Glendo State Park

A massive high-desert reservoir on the North Platte River, renowned for its premier walleye fishing, sandy beaches, and 45 miles of singletrack mountain biking trails.

Glendo State Park encompasses more than 22,000 acres of high-desert plains, pine-studded hills, and the expansive waters of the Glendo Reservoir in southeastern Wyoming. The centerpiece of the park is the reservoir itself, a 12,000-acre impoundment of the North Platte River created by the construction of the Glendo Dam. Built by the Bureau of Reclamation between 1954 and 1958, the 190-foot-tall earthfill dam was the subject of intense water-rights disputes between Colorado, Nebraska, and Wyoming, requiring a Supreme Court decree and an act of Congress before construction could proceed. Dedicated in June 1959, the dam regulates the river's flow for irrigation, flood control, and hydroelectric power, which causes the reservoir's water levels to fluctuate by as much as 55 feet over the course of the year. The resulting landscape is a fascinating intersection of engineering and nature, where deep blue waters contrast with the surrounding arid hills of Platte and Converse counties.

The dramatic shorelines and eroded bluffs of the park expose more than 300 million years of geological history, carved out by the ancient path of the North Platte River. Along the northwestern edge of the reservoir, visitors can spot the gray limestones and red sandstones of the Pennsylvanian-age Hartville Formation. Further along, the oxidized, rusty-red siltstones of the Goose Egg and Chugwater Formations reveal a time when this region was a vast, arid coastal plain, while the yellow-green sandstones of the Jurassic-era Sundance Formation point to the ancient inland sea that once covered Wyoming. Today, this rugged geology is best explored via the park's 45-mile network of non-motorized multi-use trails, which has established the area as a major destination for mountain biking. Popular trailheads are located at the Dam Overlook, the Wetlands Area, Sandy Beach Dune Shelter, and Two Moon Campground, guiding hikers and cyclists through aromatic sagebrush, stands of ponderosa pine, and past prickly pear cacti.

With over 500 campsites spread across 19 distinct campgrounds, the park offers diverse overnight experiences. Two Moon Campground, the largest and most popular, sits on a high bluff shaded by a dense pine forest, offering views of the water below. Down on the shoreline, Sandy Beach Campground features wide stretches of sand shaded by mature cottonwood trees, highly favored during the peak summer months of July and August. Anglers flock to the reservoir's waters, which support one of the most productive walleye fisheries in Wyoming, alongside healthy populations of channel catfish, crappie, and yellow perch. Six boat ramps, including those at Whiskey Gulch and the Marina, provide access to the water, though boaters must monitor seasonal water levels to ensure the ramps remain usable. Whether launching a boat into the afternoon chop or watching pronghorn graze along the dry ridges at dusk, the park provides an immersive encounter with the rugged spirit of the high plains.