• Menu
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Uncover Colorado Logo

  • Blog
  • Activities
    • Year-round
      • Brewery Tours
      • Casinos & Gaming
      • Colorado Brands
      • Federal Lands
      • Food & Dining
      • Ghost Towns
      • Gondola & Chairlifts
      • Hot Springs
      • Mine Tours
      • Museums
      • Paintball
      • Public Parks
      • Scenic Drives
      • Shopping
      • Sports Teams
      • State Parks
      • Train Rides
      • Transportation
      • Wildlife
      • Zip Lines & Aerial Parks
    • Spring, Summer & Fall
      • Amusement Parks
      • ATV Rentals
      • Biking
      • Boating
      • Camping
      • Drive-In Theaters
      • Fishing
      • Golf Courses
      • Hiking
      • Horseback Riding
      • Rock Climbing
      • Tubing & Paddling
      • Waterfalls
      • Whitewater Rafting
    • Winter
      • Cross Country Skiing
      • Dog Sledding
      • Ice Climbing
      • Ice Fishing
      • Ice Skating
      • Skiing & Snowboarding
      • Sleigh Rides
      • Snow Tubing
      • Snowmobiling
      • Snowshoeing
  • Events
    • January
    • February
    • March
    • April
    • May
    • June
    • July
    • August
    • September
    • October
    • November
    • December
  • Lodging
    • Budget Hotels
    • Historic Hotels
    • Luxury Hotels
    • Bed & Breakfasts
    • Cabins & Glamping
    • Casinos with Lodging
    • Dude Ranches
    • Hot Spring with Lodging
    • Wineries with Lodging
    • Campgrounds
  • Towns
  • Trip Planner
  • Search
  • Blog
  • Activities
  • Events
  • Lodging
  • Towns
  • Trip Planner
Arapaho National Recreation Area
Lake Granby at Arapaho National Recreation Area.

Arapaho National Recreation Area – Granby

FacebookTwitter

Arapaho National Recreation Area is comprised of five lakes and 36,000 alpine acres north of Granby. It’s centered around Lake Granby, as well as four others: Monarch Lake, Willow Creek Reservoir, Shadow Mountain Lake, and Meadow Creek Reservoir.

Grand Lake lies the furthest to the north and is not part of ANRA. Together they are referred to as the “Great Lakes of Colorado”.

Lake Granby, Monarch, Shadow Mountain Lake, Willow Creek, and Meadow Creek Reservoir

Arapaho National Recreation Area Shadow Mountain Lake
Shadow Mountain Lake, is part of the Arapaho National Recreation Area. Photo: Don Graham

The Arapaho National Recreation Area is surrounded by the Arapaho National Forest, so endless recreation exists. Lake Granby is the highlight of the park, in addition to Shadow Mountain Lake, both of which border Highway 34. Monarch Lake, Willow Creek Reservoir, and Meadow Creek Reservoir are smaller gems off the beaten path.

Recreation Sites: (7)

  • Arapaho Bay Campground – remote camping and fishing near Monarch Lake.
  • Cutthroat Bay Campground – group campsite.
  • Stillwater Campground – campsites overlooking Lake Granby, on Highway 34.
  • Sunset Point Campground – campground on the shores of Lake Granby.
  • Willow Creek Campground – is located on the west side of Highway 34 from Lake Granby.
  • Hilltop – boat ramp.
  • Point Park – picnic area.

Activities at Arapaho NRA

Lake Granby CO Sailboats
Sailboats on Lake Granby. Photo: Kent Kanouse

Boating: All 5 lakes permit boating, with Lake Granby the biggest.

  • Lake Granby is 7,256 acres when full, open to power and sail boating, water skiing, and windsurfing.
  • Monarch Lake is 150 acres open to non-motorized boats. It’s the furthest southeast in the ANRA.
  • Shadow Mountain Lake is 1400 acres connected by canal to Grand Lake, located just north of Lake Granby.
  • Willow Creek Reservoir is 750 acres for non-motorized watercraft. It’s the furthest west in the ANRA.
  • Meadow Creek Reservoir is 50 acres open to non-motorized craft, located just southeast of Lake Granby.

Lake Granby has 3 marinas on it:

  • Indian Peaks Marina
  • Highland Marina
  • Beacon Land Marina

Grand Lake has one marina that also serves ShadowMountain Lake:

  • Trail Ridge Marina
Lake Granby Colorado
Lake Granby, Colo. Photo: Wally Gobetz

Camping: 6 campgrounds, 474 campsites, and 3 campgrounds are reservable. Dispersed camping can be found nearby at Stillwater Pass in the Arapaho National Forest.

Read about the camping near Granby and Grand Lake, around West RMNP.

Fishing: All 5 lakes permit fishing.

Hiking: There are many nice trails, including several from Monarch Lake.

Winter Recreation: Ice fishing is common on all the lakes, with some tournaments each year.

Lake Granby.
Campsite overlooking Lake Granby's Arapaho Bay
Arapaho Bay campsite.
Monarch Lake near Arapaho Bay.
Arapaho Bay.
Lake Granby's Cutthroat Bay.
Marina at Cutthroat Bay.
Stillwater Campground overlooking Lake Granby.
Grand County countryside.
Willow Creek Reservoir.
More Willow Creek Reservoir.
Willow Creek has a campground.

Details

Address: US-34, Granby, CO

Phone: 970-887-4100 (Granby office)

Season: Year-round

Vehicle Fee: Yes

Pets: Yes, on leash

Map: Sulphur North (PDF)

Website: fs.usda.gov/…

Latest in Arapaho National Recreation Area

image of Medano Creek at Great Sand Dunes

Colorado’s Best Beaches

Itโ€™s true, that Colorado is what people call a land-locked state, but if you look inside…

Colorado’s Best BeachesRead More

Shadow Mountain Lake Kayaking Colorado

11 Best Places to Kayak in Colorado

While Colorado is best known for its mountains, there are plenty of beautiful lakes and rivers…

11 Best Places to Kayak in ColoradoRead More

Middle Park Colorado River cuts through green Grand County valley

Colorado’s Charming Middle Park Region

Between the irreverent animated TV show of its namesake and its closer proximity to populated cities…

Colorado’s Charming Middle Park RegionRead More

Chatfield State Park, Colorado

39 Top Colorado Campgrounds by Lakes

Coloradoโ€™s picturesque scenic landscape and proximity to an abundance of outdoor activities make camping here a…

39 Top Colorado Campgrounds by LakesRead More

View more Arapaho National Recreation Area articles

Primary Sidebar

Join our Colorado travel community

Enter your email below and grab our free locals' guide and monthly what's up designed to help you live your Colorado life and uncover fun things to do. โ€”and never miss out again.

Recent Posts

  • Things to do in February in Colorado
  • 15 Summer County Fairs in Colorado
  • 20 Cool Colorado Winter Activities To Try
  • 5 Reasons to Visit Mesa Verde this Winter
  • The Top Events in Alamosa, Colorado

Footer

Get In Touch

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Resources
  • Disclaimer
Facebook Instagram Pinterest Twitter

Disclosure: Uncover Colorado is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Things To Do

  • Travel Blog
  • Colorado Activities
  • Colorado Events
  • Colorado Towns
  • Colorado Hotels
  • Colorado Restaurants
  • Colorado Transportation
  • Made in Colorado

Cheers! Mile High Happy Hour shares showcases Denver neighborhoods' restaurant happy hours.

Winter Activities

  • Federal Lands
  • Ghost Towns
  • Hot Springs
  • Ice Skating
  • Ski Resorts
  • Snow Tubing
  • State Parks
  • Train Rides

Copyright © 2023 ยท Uncover Colorado | Sitemap | Advertise