A Day on the Water: Military Families Discover Lake Pueblo State Park in Colorado
A day of paddling, cornhole, and whiskey turned into something bigger: a place airmen and their families can now call their own.
Just an hour from Peterson Space Force Base, Lake Pueblo State Park stretches out with calm water, open shoreline, and plenty of room to paddle, play, and unwind – one of Colorado’s many public lands offering outdoor recreation opportunities.
In June 2026, National Park Trust partnered with the Bob Woodruff Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting veterans, service members, and their families, alongside Pendleton Whisky, a longtime supporter of the military community. Together, we brought active duty airmen and their families out to Lake Pueblo for a full day on the water, made possible free of charge thanks to a generous donation from Pendleton.
For many of the families who attended, this was their first visit to Lake Pueblo, despite living within an hour of it.
The day included paddling, cornhole tournaments on the beach, grilling, and, of course, whiskey tasting hosted by Pendleton.
The event also served as a learning experience: most of the active duty airmen in attendance didn’t know they could rent paddling gear and beach supplies through their base’s Outdoor Recreation Office at Peterson Space Force Base. That knowledge matters as much as the day itself. A single day outside can introduce a family to a park; knowing how to access it again, with gear already available nearby, is what turns that one outing into a lifelong habit of enjoying the outdoors.
What are National Park Trust’s Military Family Programs?
National Park Trust partners with organizations like the Bob Woodruff Foundation and companies like Pendleton Whisky to connect current military members, veterans, Gold Star Families, and their dependents to public lands.
These events do more than fill a day: they show members of the U.S. Armed Forces and their loved ones what’s already available to them. From base recreation offices to nearby national parks, national forests, national wildlife refuges, and other federal recreation sites, they are equipped with the knowledge to return to these parks and public lands on their own and can build outdoor recreation into their everyday life.
Learn more about our Military Family Programs.
How can you support National Park Trust’s Military Family Programs?
At National Park Trust, we believe every service member and military family deserves easy, lasting access to the parks and public lands near them. Your support helps make outings like this one possible and helps families discover the resources they need to keep coming back.
Learn about ways to support our mission.
About National Park Trust
National Park Trust is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit that has worked since 1983 to protect at-risk land in and around national parks and to connect people, especially first-time visitors and young people, to the outdoors.
Alongside the National Park Service, our preservation and conservation projects work to acquire the missing pieces of our national parks. We also help people build lasting connections to national parks, national forests, state parks, and other public lands across the country.
