Arapaho National Recreation Area – Granby, CO

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”.

Home to 5 Great Lakes

Arapaho National Recreation Area Shadow Mountain Lake — Shadow Mountain Lake, is part of the Arapaho National Recreation Area. Photo by: 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 by: Kent Kanouse

Boating: All 5 lakes permit boating, with Lake Granby being 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:

Grand Lake has one marina that also serves Shadow Mountain Lake:

Trail Ridge Marina

Lake Granby Colorado — Lake Granby, Colo. Photo by: 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. Each one has slightly different populations, ranging from kokanee salmon and brown trout to lake trout and pike.

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.