Carter Lake

Southwest of Loveland

Three miles long and about one mile wide, this beautiful 1,100-acre reservoir is surrounded by 1,000 acres of public lands. It's a great place for fishing, sailing, water skiing, camping, picnicking, swimming, scuba diving, and rock climbing.

As part of the Colorado-Big Thompson Project to divert water from the west slope to the east slope for drinking water, irrigation, and hydropower generation, the reservoir is jointly operated by the Bureau of Reclamation and the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District who manage water levels for irrigation, municipal, and industry use. Larimer County manages recreation.

Carter Lake requires entrance and camping permits, and is open year round. At 5,760 feet in elevation, it is nestled in the foothills southwest of Loveland, Colorado, and northwest of Berthoud, Colorado.

Sky View Campground Now Open - learn more

Brochure Brochure (Spanish) Trail Map Entrance Permits Boating Info Reserve a Campsite Regulations

Features

Accessible
Biking
Boating
Camping
Diving
Drinking
Fishing
Hiking
Marina
Permit
Picnic
Reservable
Restroom
Swimming
Webcam

Map & Directions

From Denver:

  1. Take I-25 North to the Berthoud Exit (Exit 250).
  2. Turn left (west) onto Highway 56 and continue for 9 1/2 miles. (You will pass through the town of Berthoud.)
  3. Watch for the Carter Lake road sign after a sharp curve to the north (right).
  4. Turn left (west) onto County Road 8E and continue for 3 miles.
  5. Stop at the entrance station to purchase Park Entrance Permits, Follow County Road 8E west to the intersection about halfway up the hill. A sign will direct you to continue straight to the South Shore Campground or to turn right to Carter Knolls Campground, the swim beach, Big Thompson Campground, Carter Lake Marina, Eagle Campground, Lowell's Campground and North Pines Campground. The Natural Resources Department is located about 2 miles north of Carter Lake at 1800 South County Road 31.

From Longmont or Boulder:

  1. Take U.S. Highway 287 north to County Road 56 west of Berthoud.
  2. Turn left (west) onto County Road 56.

    Follow direction from # 3 above

From Loveland:

  1. Drive west of Loveland on U.S. Highway 34 to mile marker #85. Watch for the "Carter Lake" sign.
  2. Turn left (south) onto County Road 29. Go 2 miles and turn right (west) onto County Road 18E. Go west another 2 miles. Watch for the park signs.
  3. At County Road 31 turn left and stop to purchase park entrance permits at the entrance station on your right or at The Natural Resources Department. Continue south on County Road 31 another 2 miles to Carter Lake, campgrounds, marina, and swim beach.

From Fort Collins:

  1. Take Taft Hill Road south from Fort Collins to U.S. Highway 34 (Eisenhower) in Loveland and turn right (west).

    Follow directions from Loveland above.

Trails & Weather

Trails Report

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Weather

Air Quality

Updates every half hour.

Webcam

Carter Lake Marina Webcam
 

Check to see what the parking is like at the Carter Lake Marina, 4011 S County Rd 31, Loveland, CO 80537, before you come.

Parking at the popular North Boat Ramp can fill on weekends and holidays during the summer. When the parking lot is full, boats may no longer be launched until space becomes available. Visitors have the best chance of getting a space if they plan to arrive before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m.

Please be aware the availability of parking in the lot can change quickly.

Conditions

Water Temp: 40°F     Updated:

Note: Water temperature not collected October-May due to varying water/ice conditions. 

View current boat ramp hours.

 

BE BEAR AWARE: Avoid attracting bears to your campsite

  • Never leave food, cooler or trash unattended. Any food, coolers or trash left out may be confiscated.
  • Properly store your trash, food, beverages and toiletries in a locked hard-sided container constructed of rigid material. Keep anything with a scent in your vehicle or a bear-proof container. Put trash in dumpsters located at each campground.
  • Keep a clean tent. Don't bring anything with an odor into your tent. Don't sleep in the clothes you cooked in; store them in your vehicle.
  • Never intentionally feed a bear.

HELP KEEP COLORADO'S WILDLIFE WILD!

Active wildlife in the area - Please exercise caution and obey all posted speed limits as you approach the Carter Lake area. The wildlife in and around this area is very active and we experience numerous vehicle vs. wildlife accidents throughout the year.

Carter Lake Boat ramp days and hours vary on a seasonal basis. View current boat ramp hours.

Hunting is not allowed at Carter Lake.

For information regarding the swim beach, call 970-619-4570. 

Carter Lake water elevation is 5,759 feet full and 5,652 feet empty
Water Level Data courtesy U.S. Bureau of Reclamation

Fishing

Year-round opportunities exist at Carter Lake to catch trout from shore or boat: rainbow, cutthroat, splake, occasional brown trout, walleye and yellow perch. Carter is also known for its largemouth bass, which become active when water temperatures rise above 60°. Carter Lake rarely freezes over. Shore anglers can do well even in the dead of winter when other lakes are frozen.

  • Walleye: Daily limit of 3 total (must be less than 21" or else immediately returned to the water)
  • Bass: Daily limit of 5 total (must be over 15" or else immediately returned to the water)
  • Trout: Daily statewide limit of 4 total (no size restriction)

Please refer to the regulations brochure printed by Colorado Parks and Wildlife before fishing on any body of water. The regulations above are for Carter Lake.

View fish stocking reports from Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

No ice fishing - ice is UNSAFE due to water fluctuations.

Boating

General Boating Information

  • Boats entering Carter Lake must be inspected for aquatic nuisance species (ANS), which limits boating to specific hours. View current boating hours and ANS inspection info.
  • Direction of travel is counter-clockwise.
  • Water-skiing is best in the early mornings and evenings.
  • Winds are best for sailing from about 9:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and after 4:00 p.m.
  • An annual regatta and other races are sponsored by the Carter Lake Sailing Club.
  • Water-skiers must have an observer and use a red or orange flag.
  • Boat Registration Information
Carter Boating Photo 1 Carter Boating Photo 2 Carter Boating Photo 3 Carter Boating Photo 4 Carter Boating Photo 5 Carter Boating Photo 5

Camping

  • Electrical, non-electrical, tent.
  • Campground hosts on duty during the summer.
  • March 1 - October 31: Sites can be reserved from 180 days to 1 day in advance the arrival date at www.larimercamping.com or by calling the reservation call center at 1-800-397-7795. Sites that are not reserved in advance become available that day as first-come, first-served for people who are physically present at the parks. Same day reservations will be accepted at park visitor centers during regular business hours. These sites cannot be held over the phone, nor can their availability be guaranteed prior to arrival in-person.
    • November 1 - February 28/29 same day reservations can be made online at Carter Lake, Flatiron Reservoir, and Pinewood Reservoir. Campers MUST make a reservation and purchase a park entrance permit BEFORE setting up at any campsite.
    • November 1 - February 28/29 same day reservations at Horsetooth Reservoir and Hermit Park must still be done at the park. (Hermit Park closes for the season Dec 20 - March 1)
  • A permit to camp is required for each campsite for each night (in addition to Park Entrance Permits).
  • Maximum of 14 nights in any 30-day period.

Diving

  • Carter Lake: Scuba diving is permitted at The Saddle, and along the west shore, from a boat, in the wakeless area. If you have questions, contact the Administration Office at (970) 619-4570.
  • Notification of scuba diving activity to the Larimer County Department of Natural Resources prior to each day’s diving is required. If you are doing an early morning dive, call the day before. For Carter Lake dives, call (970) 619-4570. If there is no answer,  leave a voicemail message. Visitor Center staff will forward the information to field staff.
  • If leaving a message, it must include:
    • The dive leader’s name
    • The type of class being conducted (if applicable)
    • The number of divers in the group
    • The anticipated time in and out of the water.
    • (This same notification process must be followed at the conclusion of the days’ diving to inform the park staff when the group is out of the water.)

SCUBA DIVINGA ACTIVITY POLICIES AND REGULATIONS MUST BE FOLLOWED:

  1. Scuba diving alone or conducting classes without a certified instructor is prohibited. A short‐term concession license is required for anyone conducting business on the reservoirs (call 970-619‐4570 for information).
  2. Every person in the water, outside a designated swimming area, using an underwater breathing device often known as scuba gear, shall display a diver's flag, having one diagonal white stripe on a red background and capable of being identified at a distance of not less than one hundred yards. Such flag shall be placed at or near the point of submergence, and shall constitute a warning that a diver is submerged and may be within a radius of one hundred feet from such a flag. Vessels shall keep a distance of one hundred feet from the diver's flag. Scuba divers shall keep a safe distance from dam outlet structures.
  3. If a vessel is engaged in diving operations and as a consequence is restricted in its ability to maneuver, a rigid replica of the international code flag "A" or alpha flag shall be displayed. The flag must be not less than one meter in height and the flag must be blue and white in color.
  4. The requirement that the alpha flag be displayed from a vessel restricted in its ability to maneuver does not relieve the requirement that the diver's flag also be displayed at or near the point of submergence.
  5. Night Diving:
    • It is suggested that scuba divers remain in water depth less than 40 feet.
    • A shore marker emitting sufficient light for scuba divers to see from the furthest point of submergence from shore is required.
    • The scuba diver’s flag must be lit with a strobe light.
    • Scuba divers must have a glow flare attached to the top of their air tanks.

Photos

Click a photo to enlarge.

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Image © Jim Janicki
Image © Jeanie Sumrall-Ajero
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Tips & Info

  • The Carter Lake Swim Beach is typically open from Memorial Day weekend through mid-September. Exact opening/closing dates can vary each year. Please call 970-619-4570 for the most up to date information. Note - Dogs are not allowed at the swim beach. 
  • Capacity is usually reached for camping, boating and other activities during summer weekends. More room exists for camping, boating and other activities during summer weekdays.
  • Many elk and deer frequent the Carter Lake area. Please exercise caution when approaching and driving through the area.
  • No hunting or collecting of antlers is allowed.
  • Daily entrance permits are available for purchase at the automated pay stations on south C.R. 31 and west C.R. 8E, near the entrance station gates. The automated pay stations accept credit and debit cards only. Cash or checks will no longer be accepted at the self-service automated pay stations.

Concessionaires

Regulations

For specifics, ask a ranger or see a kiosk for a copy of the Regulations Brochure.

  • Life preservers of the appropriate sizing are required for each person on a boat, and must be worn by children at all times. In addition, a Type IV throwable PFD is required on boats longer than 16 feet.
  • Boat travel direction - counter clockwise.
  • An observer (in addition to the driver), with an orange or red flag, must be on the boat during water-skiing activity.
  • Swimming is prohibited except at the swim beach at Carter Lake at Dam 2. Swim beach hours vary. Call 970-619-4570 for current schedule.
  • Cliff diving or jumping in the water is extremely dangerous and prohibited in all areas.
  • Quiet hours are 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.
  • Collection of firewood, including cutting of trees and branches, is not allowed.
  • Firearms or fireworks are prohibited.
  • Glass containers are not allowed.
  • Alcohol is only allowed in campsites and on boats. No alcohol in day use areas.
  • Drones are prohibited.
  • Dogs must be on leashes not longer than 10 feet at all times. Dogs are not allowed at the swim beach.
  • Due to Homeland Security restrictions, no recreation activity is allowed on dams or within 100 feet of dams when on land.