Colorado’s 43rd state park is the first of its kind — it sits on Forest Service land. In 2021, the White River National Forest took ownership of the 488-acre Sweetwater Lake parcel adjacent to the Flat Tops Wilderness. The state park designation is the result of work by the Eagle Valley Land Trust and funding from the Land and Water Conservation Fund.
The Colorado Sun reports, “The remote acreage has been eyed by wealthy investors for development of golf courses, a private community of luxury homes and even a water bottling plant.” A 2019 memorandum of understanding between the Forest Service and the State of Colorado provided the framework for the new state park, which is supported by the county, local municipalities, and local residents.
