Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0
- County
- El Paso
- Elevation
- 7,139 ft
- Population
- About 2,600
- Downtown Denver
- 48 mi · about 55 min
- Colorado Springs
- 23 mi · about 30 min
- Schools
- Lewis-Palmer School District 38
Drive times are typical and change with traffic and weather.
Living in Palmer Lake
What it's like to live in Palmer Lake
Palmer Lake is a small town tucked against the foothills at the top of the Palmer Divide, between Denver and Colorado Springs. It started as a railroad stop in 1871 and became a summer retreat in the 1880s. About 2,600 people live here today, with Pike National Forest to the west and Greenland Open Space to the north.
Highway 105 runs through town and I-25 is a short drive east. Daily life centers on the lake, the reservoir trails, and a small downtown with the town hall, library, and a few longtime restaurants. The Star of Palmer Lake lights up the mountainside above it all.
It fits people who want a quiet foothills town with trails from the front door, plus a manageable drive to jobs in Colorado Springs or the south Denver metro. Monument is about 3 miles away for groceries and errands.
Where it is
Where Palmer Lake sits on the Front Range
Hover a pin for a quick look. Click to open that town's guide.
Neighborhoods
Where to look in Palmer Lake
Downtown Palmer Lake
The small core along Highway 105, with the town hall, the library, and the lake just across the railroad tracks.
Glen Park area
Older homes among tall pines near Glen Park, which dates to the late 1800s.
Woodmoor
An unincorporated community south of Palmer Lake and east of Monument, built around Lake Woodmoor.
Black Forest
A large unincorporated area to the southeast known for forested acreage.
Get outside
Things to do in Palmer Lake
- 01
Palmer Lake loop
The lake is stocked with rainbow trout, and a flat loop under a mile circles the shore.
- 02
Palmer Lake Reservoir Trail
A 3.3-mile out-and-back with about 650 feet of gain to two reservoirs.
- 03
Star of Palmer Lake
A 457-foot-wide lighted star on Sundance Mountain, first proposed in 1935.
- 04
Santa Fe Regional Trail
A mostly unpaved trail that runs south from near the lake through Monument toward Colorado Springs.
- 05
Glen Park
A historic park with tall pines, trails, picnic space, and tennis and pickleball courts.
- 06
Lucretia Vaile Museum
A local history museum run by the Palmer Lake Historical Society.
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FAQ
Palmer Lake questions, answered
How far is Palmer Lake from Denver?
About 48 miles, roughly an hour on I-25 depending on traffic.
What county is Palmer Lake in?
El Paso County, at its northern edge, in what locals call the Tri-Lakes area.
How high is Palmer Lake?
About 7,100 to 7,300 feet depending on where you are in town, at the top of the Palmer Divide.
What school district serves Palmer Lake?
Lewis-Palmer School District 38.
Does the lake ever go dry?
It has. The lake dried up in 2012 and 2013 and refilled in 2015, so water levels can swing from year to year.
How far is Colorado Springs?
About 23 miles north of the city, roughly 30 minutes.
Nearby