Lathrop State Park Camping
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Overview
A brief introduction to Lathrop State Park
Lathrop State Park is a Colorado state park located 3 miles (4.8 km) west of Walsenburg. The state purchased the property in 1962 and opened Colorado's first state park here later that same year. It is named after Harold Lathrop, the first director of state parks. The park features two lakes, Martin Lake and Horseshoe Lake, that offer fishing for tiger muskie (46-inch, 25-pound examples have been caught here), rainbow trout, bass, catfish, northern pike, blue gill, saugeye, and wipers.
The park also offers a beach, boating, water skiing, wind surfing, jet skiing, picnicking, hiking, wildlife viewing, camping, and a nine-hole golf course.
Lathrop is the only Colorado state park with its own golf course. The Walsenburg Golf Course was founded in 1965 and after two years of construction opened in 1967. It was built by 50 Walsenburg citizens and many local volunteers in a public/private partnership. The course's restaurant/lounge overlooks the lakes and the National Natural Landmark Spanish Peaks.
Over 153,000 visitors passed through Lathrop State Park in 2021, the latest year for which figures are available.
ARE Lathrop State Park campsites SOLD OUT?
We can help! Many campsite reservations are cancelled daily. Just tell us when you’d like to camp at Lathrop State Park, and how long you want to camp for. We’ll text you when a suitable spot opens up!
Scan for cancellationsContact Lathrop State Park
- Reserve America
- Booking site: https://www.reserveamerica.com
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Other nearby parks
Open to camping at other nearby parks? Here are a few other parks you'll find in the vicinity.
Reviews
Camper reviews for Lathrop State Park
Okay, but nickel and diming killed the mood...
This park is less of a destination, and more of a stopping point on the way to somewhere else. I was happy about the sites having electric hookups, but the amenities after that aren't so great. The showers are coin operated($0.50 for 4 minutes) and they don't have a proper showerhead on them. It was like standing under a low pressure water hose. At least the water was hot. Also, on top of the campsite fee, you have to buy a daily pass for the park, at $10. So, after reserving a campsite online for just over $38, the bill comes out to $48 + the dollar or so I spent on a shower. A few pros: the sites are all about a mile away from the highway(US-160) so there isn't much noise at night. The sites mostly have juniper trees, which are about 10ft tall and offer some privacy and shade.
Jimmy Slaughter reviewed Lathrop State Park
on September 27th, 2023
Map
View a map of Lathrop State Park
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