  • Antero Reservoir (7mi)
  • Guffey Gorge (39mi)
  • Pike National Forest
  • San Isabel National Forest
  • Tarryall Reservoir (49mi)

Hot Springs:

  • Cottonwood (34mi)
  • Mount Princeton (36mi)

Landmarks:

  • South Platte River

Scenic Drives:

  • Wilkerson Pass (15mi)

Ski Areas:

  • Breckenridge Ski Resort (41mi)
  • Ski Cooper (66mi)

State Parks:

  • Arkansas Headwaters (23mi+)
  • Eleven Mile (19mi)
  • Spinney Mountain (16mi)

Towns:

  • Alma (24mi)
  • Breckenridge (41mi)
  • Buena Vista (28mi)
  • Cañon City (57mi)
  • Coaldale (68mi)
  • Como (28mi)
  • Cotopaxi (70mi)
  • Cripple Creek (48mi)
  • Deckers (68mi)
  • Divide (38mi)
  • Fairplay (18mi)
  • Florissant (30mi)
  • Frisco (49mi)
  • Grant (46mi)
  • Green Mountain Falls (50mi)
  • Guffey (27mi)
  • Jefferson (34mi)
  • Johnson Village (26mi)
  • Lake George (26mi)
  • Leadville (55mi)
  • Nathrop (31mi)
  • Penrose (68mi)
  • Poncha Springs (48mi)
  • Salida (48mi)
  • Texas Creek (66mi)
  • Victor (53mi)
  • Woodland Park (45mi)

Latest in Hartsel

Antero Reservoir Lakeside Campground Hartsel CO

Camping near Fairplay, Alma, Como, Hartsel and Jefferson, around South Park

Like most of the Rockies, the more time you spend in South Park the more you…

Camping near Fairplay, Alma, Como, Hartsel and Jefferson, around South ParkRead More

I Heart South Park Colorado Jefferson CO Store Banner

Lesser Known Aspects of the Small Towns in South Park, Colorado

South Park Colorado is a high alpine basin at 9,000+ feet elevation, nestled between a ring…

Lesser Known Aspects of the Small Towns in South Park, ColoradoRead More

Black Tree Resort, Colorado

Top 9 Cool & Unusual Hotels by Fairplay

Be in the center of it all, but yet still feel like a million miles away…

Top 9 Cool & Unusual Hotels by FairplayRead More

Primary Sidebar

Join our Colorado travel community

Enter your email below and grab our free locals' guide and monthly what's up designed to help you live your Colorado life and uncover fun things to do. —and never miss out again.

Park County

  • All Towns
  • Park County
  • Alma
  • Bailey
  • Como
  • Fairplay
  • Grant
  • Guffey
  • Hartsel
  • Jefferson
  • Lake George
  • Shawnee

Footer

Get In Touch

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Write For Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Resources
Facebook Instagram Pinterest Twitter

Disclosure: Uncover Colorado is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Things To Do

  • Travel Blog
  • Colorado Activities
  • Colorado Events
  • Colorado Towns
  • Colorado Hotels
  • Colorado Restaurants
  • Colorado Transportation
  • Made in Colorado

Visit Mile High Happy Hour for Denver neighborhoods' restaurant happy hours.

Winter Activities

  • Camping
  • Cross Country Skiing
  • Federal Lands
  • Hot Springs
  • Ice Skating
  • Skiing and Snowboarding
  • Snow Tubing
  • State Parks

Vacation like a VIP! Leisurely Lifestyle shares life and travel hacks, as well as cheap luxury travel.

Copyright © 2021 · Uncover Colorado - Vacations, Travel & Tourism | Sitemap | Privacy Policy | Disclaimer