Friends of Barr Lake
Partners through education, recreation, and conservation
About the Friends of Barr Lake
Friends of Barr Lake is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that enhances education, recreation, and conservation at the park by providing funds from grants, donations and fundraising events.
Do you want to join Friends of Barr Lake or renew your membership? Visit our “Join Our Family or Renew Your Membership” page.
Friends of Barr Lake and the Bird Conservancy of the Rockies are working jointly to build a sensory garden in the grove just west of the Old Stone House at Barr Lake State Park. The funds for the sensory garden were provided through a Legacy Grant awarded to us by City of Brighton. Read all about it here!
When you are doing your holiday shopping this year, remember, if you shop on smile.Amazon.com, please choose Friends of Barr Lake as your favorite charity. Amazon will donate a percentage of your eligible purchases to us to help us continue our mission to enhance education, recreation, and conservation efforts at Barr Lake State Park.
Fall Harvest Festival Photos are HERE!
It was a great time, even with the scaled-down activities!
Do you know what the 7 Leave No Trace Principles are? Why they are so important?
Click here to find out and take our Leave No Trace Survey!
Bergman Barn Restoration Update
Barr Lake State Park with the support of Friends of Barr Lake received a grant from Adams County to help in the restoration project. With the funds received the barn will have new siding, additional fencing and interpretive signage.
The Bergman Barn is one of the remaining artifacts on Barr Lake State Park property depicting the rich agricultural history of Brighton and the Barr Lake area. Andrew Bergman and his wife Augusta Carlson were from Sweden and came to Colorado by way of Ohio. The Bergman’s lived in southeast Colorado before arriving in the Brighton area in 1917. They built a small house and barn east of town. Their son Ralph and his wife Nell lived in the small house and had two sons, Edward and Robert. Edward died of spinal meningitis. For a time, 1925-1936, Ralph Bergman owned the Old Stone House (Emil Bruderlin’s home). Some time around 1936, Ralph built a home and barn on the section of land east of the Old Stone house. Robert and his mother lived in the home until the mid-1950s. The home has since been torn down and the barn and part of the corrals are all the that remain.
More upcoming events:
- Events are currently somewhat curtailed due to the Coronavirus pandemic. However, Barr Lake State Park is open, and we encourage you to get out in nature and enjoy the peace and quiet that is so restorative in times of crisis. As new events are planned, we will post information on this site and on our Facebook page.
What We Do
Friends of Barr Lake is involved in many activities at Barr Lake State Park. We not only raise funds for special events–we work with Rangers and Park Volunteers to help maintain the park and its structures.
Please Help Us Renovate the Bergman Barn
Friends of Barr Lake is working to provide $25,000 in matching grant money to renovate the Bergman Barn. Please take a moment to read about the history of this site and our plans for the renovation. And please consider donating to this effort that…
Gallery
Someone is always around to take photos of special events sponsored by Friends of Barr Lake. We love to share the joy of those who join us in celebrations.
Friends’ Fall Harvest Festival is a go!
If you plan to be in the Denver area on October 10th, the best place to be will be Barr Lake State Park. Friends of Barr Lake is holding our 8th annual Fall Harvest Festival.
Leave No Trace – Kid-friendly version
The Leave No Trace 7 Principles may be difficult for young children to understand.
Leave No Trace
Friends of Barr Lake is working hard to help make Barr Lake State Park a gold standard park! By receiving this highest standard of recognition, Gold Standard Sites become exemplary models, encouraging other public lands to ensure that Leave No Trace education is part of everyone’s experience when spending time outdoors.
