Boating Regulations

Clean, Drain and Dry

This season brings a mandatory, state-certified boat inspection to help prevent the spread of zebra and quagga mussels and other aquatic invasive species. Boats and boat trailers can easily transport aquatic hitchhikers.

If you don’t clean your vessel, invasive species can ruin boat engines and jam steering equipment. Check your boat and trailer every time before you transport your boat. Clean, check and dry off all parts and equipment that have come in contact with water. (Using a car wash is not adequate to kill or remove zebra or quagga mussels.) Empty bait buckets into the trash, not into any lake. Allow everything to completely dry before launching into another body of water. www.wildlife.state.co.us.

Resident Boaters: You must pass a state-certified boat inspection if you have traveled outside the state or have launched on any of the Colorado lakes or reservoirs where mussels have been detected. Out-of-State Boaters: You must pass a state-certified boat inspection if you plan on launching in any Colorado lake, reservoir or waterway.

Inspection Points

Lake Granby boat inspections at Sunset Point and Stillwater boat ramps, 6am-8pm, seven days a week. Arapahoe Bay Ramp has inspections on Friday, Saturday and Sunday only. All other times use Stillwater boat ramp for inspection.

Grand Lake boat inspections at the Grand Lake public boat ramp, 6am-8pm, seven days a week.

Shadow Mountain Reservoir boat inspections at the Green Ridge boat ramp, 6am-8 pm, seven days a week. The Hilltop boat ramp is closed to trailered watercraft for the entire 2011 season.

Willow Creek Reservoir is closed to trailered motorized watercraft for the entire 2011 season. Only hand-launched, regulation-exempted non-motorized boats are permitted.

Williams Fork Reservoir boat inspections at the east boat ramp, 6am-8pm, seven days a week. The west boat ramp will be closed the entire 2011 season. All ramps will be closed at night. Overnight beaching of watercrafts is prohibited.

Wolford Mountain Reservoir boat inspections at the main boat ramp, 7am-7pm, seven days a week. All boats must be off the reservoir by 7pm unless they are staying in the campground or using slips at the marina. Trailered boats can access the reservoir only during scheduled inspection times. Wolford charges a one-time $10 boating fee for all boats accessing the water.