Sylvan Lake State Park

We are huge fans of seeking out the lesser-known places that have fewer visitors than the national parks, and in that vein we continued our journey ever westward to our next stop at Sylvan Lake State Park.  Another gem in the Colorado state park system, Sylvan Lake was a wonderful place to spend a week--beautiful scenery, including the solid beginning of the  fall color season, great hikes, a lovely and quiet campground and a little town nearby for our weekly coffee shop fix. Who could ask for anything more!

Sylvan Lake is set in the beautiful Eagle Valley south of the town of Eagle and is just out of the way enough to not be very crowded.  There was good fishing on the lake and a nice loop trail around it. We ventured off into the adjacent national forest for a hike to Nolan Lake and saw gorgeous valleys alive with yellow aspens along the way. I came across a large bull moose on one hike when Lynnae unfortunately wasn't with. We had to slow down a bit with zero internet or cell access, but this lovely place made it worthwhile!

Sylvan Lake

Sylvan Lake

Double rainbow over our campground

Nolan Lake in nearby Holy Cross Wilderness

Nolan Lake

View up the Eagle Valley toward Sylvan Lake

Fall color in the aspens is just beginning!

I gave this moose a wide berth,  They get mean in the fall!

Sylvan Lake

Sylvan lake

Beautiful colors!

Yeoman Park is a valley near Sylvan Lake