Dear Isaac, Maia, and Virtual Wanderers,

The History Behind My Love of Pearl Lake State Park

There is nothing like the Colorado mountains to take a little of the heat out of summer. My granddad knew that because he was a sheep rancher from Wyoming. He summered his sheep near Hahns Peak, CO from the late 1800s until the mid 1950s, when he passed away. He fought hard to have his sheep spend summers in the cool mountain meadows. He endured range wars with the Route County Cattlemen and even won a Colorado Supreme Court lawsuit in the early 1900s. I wrote a long and thorough history of Pearl Lake several years ago that is referenced by many websites, including Wikipedia – here is the full write-up.

I summered with my family on the edge of Pearl Lake (now Pearl Lake State Park), named for grandma, Pearl Hartt. Grandma sold to the Forrest Service in the early 1960s. Colorado State Parks owns and manages the Pearl Lake section. It was a place for summer visits even when my own kids were little. My family eventually sold the last of the land, and now I stay in the campground. I do try to visit once a year.

The Trip North to Pearl Lake

We start in south-central Colorado, so Pearl Lake State Park is nearly a 300 mile drive. It is a south to north tour of Western CO, with less than 60 miles on an interstate highway. It is a beautiful view of the Colorado Plateau until just north of Rifle, then the geography changes as the road takes you to the Rocky Mountain region.

The weather changes right along with the landscape, at least to a point. We got rain from Meeker, CO onward to Hahns Peak – so the last half of the trip. It was a nice break in the heat but a scramble to keep dogs dry and put the tent up once we arrived.

Camping at Steamboat Lake State Park

I would always prefer to stay in the campground at Pearl Lake State Park (once my family’s dump area) – but it fills up weeks in advance. So, Steamboat Lake is a nice alternative and my family also once lived in the old ranger station that is under this lake. It’s all ancestral grounds to me.

We stayed at a walk-in site on Bridge Island. I prefer a drive in site at the Arnica loop, but we got one of the last spaces in the whole park. Bridge Island is accessible through the Dutch Hill campground site. For the virtual wanderers, there is a camper services building before you get to Bridge Island.

Day 1: Tombstone Trail and Steamboat Lake Outpost

I like to warm-up (or cool down) a little before our hike at Pearl Lake. So, we often pick the Tombstone Trail near the Steamboat Lake Visitors’ Center for our day 1 hike. This year was no different.

My dogs are not early risers (because I am not) and they are special needs and need meds. We are also at a walk-in site, so getting chow requires some trips to the car. So, we started the hike mid-morning.

Oops, we started backwards this year! Oh, well, new perspectives are sometimes good. The hike climbs up to the top of a hill where the Wheeler graves are located. The views of the Lake and wildflowers are stunning. By the time the hike ended, the thunder rolled in.

We returned to the campsite and had snacks for lunch. The afternoon brought rain. My tent flap got stuck open. What a nice little flood we had. I remember the afternoon rains from my childhood and decide to enjoy the coolness of the day.

We went to dinner at the Steamboat Lake Outpost. The burgers were good, the view of the meadows is relaxing. The service was good, the margs were strong! – although it always bugs me a bit to tip before your food is actually prepared or delivered. You order inside and take a number, so I understand. It is highly recommended and dog friendly outside!

Day 2: Pearl Lake Hike and Hahns Peak Cafe

I saved the best for the middle this trip. The mid-morning hike at Pearl Lake State Park was gorgeous. We started at the upper lot and hiked around by where you can rent watercraft or have a drink. Given that I want to start featuring some Pearl Lake art at my Etsy shop, I got several photos of watercraft on the lake. (I still have photos to download from my camera – so I will update once I get those edited.)

I think people identify with being on the water. I identify with the trail and remember walking to the dam while Pearl was being built. My grandma wanted a peaceful lake for fishing – and her vision is obvious as I walk along the trail with my pups.

We walked to the dam and back and enjoyed the flowers, watching water craft, and talking to passersby. It is about 1 mile each way from the sign at the lower parking lot. I should mention it is dog friendly, as is Steamboat Lake. Unfortunately, the cool wood sign for the Pearl Lake hike that is on the far side of the damn is now completely gone. It was down on the ground last summer.

Once we finished the hike, we headed to the Hahns Peak Cafe for a late lunch. I love that place. A porch, good music, real service. Sometimes the music is even live, but not this time. It is the only time I really pig out on my camping adventures. Spinach and cheese enchiladas, a marg, and blueberry pie a-la-mode. If you are looking for a more down-home feel, I highly recommend this place.

Day 3: Columbine General Store, Hahns Peak Lake, and the Hahns Peak Museum

Favorite stops on our last full day were filled with historic meaning and fun conversations. We started at the general store in Columbine. My granddad traded there many years ago. The place now rents cabins, reflecting the tourist industry that my grandma started so many years ago. The store has fun gifts and snacks. The owners are friendly and attentive.

Next, our morning hike. Hahns Peak Lake is the oldest of the three lakes and was there when I was little, before Pearl was built. The walk around the edge is a trip down memory lane for me. It is a fairly easy (flat) trail but lots of tree roots and fallen trees. You have to be a little agile to make it through the obstacles. My dogs learned to jump over logs! We picniced at the nice area off the parking lot on the first entrance heading north. (There are 2 entrances, the north one goes to the campground.)

After that, we headed to the Hahns Peak Museum and School House. Many family heirlooms live there. Not as many as there once were. I was on the board for a while, and I think it helps to keep the name alive to be active in the area. I am a lifetime member of the museum. I couldn’t make the drive (500+ miles round trip) once a month forever, so I dropped off the board. I still know a lot of the fine people who make that place work and it was great to visit with Kat Murphy again.

As a side note, I am on the Friends of the Little Snake River Museum board out of Savery, WY – just north over the Wyoming border. It is less touristed on that end, but The Little Snake River Museum also has a ton of family heirlooms. The focus is less on gold mining (Hahns Peak) and more on ranching. It is well worth the drive north on Routt County 129 past Columbine for a visit. It is a breathtaking drive – we didn’t do it this year because of the rain and dirt roads.

Day 4: Ice Cream in Clark and Homeward Bound

Clark, CO is located 17 miles out of Steamboat on the way to Hahns Peak. There is a back road as well as the paved route. We took the dirt road the morning we left. Slow, but scenic. I even have a handmade clock (coming to Etsy soon – email me if interested) made from a photo I took on the drive last year. (PS – I remember when there were only dirt roads to Hahns Peak.)

The Clark Store has also been around since my granddad’s early days in the region. It houses a general store, gift area, deli, post office – and in the summer, there is home made ice cream on the patio! This is where we went to pick-up grandma’s mail in the summer. No trip to Pearl Lake is complete without giving my dogs (and me) a taste of the ice cream. It is a fun place with everything from local art to motor oil.

Our drive home was uneventful. We could feel the heat as we arrived back on the Colorado Plateau near Meeker.

Pearl Lake (State Park) Souvenir Shop on Etsy

I also want to let you know I have a new Pearl Lake Souvenir section of my Art from the Hartt shop on Etsy. I don’t have much merchandise yet, but I have some inspiring plans. I want to make more Pearl Lake art (water sports theme) for tee shirts and dog bandanas. Once I get more inventory stocked, I will be reaching out to Hahns Peak area businesses about my shop. Perhaps they can carry some of my items or help get the word out.

Right now, I have Pearl Lake photography wildflower cards available

I also have these fun retro Hahns Peak postcards made from a family heirloom photo of one of my granddad’s sheep wagons. Aren’t these fun?

The handpainted tile clock that I posted above is also available if you email me – I will get it listed soon.

Pearl Lake History Website and More Information

If you have questions about the trip, feel free to drop me an email. I have a website on the history of Pearl Lake State Park, but it needs to be totally revamped. There is still a lot of information up there on the history of the area if you scroll through the blog posts. Hoping to get it redesigned in the next few months.