Colorado Lakes & Reservoirs | List and Map of Bodies of Water

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 number 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 – Telluride

Andrews Lake SWA – Silverton

Antero Reservoir Colorado Collegiate Peaks

Antero Reservoir – Hartsel

Arapaho National Recreation Area – Granby

Aurora Reservoir

Barker Meadow Reservoir – Nederland

Barr Lake State Park – Brighton

Bear Creek Lake Park – Lakewood

Bear Lake – RMNP, Estes Park

Image of two people fishing at Beaver Creek Reservoir in South Fork

Beaver Creek Reservoir SWA – South Fork

Beaver Lake SWA – Marble

Bellaire Lake SWA – Red Feather Lakes

Berkeley Lake Park – Denver

Image of the Big meadows Reservoir SWA in South Fork, Colorado

Big Meadows Reservoir SWA – South Fork

Boulder Reservoir Regional Park – Boulder

Boyd Lake State Park – Loveland

Brainard Lake Recreation Area – Ward

Brush Hollow SWA – Penrose

Buckeye Reservoir – Paradox

Carter Lake Berthoud Colorado Moon Shining

Carter Lake Reservoir – Loveland

Chapman Reservoir – Yampa

Chatfield State Park – Littleton

Cheesman Lake – Deckers

Cherry Creek State Park – Aurora

City Park – Denver

Clear Lake – Georgetown

Clinton Gulch Dam Reservoir – Leadville

Continental Reservoir – Lake City

Cowdrey Lake State Wildlife Area Colorado

Cowdrey Lake SWA – Cowdrey

Crater Lake – Aspen

Crawford State Park – Crawford

Crown Hill Lake – Wheat Ridge-Lakewood

Crystal Creek Reservoir Beach Shoreline Peak Colorado

Crystal Creek Reservoir – Cascade

Curecanti National Recreation Area – Gunnison

Dan Noble SWA – Norwood

Delaney Butte Lakes SWA – Walden

Devil’s Thumb Lake – Nederland

Dillon Reservoir Recreation Area – Frisco

Image of a boat on the water at Douglas Reservoir in Fort Collins, Colorado

Douglas Reservoir SWA – Fort Collins

Dowdy Lake – Red Feather Lakes

Dumont Lake Fall Colors Steamboat Springs CO

Dumont Lake – Steamboat Springs

Echo Lake Mountain Park – Idaho Springs

Electra Lake – Durango

Eleven Mile State Park – Lake George

Elkhead Reservoir State Park – Craig

Empire Reservoir – Wiggins

Enochs Lake – Fruita

Evergreen Lake Park – Evergreen

Fish Creek Reservoir – Steamboat Springs

Fort Collins City Park – Fort Collins

Freeman Reservoir – Craig

Georgetown Lake – Georgetown

Grand Lake – Grand Lake

Green Mountain Reservoir – Heeney

Gross Reservoir – Nederland

Hahns Peak Lake – Clark

Hanging Lake – Glenwood Springs

Image of the Harper Lake in Louisville, Colorado

Harper Lake – Louisville

Image of Harry A. Nottingham Park in Avon, Colorado

Harry A. Nottingham (Lake) Park – Avon

Harvey Gap State Park – Rifle

Haviland Lake SWA – Durango

Hermit Lake – Westcliffe

Highline Lake State Park – Loma

Homestake Reservoir – Leadville

Horsetooth Reservoir – Fort Collins

Ice Lakes Basin – Silverton

Ivanhoe Lake – Leadville

Jackson Lake State Park – Orchard

Jefferson Lake Recreation Area – Jefferson

John Martin Reservoir State Park – Hasty

Kenney Reservoir – Rangely

Keystone Lake – Keystone

Kite Lake – Alma

Lake Ann Reservoir (Dinkle Lake) – El Jebel

Lake Catamount – Steamboat Springs

Lake Estes – Estes Park

Lake Henry – Ordway

Lake Irwin – Crested Butte

Lake Isabel – Rye

Lake John SWA – Walden

Lake Meredith Reservoir Crowley County Colorado

Lake Meredith Reservoir – Ordway

Lake Nighthorse – Durango

Lake Of The Clouds – Westcliffe

Lake Pueblo State Park – Pueblo

Lake San Cristobal – Lake City

Lakeside Amusement Park – Denver

Lathrop State Park – Walsenburg

Lemon Reservoir – Durango

Little Molas Lake – Silverton

Loch Lomond – Empire

Image of the sun setting at Lost Lakes Campground in Paonia, Colorado

Lost Lake Campground – Paonia

Lower Cataract Lake, Summit County Colorado

Lower Cataract Lake – Heeney

Mancos State Park – Mancos

McCall Lake Colorado Longmont Snow Reflections

McCall Lake Nature Area – Longmont

McIntosh Lake Nature Area – Longmont

McPhee Reservoir West Side Dolores Colorado

McPhee Reservoir Recreation Area – Dolores

Mesa Lakes – Grand Mesa

Molas Lake – Silverton

Monarch Lake – Granby

Montgomery Reservoir – Alma

Monument Lake – Monument

Monument Lake Resort – Weston

Muddy Pass Lake – Coalmont

Navajo State Park – Arboles

Nee Gronda Reservoir – Eads

Nee Noshe Reservoir – Eads

North Catamount Reservoir – Cascade

North Fork Reservoir – Salida

North Lake SWA – Weston

Crystal Creek Reservoir North Slope Recreation Area Pikes Peak

North Slope Recreation Area – Cascade

North Sterling State Park – Sterling

Image of Opal Lake in Pagosa Springs, Colorado

Opal Lake – Pagosa Springs

Palmer Lake Recreation Area – Palmer Lake

Paonia State Park – Somerset

Parvin Lake SWA – Red Feather Lakes

Pass Lake (Loveland Pass) – Keystone

Pearl Lake State Park – Clark

Pinewood Reservoir – Loveland

Platoro Reservoir – Del Norte

Potato Lake – Durango-Silverton

Poudre Lake – RMNP, Estes Park

Image of the Poudre Ponds in Greeley, Colorado

Poudre Ponds – Greeley

Priest Lake – Telluride

Ptarmigan Lake – Buena Vista

Quail Lake Park – Colorado Springs

Ramona Lake – Red Feather Lakes

Rampart Reservoirs Boulder Shoreline Woodland Park Colorado

Rampart Reservoir Recreation Area – Woodland Park

Ridgway State Park – Ridgway

Rifle Gap State Park – Rifle

Image of the White River at the Rio Blanco SWA in Meeker, Colorado

Rio Blanco Lake SWA – Meeker

Rio Grande Reservoir – Creede

Riverside Reservoir – Kersey

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 – Basalt

Russell Lakes National Natural Landmark Colorado

Russell Lakes SWA – Saguache

Image of St Mary's Glacier in Idaho Springs, Colorado

Saint Mary’s Glacier – Idaho Springs

Saint Vrain State Park – Firestone

San Luis Lakes SWA – Mosca

Sanchez Reservoir Costilla County Colorado

Sanchez Reservoir SWA – San Luis

Rio Grande National Forest Mineral County Colorado

Santa Maria Reservoir – Creede

Image of the Sawmill Reservoir in Breckenridge, Colorado

Sawmill Reservoir – Breckenridge

Image of the Seaman Reservoir near Fort Collins in Colorado

Seaman Reservoir – Fort Collins

Image of Silver Jack Reservoir in Colorado

Silver Jack Reservoir – Cimarron-Ridgway

Skaguay Reservoir Victor Colorado Pikes Peak

Skaguay Reservoir SWA – Victor

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 – Cascade

Image of the South Colony Lakes and Cresone Needle in Westcliffe, Colorado

South Colony Lakes – Westcliffe

South Republican (Bonny Lake) SWA – Idalia

Image of the McReynolds and Mason Reservoirs in the Pikes Peak South Slope Recreation Area in Manitou Springs, Colorado

South Slope Recreation Area – Manitou Springs

Aerial view of Sangre de Cristo Mountains Coloraod

South Zapata Lake – Mosca

Spinney Mountain State Park – Lake George

Stagecoach State Park – Oak Creek

Standley Lake Regional Park – Westminster

State Forest State Park – Walden

Steamboat Lake State Park – Clark

Stillwater Reservoir from North Derby Trail near Yampa Colorado

Stillwater Reservoir – Yampa

Strontia Springs Reservoir – Littleton

Summit Lake National Natural Landmark Colorado

Summit Lake Park – Idaho Springs

Image of the Eagles Nest Wilderness Area in Colorado

Surprise Lake – Heeney

Sweitzer Lake State Park – Delta

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

Thomas Lakes – El Jebel

Trap Lake – near Cameron Pass/Gould

Trappers Lake – Meeker

Trinidad Lake State Park – Trinidad

Trout Lake – Ophir

Turquoise Lake – Leadville

Twin Lakes Reservoir – Twin Lakes

Two Buttes Reservoir in Baca County, Colorado

Two Buttes Reservoir SWA – Springfield

Union Reservoir Nature Area – Longmont

Upper & Lower Mohawk Lake – Breckenridge

Image of the Upper Cataract Lake in Heeney, Colorado

Upper Cataract Lake – Heeney

Vallecito Lake – Bayfield

Vega State Park – Collbran

Image of the Walden Ponds Wildlife Habitat in Boulder, Colorado

Walden Ponds Wildlife Habitat – Boulder

Walden Reservoir – Walden

Image of the Waneka Lake in Lafayette, Colorado

Waneka Lake Park – Lafayette

Washington Park – Denver

Image of the Watson Lakes SWA in Fort Collins, Colorado

Watson Lake SWA – Bellvue

Weller Lake – Aspen

Wellington Lake – Deckers

West Lake Campground Red Feather Lakes Colorado

West Lake SWA – Red Feather Lakes

Image of Pike's Peak National Forest near Breckenridge, Colorado

Wheeler Lake – Alma-Breckenridge

Williams Fork Reservoir Grand County Colorado

Williams Fork Reservoir – Parshall

Windy Gap Reservoir – Granby

Wolford Mountain Reservoir – Kremmling

Yamcolo Reservoir – Yampa

List of Ponds in Colorado

Franklins Gull Jackson Reservoir Colorado

Andrick Ponds SWA – Orchard

Image of Golden Ponds Park in Longmont, Colorado colored pink and blue

Golden Ponds Park & Nature Area – Longmont

Image of the hyland ponds open space in Westminster, Colorado

Hyland Ponds Open Space – Westminster

Walden Ponds Wildlife Habitat – Boulder

Featured Lakes

image of Medano Creek at Great Sand Dunes

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Boulder Reservoir Colorado Lady swimming holding a dog

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Dillon Dam and Reservoir Silverthorne Colorado Autumn Snow and Colors

Large and Powerful Dams of Colorado

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Ferril Lake City Park Denver Skyline Sunset

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The Grandest Natural Lakes in Colorado

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20+ Best Colorado Lakes & Reservoirs

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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.