Carter Lake

• Carter Lake Marina (970-667-1062) - restaurant service, fishing and picnic supplies, firewood, boat mooring.

• 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.
• Boat ramps are in and useable most of the year, depending on the ice.
• Water-skiers must have an observer and use a red or orange flag.
• Boat Registration Information

• Electrical, non-electrical, tent.
• Campground hosts on duty during the summer.
• April - October, you can reserve sites at Horsetooth Reservoir, Carter Lake, Flatiron Reservoir, and Pinewood Lake. November - March most sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
• 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.

• Required of all visitors.
• Valid at Horsetooth Reservoir, Horsetooth Mountain Open Space, Carter Lake, Pinewood Reservoir, Flatiron Reservoir, and Ramsay-Shockey Open Space.
• Annual Park Entrance Permits (valid for the calendar year) are available at The Bison Visitor Center, at entrance stations prior to entering the park, at the Citizen Information Center, at nearby retail outlets, and online.
• Daily Park Entrance Permits (valid from day of purchase until noon the next day) are available at The Bison Visitor Center and at entrance stations and self-serve stations prior to entering the parks and open lands.

• No ice fishing - ice is UNSAFE due to water fluctuations.
• Year-round opportunities exist to catch trout from shore or boat - rainbow, cutthroat, splake, occasional brown trout, walleye and yellow perch.
• Kokanee salmon easily caught during the snagging season, October - December.
• Carter Lake rarely freezes over. Shore anglers can do well even in the dead of winter when other lakes are frozen.
• Carter is also known for its largemouth bass which become active when water temperatures rise above 60°.

• Water levels fluctuate. Carter Lake generally fills during the winter. It normally fluctuates up to 60 feet, with the lowest water being in mid September, excluding drought and excessive rain years.

• Weekdays during the summer - plenty of room for both camping and boating.
• Weekends during the summer - capacity is usually reached.

Carter Lake - Sundance Trail

Carter Lake - Fawn Hollow Trail