Wildlife of Rifle Falls, Rifle Gap, and Harvey Gap State Parks

Harvey Gap and Rifle Falls are both headquartered at Rifle Gap, and are all within about 4.5 miles of one another.

Harvey Gap is a total of about 320 acres, 160 of which is the reservoir and the other 160 acres are the lands surrounding the reservoir. The park lies at approximately 5400 feet elevation. Harvey Gap offers power boating (with a 20 horsepower limit), wind surfing, fishing and picnicking.

Rifle Falls State Park consists of 90 acres with East Rifle Creek flowing through its center. The park is located in the plateau region of Colorado's western slope on the edge of the White River Plateau, just north of the Grand Hogback: a sinuous ridge of steeply upturned Cretaceous sandstone, shale and coal beds. East Rifle Creek creates a spectacular falls flowing over a natural travertine dam of calcium carbonate. Narrow, high-walled parts of the canyon, possibly once a long subterranean cavern, are overhung by cliffs of Mississippian Leadville limestone.

Rifle Gap State Park is located in Garfield County in western Colorado in the Colorado River drainage. The park consists of 1,944 acres of land and water. The Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) constructed the reservoir and dam at the park between 1964 and 1968.The reservoir consists of approximately 300 surface-acres located at the confluence of East and West Rifle creeks. It stores water for agricultural purposes and provides recreation as a secondary benefit. less ↑