Overview

Just 45 miles from Crested Butte, the Taylor Park Reservoir is a great place to spend a day or two boating around the reservoir and fishing and a few nights curled up underneath the stars or inside a cozy cabin. Other nearby activities in Taylor Park include ATVing, snowmobiling and dog sledding.

Fishing

Taylor Park Reservoir is filled with large mackinaw, pike and trout, and is fishable from shore, by wading or from boat. While the fishing may be busy here, there’s a reason the area is so popular, and you’ll quickly find that, despite the crowd, there are plenty of large fish to go around.

Taylor Park Marina

The Taylor Park Marina has boat rentals, a fishing shop and a restaurant and hosts special events throughout the season, like the annual Pike Derby, which awards a number of prizes for pikes based on size and quantity. The Marina is located on the southern edge of Taylor Park Reservoir, off of County Road 742. For rates and more information, call 970-641-2922 in the summer, 719-395-6484 in the winter or email diane@taylorparkmarina.com.

Campgrounds

Two campgrounds come very close to the shores of the reservoir. Both are managed by the National Forest Service.

• Lakeview Campground is located right above the reservoir, offering easy access to the lake. Reservations are recommended.
• Rivers End Campground is located on the north end of the reservoir and has campsites available on a first come, first serve basis. More info on Rivers End.

Taylor Park Trading Post

The Taylor Park Trading Post is near the eastern side of Taylor Reservoir and offers a general store with sundries and fishing gear, cabin accommodations, RV hook-ups and a restaurant. The Taylor Park Trading Post is open year-round, and offers snowmobile rentals and dog sledding in the winter months. For more information, call 970-641-2555.

Seasons

Taylor Park Reservoir is a beautiful place to visit no matter the time of year. Whether you ice fish in the winter, take advantage of the ice-melt during the spring (one of the best times to come) or brave the summer heat (probably the least prolific fishing season), you’ll find great fishing. Boating is limited to the summer and fall months (June-October), when the reservoir isn’t frozen over.

Location

Taylor Park Reservoir is located in Taylor Park, 45 miles southeast of Crested Butte. Take CO-135 south and head east on CO-742. For more information, contact the Taylor Park Marina at 970-641-2922 (summer), 719-395-6484 (winter) or diane@taylorparkmarina.com; or the Taylor Park Trading Post at 970-641-2555.