Boating Lake San Cristobal means following Colorado's mussel rules

Just south of Lake City lies Lake San Cristobal, formed centuries ago when the slow Slumgullion earthflow dammed the Lake Fork of the Gunnison River. It is one of Colorado’s larger natural lakes and a calm place to fish or paddle.

If you plan to bring a boat, the state’s aquatic nuisance species rules apply here as they do across Colorado. These rules exist to keep invasive zebra and quagga mussels out of the water. Motorboats and sailboats need an aquatic nuisance species stamp, and Colorado requires trailered and motorized boats to be inspected before they enter the water. Inspectors look for water, plants, mud, and mussels clinging to the hull and trailer.

The simplest habit is to clean, drain, and dry your boat and gear every time you leave a body of water. That includes kayaks, canoes, and waders, not just powerboats. A mussel infestation is very hard to undo, so a few minutes of care protects every water in the basin.

Nearby, the BLM’s Mill Creek Campground sits along the Lake Fork and makes a base for the lake and the high country, managed by the Gunnison Field Office.

Because inspection sites, hours, and requirements change by season and water, check Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s boat inspection and aquatic nuisance species pages before you launch.