Before you launch on Lake Granby, your boat gets inspected

If you trailer a boat to a Grand County reservoir, plan time for an inspection before you hit the water. It is a normal part of launching here, not a surprise.

The reason is small but serious: invasive species like zebra and quagga mussels can hitch a ride on a boat, a trailer, or in standing water in the bilge. Once they get into a reservoir, they are very hard to remove and they spread. To keep them out, Colorado has motorized and trailered boats checked by trained inspectors before they launch, and sometimes again when they leave.

The local lakes — the Three Lakes around Grand Lake and Granby, plus reservoirs like Williams Fork — run inspection stations during the boating season. Inspection hours and which stations are open can change from year to year, so it is worth confirming before you drive out with the boat.

You can make the stop quicker by arriving with a boat that is clean, drained, and dry. That is the same habit that protects every water you visit.

For current inspection requirements, hours, and station locations, check the state wildlife agency and the county’s boating pages.