It’s the middle of summer!! It is the perfect time to visit the nearest body of water and have some fun. The people of Denver knows this and are lucky to have some great lakes around the state. It varies from lakes that are more suited for adventurists, and lakes that are perfect for families and some wholesome fun.
We will be focusing more on the latter as we list down the top 5 lakes for the whole family:
Cherry Creek Reservoir
photo credit: colorado.com
Located in Aurora, this lake features a roped-off swimmable area and some fine sandy beach that makes you feel like you’re in the ocean. You and your family can do a lot of water activities like boating, riding a jet ski, paddle boarding, and more. You can even do non-water activities like horseback riding and camping.
Location: 4201 S. Parker Rd., Aurora, CO 80014.
Chatfield State Park Reservoir
photo credit: colorado.com
This reservoir was previously constructed by the US Army Corps to help control flooding in the area. Now, the Chatfield Reservoir is the main attraction in the Chatfield State Park. Although only a portion of the reservoir is allowed for swimming, there are still a lot of things you can do like boating and water skiing. The park is also great for biking, camping, and flying hot-air balloons.
Location: 11500 Roxborough Park Rd, Littleton, CO 80125
Blue Mesa Reservoir
photo credit: colorado.com
This is the largest body of water in the state of Colorado and boasts of a 96-mile shoreline. Most of these are rocky, though, and swimming is limited to Bay of Chickens, Dry Creek, and Old Highway 50 beach. What it lacks in swimmable areas, though, they make up for other activities like windsurfing and waterskiing. You can also ride your boat, or go camping around the area.
Location: 102 Elk Creek, CO 81230.
Boulder Reservoir
photo credit: colorado.com
If you are looking for a lifeguard attended lake, then the Boulder Reservoir is perfect for your family. It has one roped off shore that is suitable for young children to swim in. There is another that is more suitable to older kids (12 and up) and requires a swim-test by the lifeguard. Aside from swimming, there are other water activities you can do like boating, fishing, and waterskiing. You can also hike or bike around the area.
Location: 5565 51st St, Boulder, CO 80301
Grand Lake
photo credit: colorado.com
Aptly named the Grand Lake, this is the largest and deepest natural lake in Colorado, and it boasts of over 60 miles of water surface length. You can start by traversing the town’s boardwalk, which takes you all the way to the lake. From there, you and your family can quickly hit the water as public swimming is allowed in this big lake. You can also go boating or canoeing. The lake is also near Rocky National Park for more non-water activities like hiking and biking.
Location: 1246 Lake Ave, Grand Lake, CO 80447
