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Trappers Lake Colorado
Trappers Lake.

Colorado Lakes & Reservoirs

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A state like Colorado is known for its big, blue lakes, especially those high in the Rocky Mountains. With its collection of major rivers, many of which are dammed, a large amount of manmade reservoirs, as well as natural lakes exist. It’s home to thousands of big bodies of water.

List of Lakes and Reservoirs in Colorado

Colorado’s lakes are spread all around the state, most open for some form of recreation year round. They are managed by a number of government organizations, some are even private. Some parks listed below contain a reservoir by a different name, such as Jackson Gulch Reservoir in Mancos State Park.

Adobe Creek Reservoir Colorado Aerial View

Adobe Creek Reservoir SWA – Las Animas

Alta Lakes at Telluride, CO

Alta Lakes – Telluride

Arapaho National Recreation Area

Arapaho National Recreation Area – Granby

Aurora Reservoir Kayaking Colorado

Aurora Reservoir – Aurora

Barker Meadow Reservoir Nederland Colorado

Barker Meadow Reservoir – Nederland

Barr Lake State Park

Barr Lake State Park – Brighton

Bear Creek Lake Park

Bear Creek Lake Park – Lakewood

Bear Lake, CO

Bear Lake – RMNP, Estes Park

Beaver Lake in Marble, Colorado

Beaver Lake SWA – Marble

Bellaire Lake Fishing Boat Colorado

Bellaire Lake SWA – Red Feather Lakes

Berkeley Park Denver

Berkeley Lake Park – Denver

Boyd Lake State Park

Boyd Lake State Park – Loveland

A View of Brainard Lake, CO

Brainard Lake Recreation Area – Ward

Brush Hollow Reservoir Colorado

Brush Hollow SWA – Penrose

Buckeye Reservoir, CO

Buckeye Reservoir – Paradox

Carter Lake Berthoud Colorado Moon Shining

Carter Lake Reservoir – Loveland

Chapman Reservoir Yampa Colorado

Chapman Reservoir – Yampa

Chatfield State Park

Chatfield State Park – Littleton

Top of Cheesman Dam Colorado

Cheesman Lake – Deckers

Cherry Creek State Park

Cherry Creek State Park – Aurora

Clear Lake in Georgetown, CO

Clear Lake – Georgetown

Clinton Gulch Dam Reservoir Colorado

Clinton Gulch Dam Reservoir – Leadville

Continental Reservoir – Creede

Cowdrey Lake State Wildlife Area Colorado

Cowdrey Lake SWA – Cowdrey

Crawford State Park

Crawford State Park – Crawford

Crown Hill Lake Colorado Autumn

Crown Hill Lake – Wheat Ridge-Lakewood

Crystal Creek Reservoir Beach Shoreline Peak Colorado

Crystal Creek Reservoir – Cascade

Curecanti National Recreation Area

Curecanti National Recreation Area – Gunnison

Miramonte Reservoir, Colorado

Dan Noble SWA – Norwood

North Delaney Lake SWA Colorado

Delaney Butte Lakes SWA – Walden

Devil's Thumb Lake, CO

Devil’s Thumb Lake – Nederland

Dillon Marina Dillon Reservoir Colorado

Dillon Reservoir Recreation Area – Dillon-Frisco

Dowdy Lake Red Feather Lakes CO

Dowdy Lake – Red Feather Lakes

Dumont Lake Fall Colors Steamboat Springs CO

Dumont Lake – Steamboat Springs

Echo Lake

Echo Lake Mountain Park – Idaho Springs

Electra Lake Colorado

Electra Lake – Durango

Eleven Mile State Park

Eleven Mile State Park – Lake George

A view of Elkhead State Park

Elkhead Reservoir State Park – Craig

Empire Reservoir Wiggins Colorado

Empire Reservoir – Wiggins

Enochs Lake Colorado

Enochs Lake – Fruita

Evergreen Lake Marshlands Colorado

Evergreen Lake Park – Evergreen

Fish Creek Reservoir Steamboat Springs CO

Fish Creek Reservoir – Steamboat Springs

Sheldon Lake, CO

Fort Collins City Park – Fort Collins

Freeman Reservoir Craig CO Aerial View

Freeman Reservoir – Craig

Georgetown Lake, Colorado

Georgetown Lake – Georgetown

Grand Lake Colorado Sunrise

Grand Lake – Grand Lake

Green Mountain Reservoir

Green Mountain Reservoir – Heeney

Gross Reservoir, CO

Gross Reservoir – Nederland

Hahns Peak Lake

Hahns Peak Lake – Clark

Harvey Gap State Park

Harvey Gap State Park – Rifle

Haviland Lake Colorado

Haviland Lake SWA – Durango

Hermit Lake, Colorado

Hermit Lake – Westcliffe

Highline Lake State Park

Highline Lake State Park – Loma

Homestake Reservoir, CO

Homestake Reservoir – Leadville

Horsetooth Reservoir

Horsetooth Reservoir – Fort Collins

Ivanhoe Lake Leadville CO

Ivanhoe Lake – Leadville

Jackson Lake State Park

Jackson Lake State Park – Orchard

Jefferson Lake, CO

Jefferson Lake Recreation Area – Jefferson

John Martin Reservoir State Park

John Martin Reservoir State Park – Hasty

Kenney Reservoir Rangely Colorado

Kenney Reservoir – Rangely

Keystone Lake, Colorado

Keystone Lake – Keystone

Kite Lake, CO

Kite Lake – Alma

Lake Estes in Estes Park, Colorado

Lake Estes – Estes Park

Lake Irwin, Colorado

Lake Irwin – Crested Butte

Lake San Isabel, Colorado

Lake Isabel – Rye

Lake John Resort in Walden, CO

Lake John SWA – Walden

Lake Meredith Reservoir Crowley County Colorado

Lake Meredith Reservoir – Ordway

Lake Nighthorse Durango Colorado

Lake Nighthorse – Durango

Lake Of The Clouds – Westcliffe

Lake Pueblo State Park

Lake Pueblo State Park – Pueblo

Lake San Cristobal Lake City CO

Lake San Cristobal – Lake City

Lakeside Amusement Park

Lakeside Amusement Park – Denver

Lathrop State Park

Lathrop State Park – Walsenburg

Aerial view of the Lemon Reservoir, CO

Lemon Reservoir – Durango

Little Molas Lake, CO

Little Molas Lake – Silverton

Lower Cataract Lake, Summit County Colorado

Lower Cataract Lake – Heeney

Mancos State Park

Mancos State Park – Mancos

McIntosh Lake in Longmont, Colorado

McIntosh Lake Nature Area – Longmont

McPhee Reservoir West Side Dolores Colorado

McPhee Reservoir Recreation Area – Dolores

Grand Mesa National Forest Lake

Mesa Lakes – Grand Mesa

Molas Lake Silverton Colorado

Molas Lake – Silverton

Montgomery Reservoir Alma Colorado

Montgomery Reservoir – Alma

Monument Lake Monument CO

Monument Lake – Monument

Monument Lake Resort Weston Colorado

Monument Lake Resort – Weston

Muddy Pass Lake, Colorado

Muddy Pass Lake – Coalmont

Navajo State Park

Navajo State Park – Arboles

Nee Gronda Reservoir – Eads

Nee Noshe Reservoir – Eads

North Lake SWA Stonewall Gap Colorado

North Lake SWA – Weston

Crystal Creek Reservoir North Slope Recreation Area Pikes Peak

North Slope Recreation Area – Cascade

North Sterling State Park

North Sterling State Park – Sterling

Palmer Lake, Colorado

Palmer Lake Recreation Area – Palmer Lake

Paonia State Park

Paonia State Park – Somerset

Parvin Lake Red Feather Lakes, CO

Parvin Lake SWA – Red Feather Lakes

Pearl Lake State Park

Pearl Lake State Park – Clark

Pinewood Reservoir, CO

Pinewood Reservoir – Loveland

Platoro Reservoir, CO

Platoro Reservoir – Del Norte

Spud Lake Colorado

Potato Lake – Durango-Silverton

Poudre Lake, Colorado

Poudre Lake – RMNP, Estes Park

Priest Lake, Colorado

Priest Lake – Telluride

Ptarmigan Lake, Colorado

Ptarmigan Lake – Buena Vista

Fishing at Quail Lake Colorado Springs

Quail Lake Park – Colorado Springs

Ramona Lake Red Feather Lakes CO

Ramona Lake – Red Feather Lakes

Rampart Reservoirs Boulder Shoreline Woodland Park Colorado

Rampart Reservoir Recreation Area – Woodland Park

Ridgway State Park

Ridgway State Park – Ridgway

Rifle Gap State Park

Rifle Gap State Park – Rifle

Rio Grande Reservoir, CO

Rio Grande Reservoir – Creede

Riverside Reservoir Wiggins CO

Riverside Reservoir – Kersey

Road Canyon Reservoir Number 1

Road Canyon Reservoir SWA – Creede

Image of the Rocky Mountain Lake Park in Denver, Colorado

Rocky Mountain Lake Park – Denver

Penrose-Rosemont Reservoir Fishing Trout

Rosemont Reservoir SWA – Colorado Springs

Ruedi Reservoir, Colorado

Ruedi Reservoir – Basalt

Russell Lakes National Natural Landmark Colorado

Russell Lakes SWA – Saguache

Saint Vrain State Park

Saint Vrain State Park – Firestone

San Luis State Park

San Luis Lakes SWA – Mosca

Sanchez Reservoir Costilla County Colorado

Sanchez Reservoir SWA – San Luis

Santa Maria Reservoir – Creede

Skaguay Reservoir Victor Colorado Pikes Peak

Skaguay Reservoir SWA – Victor

Sloan's Lake Park Denver

Sloan’s Lake Park – Denver

Smith Reservoir State Wildlife Area Blanca

Smith Reservoir SWA – Blanca

Snowmass Lake, view from Trail Rider Pass Colorado

Snowmass Lake – Aspen

South Catamount Reservoir Dam Colorado

South Catamount Reservoir – Cascade

Bonny Lake State Wildlife Area

South Republican (Bonny Lake) SWA – Idalia

Spinney Mountain State Park

Spinney Mountain State Park – Lake George

Stagecoach State Park

Stagecoach State Park – Oak Creek

Standley Lake Westminster Colorado

Standley Lake Regional Park – Westminster

State Forest State Park

State Forest State Park – Walden

Steamboat Lake State Park

Steamboat Lake State Park – Clark

Stillwater Reservoir from North Derby Trail near Yampa Colorado

Stillwater Reservoir – Yampa

Strontia Springs Reservoir Colorado

Strontia Springs Reservoir – Littleton

Summit Lake National Natural Landmark Colorado

Summit Lake Park & Natural Landmark – Idaho Springs

Sweitzer Lake State Park

Sweitzer Lake State Park – Delta

Sylvan Lake State Park

Sylvan Lake State Park – Eagle

Tarryall Reservoir State Wildlife Area, CO

Tarryall Reservoir SWA – Jefferson

Taylor Park Reservoir Gunnison County Colorado

Taylor Park Reservoir – Almont

Trappers Lake, Colorado

Trappers Lake – Meeker

Trinidad Lake State Park

Trinidad Lake State Park – Trinidad

Trout Lake Ophir Colorado

Trout Lake – Ophir

Turquoise Lake in Leadville, CO

Turquoise Lake – Leadville

Twin Lakes Reservoir Colorado

Twin Lakes Reservoir – Twin Lakes

Two Buttes Reservoir in Baca County, Colorado

Two Buttes Reservoir SWA – Springfield

Lower Mohawk Lake Breckenridge CO

Upper & Lower Mohawk Lake – Breckenridge

Vallecito Lake Bayfield Colorado

Vallecito Lake – Bayfield

Vega State Park

Vega State Park – Collbran

Walden Reservoir Jackson County CO

Walden Reservoir – Walden

Weller Lake Aspen Colorado

Weller Lake – Aspen

Wellington Lake, Colorado

Wellington Lake – Deckers

West Lake Campground Red Feather Lakes Colorado

West Lake SWA – Red Feather Lakes

Williams Fork Reservoir Grand County Colorado

Williams Fork Reservoir – Parshall

Windy Gap Reservoir and dam, CO

Windy Gap Reservoir – Granby

Wolford Mountain Reservoir, CO

Wolford Mountain Reservoir – Kremmling

Yamcolo Reservoir Yampa Colorado

Yamcolo Reservoir – Yampa

Guide to Lakes and Reservoirs in Colorado

Sunrise, Lake Chatfield, CO
Sunrise, Lake Chatfield. Photo: Michael Levine-Clark

Although the many dammed reservoirs come at a great cost to the environment, they store drinking water and create recreation for its human inhabitants. They sure are pretty to look at. Who knows what Colorado’s riparian environments would look like if we didn’t dam most of our major rivers

How many lakes are there in Colorado?

There are more than 4,000 lakes and reservoirs in Colorado. The largest that’s completely in state is the Blue Mesa Reservoir. The Navajo Reservoir only has a little bit in Colorado, but combined with the majority in New Mexico, it’s the largest lake.

What are the largest lakes in Colorado?

These are the largest lakes and reservoirs in Colorado by volume of water. The volumes listed are from Wikipedia. You can view a full Wikipedia table of the largest lakes, which includes the county they reside in, inflow river, any dam built, and other useful information.

  1. Navajo Reservoir
  2. Blue Mesa Reservoir
  3. John Martin Reservoir
  4. Lake Granby
  5. McPhee Reservoir
  6. Lake Pueblo
  7. Dillon Reservoir
  8. Horsetooth Reservoir
  9. Green Mountain Reservoir
  10. Twin Lakes Reservoir
  11. Sanchez Reservoir
  12. Turquoise Lake
  13. Vallecito Reservoir
  14. Lake Nighthorse
  15. Morrow Point Reservoir
  16. Carter Lake Reservoir
  17. Taylor Park Reservoir
  18. Ruedi Reservoir
  19. Nee Gronda Reservoir
  20. Elevenmile Canyon Reservoir
  21. Williams Fork Reservoir
  22. Cherry Creek Reservoir
  23. Nee Noshe Reservoir
  24. Ridgway Reservoir
  25. Cheesman Lake
  26. North Sterling Reservoir
  27. Adobe Creek Reservoir
  28. Wolford Mountain Reservoir
  29. Riverside Reservoir
  30. Platoro Reservoir
  31. Spinney Mountain Reservoir
  32. Rio Grande Reservoir
  33. Boyd Lake
  34. Two Buttes Reservoir
  35. Santa Maria Reservoir
  36. Homestake Reservoir
  37. Gross Reservoir
  38. Lemon Reservoir

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