One of Colorado’s most scenic lakes might not be a state park after all.

In 2021, Sweetwater Lake was proclaimed to be the next state park in an announcement by Gov. Jared Polis that surprised and angered locals living around the historic property. They saw a “state park” title as threatening the place they’ve known.

Earlier this spring, at a meeting in Gypsum to show proposed plans for the 832 acres backdropped by Flat Tops Wilderness, the word from a Colorado Parks and Wildlife deputy regional manager was met by applause.

Jacob Brey noted “some details” still being worked out. But “I’m happy to say we’ve gotten buy-in up the chain that we can create something that’s not called a state park or recreation area, or something that has any kind of connotation that maybe depicts something of Sweetwater that we don’t want.”

Officials are scheduled to meet with people June 5 in Glenwood Springs and the next day for a follow-up in Gypsum. It’s as CPW and the land-owning U.S. Forest Service continue a collaboration three years after the celebrated acquisition of long-held private land around Sweetwater Lake that entered White River National Forest.

That celebration turned sour with the idea of a state park. The idea sparked local outcry and fears of crowds, degradation and overdevelopment at the lake beloved for its Western authenticity.

“The excitement of a state park was short-lived,” White River National Forest Supervisor Scott Fitzwilliams said to laughter at the Gypsum meeting.

Still, he emphasized the importance of CPW’s role in managing Sweetwater Lake.

“The Forest Service doesn’t have a dime,” he said. “I don’t know what would happen if it was left to us. So it’s a cool opportunity, and we’ve just begun to really get into the details here.”

The proposed plan is to issue a 20-year special use permit to CPW.

Other proposed actions: re-imagining the lodge and restaurant that has served as a local gathering place for generations; assessing other structures for restoring or removal, and building others for storage and personnel housing; establishing more lake access points and hiking and horseback-riding trails; constructing eight to 12 cabins for overnights, along with as many as seven equestrian campsites and up to 20 others in a campground.

Compared with other CPW lands, the campsites would be “dramatically less than what you will find just about everywhere else,” the agency’s Mark Lehman said at the Gypsum meeting. “Hopefully this is an opportunity to do something a little bit different than what you see around the state.”

“Something different” was a common refrain at the meeting, where officials emphasized maintaining Sweetwater’s historic character and painted a picture of a small scope. They spoke of designing parking and other infrastructure in a way that would limit the property to 250 visitors at any given time.

They were short on specifics when pressed on how that number would be ensured. Discussed was CPW’s only reservation system across the state parks, at Eldorado Canyon.

In a past discussion about a state park designation drawing masses, Fitzwilliams said: “I don’t care what you call it, people are coming.” He said he still believed that, noting Sweetwater Lake’s accessibility and sheer beauty.

“But I think if we start with foundational things of quaintness and quietness and authentic-ness and culture and history, that’ll help set the stage,” he said.

The Forest Service is accepting public comments through a project webpage. More meeting information and the proposed plan can be found on that page: tinyurl.com/2633ur99