Colorado is home to more than 2,000 lakes and reservoirs, many of which offer a nice opportunity to get wet; some are actually really nice dive destinations you can enjoy while dreaming of visiting more exotic destinations, and some are quite stunning. Here, we'll take a closer look at three of Colorado's best lake dives.
Carter Lake
Owned and operated by Larimer County, Carter Lake is a 3 mile long, 1 mile wide reservoir situated in the foothills of the towering Colorado Rockies. A fairly short drive from the Denver area, the lake is used for all types of recreation, and also supplies water to local businesses and residences. At its deepest (around 180 feet) during the winter, it can be much shallower in the summer; average depth is about 80 feet. Diving is restricted to an area called the Cove, and flags are required. While underwater, you'll find interesting artifacts dropped by boaters, along with a healthy Kokanee salmon population and quite a few trout. Visibility averages 7 feet or so, and the water is chilly; there is a general day use fee, plus a fee to boat, and there's another small fee for camping. Amenities include campgrounds, picnic areas, a marina, an RV water fill station, and restrooms. Carter Lake is open for diving all year.
Blue Mesa Lake
When Blue Mesa Dam was complete in 1965, Colorado's largest body of water was born, but three towns, plus a number of highways and railroad bridges were submerged. In addition to some of the remnants of these underwater ghost towns, divers find lost fishing gear as they explore; plus, there are a few sunken boats and even a wrecked airplane. The lake is home to an abundance of Kokanee Salmon and Brown Trout; plus, it has produced record lake trout and it is crawling with crawdads. Though you can dive here all year, the best time to visit is between August and late October, when the water is slightly less chilly and the visibility reaches up to about 30 feet. The worst time to come is after heavy rains, when runoff clouds the water. The lake is open for diving 24 hours a day, but there are no airfills on site; there are also no dive shops locally, so you'll have to bring your own. Plan accordingly - if you want to enjoy camping and diving for a week, you're going to need lots of tanks and air! Be cautious of overhead boat traffic and watch out for fishermen; otherwise, there are very few regulations.
Turquoise Lake
Located just outside Leadville, Turquoise Lake offers depths between 20 and 100 feet, and visibility averages 20-30 feet. The lake is home to plenty of trout and other fish, and camping is available. You can get air fills in Leadville at Bill's Sport Shop, just about 10 miles from the lake. The lake boasts great amenities and hiking trails abound; with gorgeous scenery, good visibility, and plenty of opportunities to relax topside, this is a fantastic place even non-divers will love.
These are just a few of the many wonderful places you can dive in Colorado. Do a little exploring, and you'll find that you're never far away from what might just be the next great Colorado dive site. Remember your camera, too; you're probably going to run into some record breaking trout on these dives!