By:
Submission
A permit to camp is required for each campsite for each night (in addition to Park Entrance Permits).
Six and one-half miles of water beckon visitors to come out and play! Surrounded by 1,900 acres of public lands, this reservoir has it all: fishing, boating, camping, picnicking, swimming, scuba diving, rock climbing, and water skiing.
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.
Horsetooth Reservoir requires entrance and camping permits, and is open year round. It's located west of Fort Collins, Colorado, at an elevation of 5,420 feet.
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 at Horsetooth Reservoir and Hermit Park must still be done at the park. (Hermit Park closes for the season Dec 20 - March 1)
This place saved Fort Collins for me. Without it, I'd have nothing good to say.
A great place to hike or walk a trail! The trail is mostly flat, but if you want to get close to the water it’s a pretty rocky climb to the shore in some places. There are picnic tables with a great view of the lake, and plenty of places to pull of the road and admire the view. Definitely bring sunscreen :)
I love driving the winding roads around this reservoir. The view is incredible, especially towards sunset! This is a must see location when in Fort Collins. It’s a short drive from the city, and worth it for the beautiful scenery and amenities. The drive alone is gorgeous. Pack a lunch and spend the afternoon here.
If driving from Harmony road, once you’re on the road that follows the reservoir headed north, you will pass two rest/picnic areas along the road on the left side, one with access to a beach and cabana, both of these require a fee to park there and use the amenities. But, If you pass these and hit up the third one a littler further down, there are picnic tables, grills, and access to some steep trails down to the water. I never went all the way down, just far enough to have unobstructed views of the reservoir.
There are hiking trails all over the rolling hills of this reservoir, camping is available on the southernmost side. Be careful as bicycle riders share the road. At dusk there are deer or turkey sometimes crossing the roads.
I recommend this place to everyone I know. It's great for a day trip or an awesome place to camp. It's one of my family's favorites for sure. Fishing, boating, hiking, swimming... you can do it all here.
They have decent facilities and everything seemed very clean when we went. Parking areas and trails are accessible to get to the reservoir. You can access the reservoir from both sides.
The view there is very nice and people in the area are also very helpful. I would definitely enjoy going back there for barbecue.
