Crawford and Paonia State Parks each center on a reservoir with boat-inspection rules

Two state parks built around reservoirs serve the Delta County area, and both are run by Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Crawford State Park sits on a reservoir near the town of Crawford. Paonia State Park is named for the town, but it actually sits on Muddy Creek about 16 miles northeast of Paonia, across the county line in Gunnison County — close enough that North Fork Valley families treat it as their local lake. Both draw people for fishing, paddling, and boating.

If you plan to launch a motorboat, there is a step to know about. To protect Colorado waters from zebra and quagga mussels and other aquatic hitchhikers, motorized boats need an aquatic nuisance species (ANS) stamp, current registration, and a pre-launch inspection at the boat ramp before they go in. Hand-launched, human-powered craft like kayaks and paddleboards are exempt from the mandatory inspection, but the state still asks you to clean, drain, and dry your gear, boots, and waders.

Two practical notes. Inspection hours and ramp opening dates are seasonal, not year-round, so a ramp may be closed even on a warm day. And reservoir levels move with irrigation and drought; a ramp can close when the water drops too low to launch.

Before you tow a boat to Crawford or Paonia, check the current ramp status, inspection hours, and rules on the Colorado Parks and Wildlife page for that park.