Horsetooth Reservoir

Hard to believe that this is in out backyard !! DEFINITE destination when in NoCo !! Can get crowded on the water so plan accordingly ;-)

Just had my second visit to Horsetooth! The first time following all of the spring rains mid June I was impressed by how much the landscape resembled part of Oregon I traveled through on a road trip (Lowell) This last time over Labor Day weekend however, with the water levels lower by a hundred feet, for a moment it occurred to me they decided to put a more traditional "beach" area there. The water had been up to the rocks near the parking area at the South Bay swim area. In the late summer, it had more of the expected high desert vibe. It's nice that they have a no-wake area for paddle boarders and swimmers. Although it is a reservoir, the ugly wall is not a prominent visual feature like ie: Cherry Creek reservoir. I enjoy how this one is situated in a valley surrounded by mountains. Next time, I am absolutely bringing a paddle board. This time however, I was amused and inspired by one man who was not immediately deterred by the fact that he fell off his again and again. When he finally gave up, he had the same problem with his inner tube. The bathrooms/showers were not disgusting but I wasn't so sure how sanitary those children's diapers were in the water. .

We had jet ski's, went to the marina around 1 to fill up, had no issues. About around 4pm we want to fill up again as paying customers, and because the girls didn't entertain the marina workers sexual advances, they refused to let us fill up again. We had already called the sheriffs at this point because of the initial interaction & upon returning they told us "the sheriffs department has no jurisdiction over the gas at the marina, we don't care what the sheriffs told you". We turned around to leave & the people at the marina were calling us porch monkey's & spics while kicking one of our jet skis away from the marina. I didn't realize how racist this reservoir would be but obviously we won't be returning.

Beautiful area with amazing scenery. Virgin River vibes! Highly recommended!!! Did some trail walking and a bit of hiking. Most definitely would do this again.

It's a gorgeous area with colors ranging from reds to greens to blues and differing browns. The rolling hills make for a beautiful drive around the water. We didn't have a day pass but chose to take a scenic drive around since we had been in the area visiting CSU. We happened to be there on one of the less sunny days but it was still peaceful and a nice way to spend our morning.

Been going to this lake since I was a kid. They raise the entry cost every single year they raise the canping and season pass every year. They built a new million dollar ranger station. And keep in mind this lake swarms with them. They will arrest you for having fun w your family. They will not help u if u have boat problems. And to top it off they just added a locking system to empty your campers after u bought a pass and used their parks. Not kool all I see is TAKE TAKE TAKE.

Horsetooth Reservoir is absolutely beautiful and it is great for all kinds of activities. You can paddle board, kayak, boat, swimming, scuba dive, jet ski, and picnic. I am sure there is more you could do if you dream of it. Both swim beaches are rocky and not much sand or place to sit. The swim area on the south side does have some covered picnic tables. You will need to walk over to the swim area. If you are going to hang out over there, you might want to bring a umbrella or some way to get some shade. Over at the picnic area there is a nice ramp to launch your paddleboard or kayak off from. Cost to get in is $9 for the day unless you have a larimer county park pass. Then its included. Depending on what time of day you get there you may not find a spot so would recommend going earlier in day or mid morning. We got there around 10 am and left around 2 pm and the parking lot was full. be sure that you do not leave ANYTHING valuable in your vehicles! There are thieves that have been hitting the natural areas. Do not hide it. Do not store it in there. Just take it with you OR leave it at home. The thieves have some technology where they can detect electronics and also debit and credit cards. They can either break your window or bust your lock on your car. I have had my car hit 5 times now in the last 2 years, one of those times at horsetooth. Save yourself some heartache and leave your important stuff at home where it is safe.

Climb the rock! It's a good time! The falls are fun too! Pick up after your doggos! Get there early on the weekends (before sunrise) if you want a parking spot.

Beautiful views! Great time hiking down with the family to the reservoir and back up. The fee to park was ten dollars. Lots of rock climbers were bouldering in different spots. One part of the trail was a little precarious, but that was because we lost the trail when we decided to go back up a different way than we went down. Still manageable and a very fun afternoon.

Beautiful spot for the whole family to camp, swim, boat, fish and picnic. Lots of options for water rentals and easily accessible from town or to drive up from anywhere in the Colorado area.

Ok I literally typed "swimming area Horsetooth" in google and it took me to a tiny beach. It's mostly rock and the signage wasn't great so I actually thought the area partitioned off was the do not swim area until the rangers showed up and warned other swimmers. I also didn't realize my kids had to have life jackets on ( they were playing on the "beach") so I guess I didn't do enough research. It does look like a great area for water sports though! Would love to come back for tubing/skiing. My kids still had a blast but I wish I had know more about the swimming area beforehand. I was told by another mom there's a southern area that might be bigger. Still a beautiful place to spend the day!

What's not to like. Great for paddle boarding, canoeing, camping, hiking. There is a fee to park. Limited parking, get early in the summer months. During the winter, you can see the white caps mountains. Very majestic, and therapeutic place.

Beautiful reservoir, enjoyed a nice little hike. Make sure you pay for parking there ($9) as I saw a bunch of cars get ticketed by the ranger!

Horsetooth Reservoir is absolutely beautiful and great for all kinds of outdoor activities like mountain biking, paddleboarding, hiking, swimming or picnicking. The only drawback is the lake does lack some nice beaches for swimming so access to swimming areas is a bit limited. The lake can get pretty busy on weekends so either go early or be prepared to have some difficulties finding a parking spot.

Wonderful area for hiking, mountain biking, trail running, paddle boarding. At Horsetooth there is camping can not go wrong

A great way to spend a nice summer day fishing, boating, or taking in the scenery. I have great memories visiting with my grandparents. (P.S. don't go cliff jumping here or decide to use alcohol while boating as I've heard of a few accidents that have occurred here. Make good choices and you'll be fine)

Huge body of water, good for fishing and camping. The staff here are friendly and helpful as we unloaded our boat and the battery was dead. Thankfully the ranger came and helped us charge it, and we we're on the water in no time. Only a few places (but a positive for sure) with indoor facilities- Attempted to fish for a few hours but no fish were biting. Still to cold for me to be out on the lake but a beautiful view all the way around.

I purchased my fishing license, signed my fishing license, paid to register my boat, paid to register my trailer, paid for a parking pass for my truck, paid for a parking pass for my trailer (), and obeyed what seemed like an endless number of "no wake" zones. The ranger gave me a ticket for driving (wakeless) in a "no engine" zone. I showed him that the no engine bouys were ALL half sunk. It was very difficult to see that they said "no engines". Any reasonable person would have guessed they were just more "no wake" bouys. Very frustrating for a person who sincerely tries to follow all the rules

Horsetooth is such an asset to the Fort Collins area. It's absolutely beautiful and great for swimming, paddleboarding, hiking, road biking, motorbiking, or just watching the boats go by. The picnic areas around the reservoir are perfect for summer grilling or watching the sunset. It gets pretty crowded in the summer, so if you want to avoid people, the mornings, evenings, and off-seasons are the best time to visit.

This Reservoir brings back a lot of good memories. Great hike for the whole family, easy trails and amazing view. The lake also has a lot of rock climbing spots and "beach" area to layout. This lake is very relaxing and beautiful! I come here when I am feeling home sick and missing the beach.

Joe and I had bought this great frozen mushroom pizza in Medford, and we were determined to enjoy it while camping some place where the enjoyment of a mushroom pizza would be enhanced by a natural landscape of extraordinary beauty Though we had planned to spend the night at the Vedauwoo Rocks State Park east of Laramie, Wyoming, we were forced by the weather to come down into Colorado instead. We spent most of the day crossing the Rocky Mountains on Intersate 80 between Rock Springs and Cheyenne. At a maximum elevation of nearly 9,000 feet, we suffered snow, wind and difficult road conditions. By Laramie we could see that there was blue sky ahead in the distance, but it was still just too damned cold and miserable there to think about adhering to our original plan. Once we crossed the state line into Colorado, everything changed. The sky opened up above our heads, the sun melted what snow and ice still clung to the wiper blades and the air was dry and crisp. We still wanted to camp some place beautiful, so at the suggestion of some locals we made our way to the Horsetooth Reservoir State Park. About 10 miles outside Fort Collins and up a little ways into the Rocky Mountain foothills, the RV park sits in a wide basin at the southern end of the reservoir. It was plenty cold over night, and it even sprinkled on us a bit. But we geared up for a hike and dragged our pampered city asses out onto the lake bed. Joe had a miner's type halogen light strapped to his forehead and I carried a 6-volt lantern in my hand. It was nearly as dark as it was cold, and we set ourselves the simple goal of finding water's edge. We had a rough memory of where the lake was from the day-time, but we couldn't see shit. At one point the ground under foot became oddly soft and training my lantern beam on it I saw a mat of short weeds and a texture of dirt that reminded me we were walking in a lake bed. This is about when I began to feel like an idiot. A few steps later we could feel big, fat drops of lake water carried up by the gusting wind against our faces. We must be getting close! Did I mention it was very cold? Well, we never made it to the water's edge. But on the walk back to to the rig we understood something about playing in the cold and how a lot of the fun you have when you're "out there" depends on having a warm place to return to when you're done.

Absolutely beautiful views! Such a change of scenery from Austin, Texas. We drove in sort of late so didn't get to enjoy the drive out from Fort Collins, but when we left in the morning we were awed by the surrounding nature. The grounds were cool and quiet, and if you find the right place down by the water, you barely hear the cars driving down the mountain and around the bend. People are respectful, friendly, and courteous. "Wow, Cody, this all sounds great! Why 4 stars then?" Good question. My wife, dog and I travel all around the country in our car. We are simple and appreciate comfort but very much enjoy setting our A-Frame tent and going primitive. We don't require much maintenance. We do however prefer clean bathrooms. They weren't horrific, but they definitely were not very well maintained. I even waited until after the morning crew came around before I went in, but I think they only grabbed the trash. Could really use a good power washing or something! Read some other reviews about the showers being sketchy so we didn't even bother and really felt like they should have been included in already pretty steep price. Will we come back? I think yes, but will try to use the restroom the night before and morning after off-premises.

This review is for the Blue Sky Trail for mountain biking. I found the trail pretty challenging but nothing a novice couldn't handle. I guess I was a little surprised at how much this reminded me of California with shrubs and grass rather than trees. I did some research that showed rattlesnakes are prevalent in the area as well. There isn't too much ascent- 600' or so- which makes this a good ride if you are looking for something a bit more moderate. Overall, I hooked into another trail but round trip it was about 90 minutes over 11 miles.

A very view once you make it to the top. Hint: don't go mid-day! It's super hot! The trail is rocky so don't go at night or on rainy days. Wear tennis shoes and bring your camera! We also took our dog on this hike which is great!

The reservoir is certainly quite pretty, although when I went only part of it had water and the other part had receded back and exposed some of the nasty bed of the reservoir. There's numerous places to stop and picnic during warmer months and the surrounding area makes for good hiking and biking. The drive is scenic and is close enough to the rest of the city that it makes a nice relaxing place to cruise off to.

We camp here during the summer and have the best time. Campgrounds are kept clean and everyone is super friendly.

Just a note- I heard a lot of people saying that the Horsetooth Falls hike was supposed to be easy and flat. We heard: " I thought this was a FLAT hike!" It's not. But, it won't kill you, if I can do it! My husband, an advanced hiker and 15 year old son ( football player) both felt like this had good variety and awesome views. I had to stop on some of the inclines to make sure I could keep my footing, but there were lots of kids and dogs on the trail, so I'm sure you can too! Great variety, and beautiful falls at the end. We can't give it 5 stars because of the other places we have been in Colorado! Bring your lunch and eat at the picnic tables there at the parking lot, they are covered.

Beautiful! Amazing views of the mountains and all of FOCO! Came on a rainy day but still worth the drive! Can't wait to come back and hike around.

Looking to get out of town for the day? Want to go camping but don't feel like trekking up I-70 or dealing with the mountains? Itching to put that boat in the water and throw on the skis? Here are EIGHT THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW about Horsetooth Reservoir, located on the outskirts of Fort Collins: 1. You can camp, you can boat, you can ski, you can swim, you can fish, you can hike, you can picnic. What more do you want? 2. Dogs MUST be on leashes in the camping areas, and aren't allowed on the swim beach at all. Rangers and staff are extremely vigilant about this. That said, a park ranger himself encouraged us to take the mutts down to an "unincorporated" area of shoreline to allow them to swim and frolic off-leash in a spot where nobody else was around. It gets hot up there, and the pups need to cool off too! 3. If you're not swimming at the beach area (i.e. you've headed off to a secluded area to splash with your dogs), be prepared for muck. Like, shoe-sucking muck. The kind that'll snatch a flip-flop right off your feet without even thinking twice... and once it's gone, it's GONE. Wearing lace-up creek shoes might help, but if they're even the slightest bit loose, you might lose those too. Your best bet is to just brave that slippery, slimy, sinky mess au natural. It feels cool when it squishes between your toes! Oh, and if you're like me and wear a toe ring... take it off first. 4. Bring your own firewood. Even with ample amounts of dead branches lying around, park rangers frown on scavenging. You'd think they'd be happy to see you reducing the fire danger by picking up groundfuel! You'd be wrong. 5. On a hot summer day, there are more boats on the water than cars gridlocked in the Tech Center during a Denver rush hour. Drive accordingly. There are rules you need to follow here, such as moving counter-clockwise around the lake's perimeter, and having an extra "watcher" passenger on your boat if you're towing a skiier or tuber behind. Be good and play nice. After all, safety's number one! 6. The best time to water-ski, if you like the flat, glassy surfaces (my friend calls it "butter"), is in the early morning or early evening. Crowds are also thinner at those times. 7. There's not a whole lot of shade here, and it gets HOT. If you have a shade canopy, it's worth your while to bring it along. 8. Trails are for everyone-- hikers, bikers, AND horseback riders. For that reason, marked trails might not be the best place to have your dog off leash. Some horses like dogs. Some dogs like horses. And... some don't. Play fair... let the dogs have off-leash fun in a place where it'll be fun for EVERYONE involved (i.e. down by the water, in an area away from everyone else). Above all, have a good time! We Coloradoans are lucky to have so many amazing, natural places in which to enjoy ourselves. Now get off your damn computer and go do it!

Amazing, awesome, BEAUTIFUL reservoir surrounded by great hiking trails and scenic views. This is a really nice place where you can BBQ, picnic or bring a boat and go boating and swimming. Bring a camera too as great place to snap pictures. Next time I visit Horsetooth I would love to go fishing. The trout is supposed to be really great. Would love to also try camping here. Horsetooth is in the foothills of the Rockies so you don't have to deal with the issues of the mountains but still have nice views.

Really beautiful and not too crowded place to swim. Lots of people bring rafts to float on in the swimming area. The beach area is nice and clean. I'm originally from Boston and I regularly listen to people complain about how cold the water is. Fact: It's not. Sorry but I'm used to -20 degree Atlantic ocean water that numbs the limbs when you stand in the water for too long, and the water temperature here is PERFECT. Cool enough to refresh, warm enough to stay in there and hang out for awhile. I love this place!

Go right at the fork for a quick hike, about an hour in and out. I imagine during the spring or summer the water falls are more impressive. There were a lot of kids on the hike so that gives you an idea of the difficulty of the trail. Dogs are welcome just make sure you keep them on a leash... There are park rangers waiting to fgive tickets

The best place to swim and paddle board. Cliff jumping prohibited if you get caught....climbing at Duncan's Ridge. Hike up to Horsetooth Mountain and go for a dip afterwards. Full moon kayaking. Canyon Grill on a hot summer night. Go here!

This review is just based on camping. The lake is surrounded by a highway on 3 sides and it's like sleeping on the infield of a race track. Also, people are totally inconsiderate. Playing music loud, talking loud outside your tent and carrying on late at night. Cars zoom by all night long and you can hear them the entire way around the reservoir. Gate staff was very friendly, but unaware of camping costs/availability. I find that strange. So I pay $7 to enter after looking at the pamphlet that tent camping is $15. But when I see the host, he charges $25 for an RV spot, which is a total scam. Plus some $2.50 fee. Had I known this at the gate, I would have just paid for a hotel. Also wanted all my personal information, which is weird. I just wanted a place to sleep for a night while travelling. Host also puts me next to the loudest, most obnoxious campers I've ever seen who brought literally everything they own and probably the kitchen sink too, playing loud music all night. I'd never return to this place. It's pretty at first glance, but not a relaxing atmosphere. Frankly, if you had a motorboat, this lake seems too skinny to be enjoyable. So $34.50 just to pitch a tent and then you have to pay extra for showers too. Too much nickle and diming. You've been warned.

Whether you choose to boat, hike, climb, camp out, or just enjoy the beauty... Horsetooth literally has it all. Mountain biking and hiking paths are simple and gorgeous. This is heaven on earth for Coloradans. do be warned they will write you a ticket if you do not get a parking pass!

Huge lake! Nice to go boating on and take pictures from the road or wherever really! Gets very busy in the summer with jet and water skiers which can often be very entertaining! Nice summer distraction. I hear there are a lot of Rattlesnakes up there so do be careful. Snakes DO swim in the water so be aware!

What an oasis! While the dams were being rebuilt, Horsetooth was a bit of a letdown, but before and after that bleak period, you are hard pressed to find a better place to boat, hike, rock climb, or mountain bike in Colorado that is so close to a major city. Literally from downtown Fort Collins, you can be to Horsetooth Reservoir in 10 minutes. It's also great for fishing. I've had luck catching pike and trout off of the dams. If anyone has been to the Fingerlakes in upstate New York, this reservoir reminds me of a small version. Simply awesome!!!!

Great place to take a hike either alone or with others! People are friendly and environment is very clean! Dog friendly and people are pretty good about keeping them on leash.

Spent about 1hr at Santanka Bay - is a popular place for paddleboards and kayaks. My boyfriend caught fish near the dam. Note it is $1 cheaper if you buy your pass at an open space station and passes are interchangeable between open space/reservoir and good until noon the next day.

I am a Ft.Collins native and I will never get tired of this place. Any time I need to just escape from the craziness, Horsetooth Reservoir is a short 10 minute drive away. And around every corner is just more beauty. I would recommend this destination to anyone. Visitor or resident.

Best public park, reservoir, and space in Colorado. My friends were stunned when we BBQ-ed there and the grills were spotlessly clean and ready for use. The first time I saw horsetooth I couldn't believe a giant lake was nestled inbetween Fort Collins and the foothills. Climb Arthur's Rock in Lory State Park or the namesake Horsetooth Rock for great views of Fort Collins, the mountains, and the reservoir.

Great for hiking, horseback riding, biking and swimming. When the water is high enough - find a local and go cliff jumping! (beware if the reservoir level is low) Summertime - bring lots of water, sunscreen and shade

Nice scenic drive to get here. Beautiful area with hikes for all sorts of hikers beginners to advanced and views for everyone. People are friendly on trails and plenty of well behaved dogs. Watch out for rattlesnakes on the trails during season though.

Beautiful views from this reservoir! Nice place to hang out! Parking is a bit pricey if you only want to stay for a quick hike, but definitely worth it!

Had family in town this weekend and we decided to do the quick hike to the falls on Monday. So much fun, great for the kids in the group and its about as easy a hike as you will find in CO. Trail was clean and I love the new self pay parking! As for the reservoir, I am not as big a fan. Didnt like that you have to pay just to go see someone at the camp sites. Whats up with that? Water was kinda dirty and there seemed to be an excess of boat traffic too. Nice place to hike and spend the day but I prefer the outlying areas to the lake.

Well, I hate hiking and the outdoors and lakes, so this really isn't my place, but if you like that stuff im sure you'd be fine here - i must say though that the pavillions where i sat all day were fabulous, shaded and the restrooms were the nicest park restrooms i've ever seen - but i think it's absurd to have to pay to get into this reservoir

We stayed here for a family reunion and all rented a large pontoon with a slide for an afternoon. The staff at the marina are great and there is a fun and secluded little cove that is perfect for swimming that the captain took us to. When we were there there was a ton of rain so the beach was non-existant. We will be back every 2 years for family reunions...great place.

Good price for a full hookup site overlooking Horsetooth Reservoir. My only complaint would be the shower system -- It is $1 for one token, a token equals 3 minutes, and it takes 2 tokens to start the showers. However, more often than not, the token slot in the shower will spit your token back out at you or simply eat your token. The maintenance man working at the showers was very nice and gave me back my money for the tokens the machine had eaten along with 3 extra tokens just in case it gave me an issue again, but the machine still shot one back out at me, ate another, and refused to start altogether after the first 6 minutes were up. I would have rather had the campground charge us a couple extra bucks per night and not have had to pay to shower.

I come here often for a few reasons. Not too far from Denver. Great view at the top of the mountain. Lots of trails to choose from for hiking and trail running. It's possible to do a quick 1.5 hour hike or an exhausting day-long running adventure. Only downside is the entrance fee. It's something like $7 to park. But I think it's worth it.