The reservoir entrance is located at Hess Road and Double Angel Road.
Vehicles driving into the reservoir portion of the property need to make an online vehicle reservation to access the park. The cost of a parking pass is $10. One parking pass per car is required. All-day parking passes can be purchased by clicking here.
Fishing: There is no cost to fish at the reservoir, but please reserve your spot ahead of time. If you plan to drive into the reservoir, you will need a daytime parking pass. The cost of a parking pass is $10. One parking pass per car is required.
The reservoir is open Friday through Monday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. through October 31 by reservation.
As stewards of the land and community, it is the wish of the Parker Water and Sanitation District (PWSD) and its local partners to preserve this land as a resource and to educate visitors about the history of the reservoir. Newlin Gulch Tributary and the region to ensure that it continues to be a wildlife sanctuary and to respect its’ important heritage. Limiting access to the reservoir at this time provides the balance needed to meet the Master Plan goals while preserving water quality, public safety, and natural resource protection.
The primary purpose of Rueter-Hess Reservoir is drinking water storage for the Parker Water and Sanitation District and its storage partners. To learn more, click here.
However, limited recreational programs and special events are currently available through recreation partners and contracted vendors.
Standup paddle boards, canoes, and kayaks are allowed. Waders and belly boats are not allowed. Click here for the current rules and regulations.
Yes, it will need to pass an aquatic invasive species inspection before launching. All watercraft must be cleaned, drained, and dry before access will be allowed.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) manages watercraft safety equipment. For more information visit the CPW website.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) manages watercraft registrations. For more information visit the CPW website.
No motorized watercraft are allowed.
Stand-up paddle boards, canoes, and kayak watercraft are currently permitted in the Master Plan. Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) Inspections will be required for all approved watercraft.
No. Remote control devices are not allowed on the reservoir.
Catch-and-release only. 25 adult anglers with valid state fishing licenses will be allowed to fish each day the reservoir is open to the public – 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays through October. (Anglers younger than 16, who are not required by the state to have a license, are not required to register but may still fish.) You can fish from the shore or a paddleboard, kayak or canoe. (Motorized or belly boats are not allowed.
For more information click here.
Stocking of recreational species began in the fall of 2018, and include:
Anglers with valid state fishing licenses will be allowed to fish each day the reservoir is open to the public – 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays through October. (Anglers younger than 16, who are not required by the state to have a license, are not required to register but may still fish.)
Summer water temperatures range from 65-72ºF.
The Rosie Rueter Trail and Incline Challenge are open daily from sunrise to sunset. The Incline features 132 steps, and the Rosie Rueter Trail loop that leads to and from the parking lot is just over a mile long. To access these trails, visitors should turn west off of Heirloom Parkway when they reach the Rueter-Hess Water Purification Facility and continue west to the designated Incline parking area.
The Newlin Gulch trail is approximately 7 miles long (out and back) from the entrance station. It is located on the reservoir property’s southern boundary. Access to this trail is Friday through Monday from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm. If you want to drive to the trail access point, a $10.00 entry reservation is required. Click here to obtain the reservation
Yes. The current trails include:
No. Equestrians are not permitted around the reservoir in order to maintain the water quality of the reservoir.
The property is largely rugged and undeveloped. Please bring plenty of food and water with you. Porto-O-Lets are available at the parking lots.
Dogs are only allowed on the trails. However, they cannot go on the incline, the shoreline, or in the water. Remember to have your dog leashed and to pick up and dispose of waste properly.
No. Rueter-Hess Reservoir is owned by Parker Water & Sanitation District. Douglas County manages recreation on the property.
Funding and oversight of reservoir recreation are through the Rueter-Hess Recreation Advisory Board, which includes Douglas County, the Towns of Parker, and Castle Rock, and the Cities of Lone Tree and Castle Pines. Revenue funding is from programmed events. Douglas County manages, maintains, and programs recreation on the property.
No. Swimming is not permitted in order to maintain the water quality of the reservoir.
The construction of Rueter-Hess Reservoir was completed in 2012 to hold 75,000-acre feet of stored water. The dam rises 185 feet above the bedrock and the reservoir is 1,170 acres.
