Continental Reservoir is a high lake for boating and trout, with rules at the ramp

Up in the high country near Creede, Continental Reservoir is a place to fish and float. It is an irrigation reservoir, regularly stocked with trout, and it has a real concrete boat ramp along with parking and a restroom. That makes it friendlier for boaters than many backcountry lakes.

There are a few rules worth knowing before you back a trailer down the ramp. Motorboats are allowed, but they have to travel wakeless, so this is a slow, quiet-water lake, not a place for fast boats. You also need a Colorado fishing license to fish and a Colorado boat registration if your boat has a motor.

Then there is the aquatic nuisance species program. Colorado works hard to keep invasive mussels and plants out of its waters. Motorized and sailing boats need an ANS stamp, and boats can be inspected before launching, especially if they have been in other states or in known infested waters. A clean, drained, dry boat moves through inspection faster.

One more practical note: this is a high lake, usually frozen and snowed in through the colder months, so the open-water season is short. For current boating rules and inspection details, check Colorado Parks and Wildlife, and ask the Rio Grande National Forest about the site itself.