John Martin Reservoir State Park

The easternmost state park in Colorado - sometimes called a sapphire on the plains - is the John Martin Reservoir State Park 18 miles west of Lamar, CO in southeastern Colorado. Visitors come mainly for the water sports recreation opportunities including boating, fishing, waterskiing, etc. There are also opportunities for camping and wildlife viewing, but no hunting is allowed in the boundaries of the State Park itself. There's not a lot of opportunity for hikers in this park with the exception of the lone 4-mile Red Shin Trail - named after a legendary local Cheyenne warrior named Red Shin who stood his ground in battle on a rock formation just north of Lake Hasty Campground. This is a fee area.