Monument and Palmer Lake

The towns of Monument and Palmer Lake are home to a couple of inviting paddleboard spots in the highlands between Castle Rock and Colorado Springs.  This area, along the Palmer Divide, is hillier and more wooded than most of the I-25 corridor.  At 7,000 feet in elevation, with the backdrop of the sharply rising Rampart Range, Monument Lake and Palmer Lake feel much more like the foothills than a roadmap would suggest.  State Highway 105 (the Monument exit) runs through both towns and offers the quick access from the interstate.  For a more scenic drive from points north, try Spruce Mountain Road through Larkspur or Perry Park Road out of Sedalia.  

Palmer Lake; Rampart Range beyond

The Colorado Springs metro area has notably less publicly accessible water than Denver or the Northern Front Range.  Monument and Palmer lakes make a nice change of scenery from Prospect and Quail Lakes in town.  Because of their reasonably close proximity to the Springs, they can be very popular on summer weekends.  

Vicinity Map [click to enlarge]

    Location Info [key]

    (Monument / Palmer)

    Scenery: 3 / 3
    Shoreline Interest: 2 / 1
    Use: High
    Fee: None
    Access: Paved
    Full elev = 6950 / 7250
    Rec. map: (Palmer)
    Rec. info: Monument / Palmer
    Weather: Monument / Palmer

Palmer Lake

Palmer Lake sits practically in the center of the town of the same name.  It is plainly visible from Highway 105 as it bends through town, and it's conveniently linked to the downtown business district by a new pedestrian bridge over the railroad.  The lake is the centerpiece of a town park that includes fishing piers, a perimeter trail, a playground and disc golf.  It is a great place to entertain a family.  As a bonus for paddleboards, motorized boats are not allowed on Palmer Lake.  

Palmer Lake is right is town

The closest vehicle parking to the water is on the east shore, accessed from County Line Road just north of the lake.  If your goal is solitude, it's best to go early on summer weekends.  But even when it's busy, there's plenty of room on the water for everybody!  

Monument Lake from the east shore

Monument Lake

Monument Lake is only a few blocks from old town Monument, but it takes it little bit of zigzagging to get to.  However, signage to the lake from the town's major thoroughfares is easy to follow.  The eastern shore of the lake is right next to parking and invites a beach/tailgate setup on warm days.  The west side and northern corners of the lake are much quieter and closer to nature.  Gas-powered boats are not permitted on Monument Lake, so the water generally stays pretty calm.  

Calm waters on
Monument Lake

Disc golf: one of Palmer
Lake's amenities

Like Palmer, Monument Lake can become quite busy on summer weekends.  But it is always easy to find open space on the water.  Have fun and stay safe!