Rueter-Hess Reservoir open for recreation
A paddle-boarder enjoys the sunshine and Rueter-Hess Reservoir.
Beginning Memorial Day weekend, the Rueter-Hess Reservoir (RHR), northeast of Castle Pines, will be open for paddleboarding, canoeing and kayaking. RHR will be open for recreation Fridays through Mondays, with operating hours beginning one hour before sunrise and ending one hour after sunset. Reservations will be required due to parking limitations on site. No motorized vehicles will be allowed on the water.
In March, the Board of Douglas County Commissioners entered into an intergovernmental agreement with several local partners – including the City of Castle Pines, the Town of Castle Rock, the City of Lone Tree, the Town of Parker and Parker Water & Sanitation District – to assume the responsibility of recreation operations at the reservoir and expand opportunities.
Each agency will have a representative on the Rueter-Hess Recreation Advisory Board, which will continue to implement the Recreation Master Plan to expand recreational opportunities. This advisory board will replace the previous Rueter-Hess Recreation Authority.
RHR is a major regional water storage facility. It began operations in 2012 with the planning for recreational use beginning in 2015. The site currently has a 132-step incline challenge and more than six miles of trails. Limited paddle days and hikes began in 2017. Other nearby lakes including Cherry Creek Reservoir and Chatfield Reservoir have allowed recreational use for decades.
By Bear Rothe; photo courtesy of Douglas County
