Arapaho National Recreation Area

Arapaho National Recreation Area covers 35,000 acres in the upper reaches of the Colorado River Valley. Established by Congress in 1978, the area offers world-class recreation opportunities and contains five major reservoirs: Lake Granby, Shadow Mountain Reservoir, Monarch Lake, Willow Creek Reservoir and Meadow Creek Reservoir. Adjacent to the recreation area is Grand Lake. With its deep, clear blue waters, it’s the largest natural lake in Colorado.

The recreation area has a fee program that is essential to providing quality facilities and services such as boat ramps, campgrounds, picnic areas, trail maintenance, and more.

To visit Arapaho National Recreation Area –

Step 1 - Are you visiting a fee area? View the maps below and see if the area you plan to visit requires a fee.

• ANRA Fee Areas Overview
• Arapaho Bay Fee Area
• Cutthroat Bay Fee Area
• Green Ridge Fee Area
• Hilltop Fee Area
• Junco Lake Fee Area
• Meadow Creek Fee Area
• Meadow Creek Dam Fee Area
• Monarch Lake Fee Area
• Pine Beach Fee Area
• Rainbow Bay Fee Area
• Shadow Mountain Fee Area
• Stillwater Fee Area
• Willow Creek Fee Area
• Reservoirs where fee is required -
  • Shadow Mountain Reservoir
  • Lake Granby
  • Please Note: Boat inspections, decontamination stations, and potential ramp closures are in place.

Step 2 - Purchase your pass

If you’re visiting a fee area, purchase an ANRA Pass online or at an onsite fee machine. If you’re only visiting locations outside of fee areas, you don’t need a pass. If you have an Interagency Pass, you don’t need to purchase an ANRA Pass.

Note: Visitors no longer need an additional ANRA pass for their snowmobiles, boats, or ATVs – these are covered by your vehicle pass. Recreation vehicles still need to meet state requirements, like ATV registration.

Step 3 - Proof of purchase

If you purchase an ANRA Pass online prior to your visit, you will not receive a physical pass to display in your vehicle. Instead, your license plate number will be your pass.

If you purchase your ANRA Pass at an onsite fee machine, you must display the pass on your dash or rearview mirror.

For interagency pass holders: display your Interagency Pass inside your vehicle with signature side visible to enforcement personnel.

Step 4 - Review activity-specific requirements

See Restrictions and review the requirements and regulations for your activity. Purchase other passes or licenses you may need for your activity, like a fishing license or Indian Peaks Wilderness permit.