If joyful enthusiasm about your place of work is an indicator, then Michelle Suebert loves her job as the Manager of Barr Lake State Park. Suebert joined me on the radio and you could virtually “hear” her smile over the phone.
Her enthusiasm is well founded. Located just 20 minutes northeast of Denver, Barr Lake offers some form of outdoor recreation for everyone. Bicyclists of all ages and abilities, nature hikers and horseback riders enjoy the level 8.8-mile multi-use trail that circles the lake, passing by several wildlife viewing stations and the park’s wildlife refuge. More than 350 species of birds have been spotted in the park. Numerous bald eagles each winter at Barr Lake and one pair stays to nest and raise its young every year.
Barr Lake’s Nature Center has displays about the park’s wildlife and you can have your questions answered by a naturalist. The Barr Lake boardwalk is situated over the park’s beautiful wildlife reserve, where green tree canopies and glittering waters overwhelm the senses. Its level wooden surface makes it easily traversable for young children, and any wildlife enthusiast who prefers a smooth path. Featuring gazebos and benches overlooking the quiet lake, the boardwalk offers the perfect perch for birdwatching and photography.
Although the walk is peaceful, there’s never a dull moment if you’re paying attention: splashing carp, diving grebes and hundreds of bird species offer endless entertainment. Gather educational materials online or at the nature center, or ask a park naturalist about all you will see.
An archery range is available at Barr Lake featuring 12 shooting lanes with heavy-duty targets. The targets vary from 10 to 100 yards, giving novice and advance shooters alike, the opportunity to develop their skills. Only field or target-tips are permitted, but hunters who are prepping for the big-game seasons may shoot broadheads in designated lanes. Shooters may also provide their own targets on broadhead and open lanes. You can ever try the new 3-D target course. Bull elk, dinosaurs and epic sunsets are just a few of the attractions you’ll find at the archery range. Barr Lake is the latest state park to offer archery to its visitors as part of an ongoing effort by Colorado Parks and Wildlife to develop more public shooting ranges across the state.
Fishing enthusiasts and boaters, including kayakers and canoeists, enjoy the lake’s calm waters as powerboats are limited to electric trolling or gasoline motors 10 horsepower or less. Channel catfish, small and large-mouth bass, perch, rainbow trout, walleye, bluegill, wiper and tiger muskie are among the species that inhabit the waters of Barr Lake. The lake is closed to boating for the season, but anglers have been doing quite well from shore. Being an irrigation impoundment the lake is filling. The rising water tends to move fish toward the shore. There should be open water fishing available for at least a couple more weeks. Then as the lake freezes over it can provide some great ice fishing for species like trout, perch and walleye.
Suebert doesn’t just enjoy overseeing the park she is constantly putting on special activities to promote and enhance the experience at Barr Lake State Park. In the next few weeks, there will be a Holiday Open House featuring discounted items from the Nature Center that will make great Christmas gifts. There will be a holiday trail walk that will be lit and the guys from Tightline Outdoors will be doing ice fishing classes.
For times and dates of activities and additional information on Barr Lake can be found on the .
Listen to the full interview with Suebert below.
https://soundcloud.com/1043thefan/michelle-seubert-terry-wickstrom-outdoors-112616
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