The North Slope Recreation Area — the reservoir basin partway up the Pikes Peak Highway — operates on a fixed published season: May 1 through the third Sunday in October. In 2026 that closing date is October 18.
That is worth internalizing precisely, because it is a calendar date rather than a weather call. A run of warm October days does not extend it, and an early snow does not necessarily move it up. If you are planning a late-season trip around Crystal Creek or the Catamounts, October 18 is the boundary.
The Hours Drop Before the Season Ends
The closure is the second thing that shortens your access. The first is a schedule change on October 1.
- May 1 – Thursday before Memorial Day: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
- Friday before Memorial Day – Labor Day: 7:30 a.m. – 7 p.m.
- Tuesday after Labor Day – September 30: 7:30 a.m. – 6 p.m.
- October 1 – closing day: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
So the last two and a half weeks of the season run on a seven-hour day starting at 9 a.m. For anyone driving up from Colorado Springs or Manitou Springs, that removes the early start entirely and compresses the whole visit — including the drive up the highway and back down — into a window that does not leave much room for a long hike plus fishing.
Note also that this schedule is the North Slope’s own. It shifts the Tuesday after Labor Day, while the Pikes Peak Highway’s posted hours hold their summer schedule through September 30 and change on October 1. Two different calendars govern the same drive, and only one of them changes in September.
Why Access Is Restricted at All
The North Slope is not a recreation area with some lakes in it. It is a working municipal watershed that permits recreation under conditions.
North Catamount, South Catamount, and Crystal Creek Reservoirs are part of Colorado Springs’ drinking water system. That is the frame for essentially every rule that visitors find unexpectedly strict — it is unlawful to discharge anything into the water that could cause pollution, and the access rules follow from protecting a supply rather than from managing a park.
Understanding that up front makes the rest of the regulations read as coherent rather than arbitrary.
Fees
Entry is $5 per person for anyone 16 and older, with children under 16 free. A $1 parking permit is also required in 2026.
The North Slope fee structure is separate from summit admission on the Pikes Peak Highway, and some annual passes that cover the North Slope do not permit travel past the 7-mile sign — meaning they get you to the reservoirs but not to the top. If you intend to do both the reservoirs and the summit in one trip, confirm what your pass or ticket actually covers before you drive up.
The Three Reservoirs
Each has its own character and its own fishing rules.
Crystal Creek is the first one you reach coming up the highway. It covers about 136 acres with roughly 3.31 miles of shoreline and has the largest parking area at 103 spaces. Bait fishing is permitted, though minnows are not.
South Catamount covers about 120 acres with roughly 3.96 miles of shoreline and 60 parking spaces. Bait fishing permitted, no minnows.
North Catamount is the largest at about 210 acres with roughly 6.58 miles of shoreline, also with 60 parking spaces. This one is flies and lures only — no bait. It is the most restrictive of the three and, for anyone fishing rather than sightseeing, the reason to check which reservoir you are actually headed to before you pack.
A Colorado fishing license is required for anglers 16 and over.
The Rules That Surprise People
No swimming or wading — by people or pets. This is a drinking water supply, and the prohibition is absolute. Dogs must be leashed at all times and are not permitted in the water.
Boating is oar- and electric-only. Gas engines are prohibited. Coast Guard approved personal flotation devices must be worn by everyone on board, not merely carried.
No trailers. Watercraft have to arrive on a car-top carrier. If your boat requires a trailer to launch, it does not go in these reservoirs.
Belly boats yes, pool floats no. Float tubes are permitted; innertubes and inflatable pool toys are not.
The cumulative effect is a set of quiet, motorless lakes at elevation — which, if you were expecting a typical Colorado reservoir with ski boats on it, is either a disappointment or exactly the point.
Hiking and Biking
Hiking is permitted on designated foot trails, and there are roughly 10 miles of designated mountain biking trails. “Designated” is doing real work in both sentences — this is not an open-travel area, and staying on marked trails is part of the watershed protection regime rather than a soft suggestion.
One current change to note: the upper portion of the Crystal Trail on City of Colorado Springs property below Crystal Creek Reservoir was permanently closed on July 1, 2026. If you are working from an older map, guidebook, or trip report, that section is no longer available and the closure is not seasonal.
Planning a Late-Season Visit
If you want the North Slope in fall, September is the month that works properly. You keep the 7:30 a.m. opening through September 30, the aspens in the basin turn through late September, and the summer crowds are gone.
The October 1–18 window is genuinely usable but demands a tighter plan: a 9 a.m. gate, a 4 p.m. close, a drive up the Pikes Peak Highway at each end, and real exposure to weather at this elevation. Pick one reservoir and one activity rather than trying to string together three stops.
Check conditions before committing to the drive. The City maintains a line at 719-385-7325, and weather that closes the Pikes Peak Highway closes your access to the North Slope regardless of what the recreation area’s own schedule says.
After October 18, the basin is done until May 1.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the North Slope Recreation Area close in 2026?
The third Sunday in October — October 18, 2026. The area reopens May 1.
What does it cost to enter?
$5 per person aged 16 and older, children under 16 free, plus a $1 parking permit in 2026. This is separate from Pikes Peak summit admission.
Can I swim or let my dog swim in the reservoirs?
No. Swimming and wading are prohibited for both people and pets, because the reservoirs are part of the Colorado Springs drinking water supply. Dogs must be leashed and are not allowed in the water.
Can I bring a motorboat?
Only with an electric motor, or under oars and paddles. Gas engines are prohibited, trailers are not permitted, and watercraft must arrive on a car-top carrier.
Which reservoir has the strictest fishing rules?
North Catamount, which is restricted to flies and lures only. Crystal Creek and South Catamount permit bait fishing, though minnows are prohibited at both.
Sources: City of Colorado Springs — North Slope Recreation Area, Pikes Peak Hours and Rates.
