Campers looking to enjoy Colorado’s wilderness this summer should be prepared to bring extra water for drinking and washing their hands, even when staying at established campgrounds.
Several campgrounds across the state will be unable to provide visitors with water because their wells are low or dry amid one of the worst droughts on record, according to a spokesperson for the USDA Forest Service. Those include the Lowry, Prospector, Windy Point and Marvine campgrounds in the White River National Forest; and the Iron City, Spillway and Jefferson Creek campgrounds in the Pike-San Isabel National Forest.
Additionally, the spring-fed water supply at Sylvan Lake State Park in Eagle is critically low and may run dry during the season. The website advises filling camper tanks ahead of arriving and notes limited potable water is available at the visitor center.
Conditions can change at any time, so it’s worth contacting the local ranger where you plan to travel to see about water availability. As a rule of thumb, bring your own.
Colorado is facing drought after the winter saw record-low snowpack and an uncharacteristically warm spring. On June 2, Gov. Jared Polis declared a state of emergency to begin coordinating the state’s response to the impending lack of water.
At the local and regional level, many water utilities — including Denver Water — have enacted outdoor watering restrictions for the spring and summer. Aurora City Council is also discouraging restaurants from automatically serving water to guests, in an effort to count ‘every single drop.’
