Eldorado Canyon State Park/Bastille Crack

Known as a world-class destination for mountain climbing, Eldorado Canyon State Park is just a stone's throw away from the Denver metro area. One of the classic climbs is The Bastille Crack, a towering 350-foot cliff that challenges even the most experienced climbers.

Climb Eldorado in VR

In addition to funding some of the world’s most famous rock climbing, the Lottery has also provided funds to expand the park, build new segments of trails, and build the park’s visitor center.

Eldorado Canyon State Park is just one of the 42 state parks and hundreds of wildlife areas managed by Colorado Parks and Wildlife that are funded by the Colorado Lottery. Overall, the Lottery has given more than $1.85 million to Eldorado.

NEXT PROJECT: Mehaffey Park

Mehaffey Park

Loveland’s Mehaffey Park, a project more than 15 years in the making, was certainly worth the wait. The expansive park was completed with help from $2 million in Lottery funds. The Mehaffey Park project broke ground just weeks before the devastating Big Thompson flood in 2013 and had to be put on hold while flood recovery and rebuilding efforts became a top priority. The now-completed park spans a whopping 64 acres. Amenities include walking trails, an award-winning skate park, tennis and pickleball courts, multipurpose sports fields, dog park, a massive playground structure, public art installations, and the city’s first arboretum.

NEXT PROJECT: Loveland Trails—Loveland, CO

Loveland Trails—Loveland, CO

Trails connect our community and provide an abundance of benefits including health and wellness, transportation, and recreational opportunities. The Recreation Trail System consists of 32.3 miles of paved trail encircling Loveland and connecting to other regional trails, including Long View Trail and the Colorado Front Range Trail.

The Recreation Trail Loop completely encircles the community, with the construction of the final 0.5-mile section in 2021. The city's scenic 21-mile Loop Trail runs along the Big Thompson River corridor, under and over city streets, along irrigation canals and the west shore of Boyd Lake State Park, through prairies and along wetland meadows. The trail connects parks, natural areas, neighborhoods, downtown, and many other destinations throughout the community.

The Loveland community considers the City’s Recreation Trail to be a vital community asset, allowing trail users a safe, paved, off-road passage around the city and neighboring communities. The Colorado Lottery helps fund Loveland’s beloved trail system through our beneficiary partners Great Outdoors Colorado and the Conservation Trust Fund. Learn more about the Loveland Trail system.

BACK TO: Eldorado Canyon State Park/Bastille Crack