Top spots for paddleboarding in Colorado

SUPing in Colorado should be high up on any paddleboarders’ to-do list. It’s one of the most beautiful states in the US and one of the best for outdoor activities and travel.

Its stunning scenery is made up of beautiful natural landscapes that include forests, mountains, and a plethora of gorgeous lakes that will wow any paddleboarder.

Here are the best 15 spots to paddleboard in Colorado:

Rampart Reservoir

13 billion gallons of water await you at Rampart Reservoir, a popular recreation site in Colorado located off Rampart Range Road within the Pike National Forest. This reservoir was built on a granite plateau, which means you’ll be paddleboarding at an elevated height of approximately 9,000 feet.

If you love birdwatching and wildlife, you’ll love this place. Rampart Reservoir is home to a wide variety of wildlife. Bears, woodpeckers, and porcupines are just some of the animals you’ll spot at the Pike National Forest and at the reservoir.

You can also participate in other activities like hunting and fishing, both of which require a license. Day-use picnic areas exist here and the best of them is the Promontory Picnic Area.

The Rampart Reservoir trail is a well-maintained hiking trail with bridges through which you can explore the entire shoreline of the reservoir. When you’re not paddleboarding, take a short or long hike on this trail and enjoy a carefree tour of the reservoir.

Whilst several different water sports are permitted here, any sport or activity that involves touching the water or dipping parts of your body in it are prohibited, like wading and swimming. That’s a shame, as this reservoir looks like a great swimming spot.

Rampart Reservoir has a seasonal parking lot and two overnight campgrounds (Meadow Ridge and Thunder Ridge) that are only open from early May to late October.

The overnight campgrounds provide tables, fire grates, vault toilets and firewood (needs to be purchased).

The drive to Rampart Reservoir is difficult and slow as a result of the rough, rutted road, and the road’s speed limit is 20 mph, so drive carefully. Also, bear in mind that you must wear a coast guard-approved life jacket to paddleboard here.

Grand Lake

In Colorado, you can either paddleboard in artificial or natural lakes. Grand lake is one of the natural lakes and it’s the largest and deepest one in Colorado.

It’s situated next to Rocky Mountain National Park and features an abundance of wildlife, mountain views, and an incredible variety of beautiful landscapes.

Grand Lake is one block behind the main street of Grand Lake village, an enchanting village where you’ll find lots of extra things to do while you’re there.

One of the highlights of the Grand Lake village is its famous boardwalk which you can stroll along to discover more than 60 locally-owned places to check out, including restaurants, shops, art galleries, ice cream parlors, jewelry stores, boutiques, candy shops, and more.

Grand Lake is open all-year. During the summer months, you can partake in a wide variety of water activities, like swimming, paddleboarding, boating, and fishing. During the winter months, you can spend the day snowshoeing and snowmobiling on the skiing trails at the Grand Lake Nordic Center.

Rocky Mountain National Park is where you’ll find the many nice hiking trails available here plus mountain biking trails, the parking lots, and campgrounds featuring flush/vault toilets, drinking water, tables, tent pads, and fire grates. Paddleboard rental is available at the marina.

It’s advisable to visit Grand Lake in the morning and paddleboard on calm waters, then spend the rest of the day engaging in other activities or exploring the area.

In the mornings you’ll have an easy trip due to the calm winds, but if you want to challenge yourself, then you want to be on the waters in the afternoon when the wind currents are stronger.

Cherry Creek Reservoir

Cherry Creek Reservoir is at the heart of Cherry Creek State Park, a large 4,000-acre park with mountain views, campgrounds, rolling hills, and a parking lot.

You have to pay a daily access fee or get the annual pass to use the parking lot but there’s free parking close to the west entrance if you’re disinclined to pay for parking.

After parking your car, head towards the park to begin your adventures. If you don’t own a paddleboard, follow the signs toward Pelican Bay Marina to Rocky Mountain Paddleboard and rent one there.

When you’re ready to begin, you can launch from the east or west ramp. This is a busy paddleboarding spot, especially in the summer, but its 880-acres of flat water is large enough to accommodate everyone.

Cherry Creek State Park, one of the largest parks in Colorado, has other fun activities outside of water sports.

The campground contains more than 150 campsites for overnight camping complete with dump stations, showers, and laundry facilities.

It also has group picnic areas that can be reserved in advance and hold hundreds of people, with several amenities like grills and restrooms. If you’re coming with your dog, there’s a paid off-leash dog area where it can play and roam freely with other dogs.

At 12 Mile Stables, you can rent a horse and go horseback riding. Fishing is another activity you can spend time doing at the park. If you don’t like fishing, try hiking on the Cherry Creek Trail, Wetland Loop Trail, or the moderately difficult Smoky Hill Trail.

There are many species of birds at this park, including northern harriers and bald eagles. Bird watchers can head to the park’s office and find out where they can watch specific birds from the observation log.

If you need more activities to pass the time, you can take part in biking, model airplane flying, swimming, shooting, volleyball, and winter sports.

Prospect Lake

Prospect Lake is located east of downtown Colorado. It’s a small lake, but it has impressive mountain views that provide the perfect backdrop for SUPing, fishing, boating, and many other recreational activities. Some of the activities available here require a license, for example, fishing.

Prospect Lake is situated inside Memorial Park, a large multi-use park that contains facilities for basketball, volleyball, tennis, baseball, ice skating, and a bike velodrome.

This lake used to have a toxic algae problem that discouraged most visitors from swimming in it, but that issue has been resolved and the water’s now clean, so you can swim in it if you feel like it.

Dogs are allowed here but they have to be leashed. There’s a promenade along the beach where you can walk your dog and take a short hike. The dead fishes on the shoreline could distract your dog and make it harder to control, so keep this in mind as you bring your dog with you.

Prospect Lake is always windy, but this is a small lake, so you shouldn’t have any trouble paddleboarding here as long as you have all the important safety gear.

Inside Memorial Park, you’ll have access to picnic areas where you can take in the impressive mountain views as you eat and relax.

If you’re accompanied by your kids, they can play in the kids playground while you busy yourself with the adult activities.

Parking at Memorial Park shouldn’t be a matter of concern as there’s plenty of parking at the park. Paddleboard rentals are also available from SUP Colorado Springs.

Chatfield Reservoir

Weekend getaways are awesome at Chatfield State Park within which the Chatfield Reservoir is situated. The reservoir is surrounded by a large, sandy beach and it’s a great place to be whether you’re coming alone or with a large group of friends.

Parties and gatherings are common at Chatfield State Park due to the availability of well-maintained restrooms and a good number of these groups stay a good while before leaving.

Therefore, if you’re coming here for a getaway instead of a one-day adventure, you need to make all the necessary arrangements at the right time to secure a campsite.

You can rent paddleboards, kayaks, and other watercraft from Colorado Watersports. Motorized watercraft is allowed in the reservoir, so be wary of these while SUPing. If you don’t like paddleboarding on choppy waters, avoid parts of the water where there’s a high concentration of motorized watercraft.

A fenced, off-leash dog park for your furry friends is within the park, along with biking and hiking trails. You can walk your dog on the hiking trails so long as they are on a leash.

Want to swim? The Chatfield Reservoir is an amazing swimming spot, but you can only swim between sunup and sundown and only in the reservoir’s swimming area.

Chatfield State Park contains an overnight campground, and it’s the largest in Denver, Colorado. It has a good number of facilities too – hot showers, laundry, flush toilets, firewood, water, and a scat machine.

The campground gets noticeably hot during the summer and shelter from the hot summer sun is sparse, so keep that in mind when visiting during the summer.

Big Soda Lake

As a result of its closeness to the heart of the city, Big Soda Lake is a hot spot for locals and tourists. It features wonderful views of rolling hills and rocky mountains and sits within the Bear Creek Lake Regional Park, a large park with another body of water known as the Bear Creek Reservoir.

Swimming is a popular activity here and swimming is allowed at Big Soda Lake. Aside from Big Soda Lake and Bear Creek Reservoir, there’s another lake at the park called the Little Soda Lake which is only accessible to Water Ski School private boats.

One of the top benefits of paddleboarding here is the confinement of each of the three bodies of water to specific activities.

You can only launch motorized watercraft at Bear Creek Reservoir, while Big Soda Lake is reserved for swimming and non-motorized watercraft like paddleboards and kayaks. This means there won’t be any motorized watercraft to worry about as you enjoy your paddleboarding trips.

Bear Creek Lake Regional Park is open year-round for paddleboarding, but many of the other shops and places in the park like the swim beach and the Soda Lake Marina (where you can rent paddleboards) are only open between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

The park has a few sheltered picnic areas, a concession stand, and clean bathrooms. You are allowed to bring your dog, but you aren’t allowed to bring them to the sandy swim beach.

On days when the weather is nice and during the weekends, the sheltered picnic areas fill up fast. You’ll only succeed in securing a spot if you arrive early.

Horseback riding is available at Bear Creek Rank Stables. Fishing is allowed, and there are hiking/biking trails, sand volleyball courts, an archery range, a campground with 47 campsites (Indian Paintbrush Campground) and a wide array of wildlife at the park too.

Vallecito Reservoir

Vallecito Reservoir is the kind of lake that will make you want to SUP even if you had no intention of SUPing before hitting the road. This lake is a magnificent hidden gem in Durango, Colorado.

It sits in the middle of the scenic San Juan National Forest, a forest so beautiful it could distract you while you’re paddleboarding, so try not to focus too much on it or the surrounding epic mountains.

At 8,000 feet above sea level with 12 miles of shoreline, Vallecito Reservoir is one of the largest artificial lakes in Colorado, and it’s among the most beautiful too. It’s situated within a valley, which is why it’s considered a hidden gem.

You can rent a paddleboard from the Vallecito Marina or simply call Over The Top Adventures to have it delivered to your campsite.

Camping and overnight accommodation is plentiful here. You can rent a cabin, camp in the RV park, or in one of the many campgrounds in the vicinity equipped with toilets, fire pits, tables, and drinking water.

If hiking is your thing, many trails exist here, waiting for you to explore them. The most popular ones are the North Canyon, Vallecito Creek, East Creek, and Pine River trails. You can also ride horses on many of the trails at Vellecito Lake.

Anglers can fish at the dam and catch a good variety of fishes including trout and northern pike. If you want to get away from the bustle and have a relaxing time fishing, go to the dam on the south side.

There are restaurants, stores, and other businesses in the area. The reservoir stays cool throughout the year as a result of its high elevation, making it a great place to cool off in the summer. It also has multiple access points.

Glenwood WhiteWater Park

If you’ve never experienced whitewater SUPing, Glenwood WhiteWater Park is the best spot to enjoy white water paddleboarding in the Colorado river. It has artificial white water that is produced by a hole in the river.

If you’re an experienced white water paddleboarder, this is the perfect place to practice and show off your skills. The river features different levels of standing waves, but the main feature here is the G-wave.

The park is open throughout the year, but it’s busier between May and September. A parking lot is available, but it can be hard to find a spot during the busier months because of its small size.

Overnight camping is not available at this park, so this is the kind of spot you visit to do your thing and go home.

There aren’t a lot of things to do here, but this park is by no means boring. The whitewater waves are beautiful and challenging to ride, which makes this place worth a visit. There are other things to do here to spice up your day as well.

A lot of advanced paddleboarders and boaters come here. You can relax in the seating area and watch them show off their skills and tricks while you enjoy the view and tasty refreshments.

There’s a learning pool for beginners where you can practice and hone your skills. When you’re done riding the waves, a refreshing freshwater family pool awaits you at Iron Mountain Springs, a resort situated alongside the Colorado river and five minutes from the park.

Iron Mountain Springs also features mountain views, hot springs, changerooms, and a restaurant. You can also lodge in one of the nearby hotels if you wish to extend your stay and make the most of this place.

North Star Nature Preserve

Aspen has a few good paddleboarding spots, and the North Star Nature Preserve is one of them. This park gives you the opportunity to paddle on the Roaring Fork River which features significant wildlife, wetlands, and pleasant views of the natural environment.

East of the river is open to community access and activities, while the west side is protected for wildlife preservation.

The park has a few parking lots, but the majority of them are currently under construction. When you get there you can park your car at the South Gate parking lot (currently open but might not be on the day you visit).

The Roaring Fork River is cold and flows high during spring and summer, so launch here in the spring and summer months only if it suits you and your skill level. You’ll encounter bridges during your trip, and you’ll need to duck or sit and float underneath them to proceed.

There are easy and smooth hiking trails at this park, but you can’t bring your dog along, neither can you paddleboard with it. This rule exists because the chances of encountering a moose here are very high and these animals are way more likely to exhibit aggressive tendencies when dogs are in the picture.

Aside from hiking, horseback riding and biking are other ways to explore the preserve. Each trail is a lookout point in its own right because each one offers unique views of the area, so explore as many of them as you can.

When you’ve gotten your fill of SUPing, head to the Aspen Art Museum, Smuggler Mine, Silver Queen Gandola, and other attractions close to the preserve for some sublime sightseeing, or rest in one of the nearby hotels and continue your adventures the following day.

Horsetooth Reservoir

This is a large, 6.5-mile long reservoir located west of Fort Collins, and it’s a busy paddleboarding spot. You’ll need to arrive before 10 a.m. to secure a parking spot during summer weekends because the parking lot fills up fast.

Aside from having beautiful views of the city to take in and many activities to enjoy, one other reason why this reservoir is so popular is its closeness to the city, which makes it very easy to reach.

You can’t paddleboard in seclusion or quietude here due to the number of visitors it attracts especially during peak season, but you can enjoy the spectacular views of the landscape, Horsetooth Rock, and other water sports lovers having a blast, and these alone make it worth every minute of your time.

You can rent paddleboards, boats, and kayaks from the Inlet Bay Marina. If you intend to camp here, you need to make a reservation before you arrive. Overnight camping is only allowed for a maximum of 14 days in a row. You can also rent one of the nearby condos if you prefer that to camping.

Fishing is allowed at Horsetooth Reservoir. However, you can only catch a certain number of fishes per day (each specie has a daily limit).

There are many dirt trails here for hiking, biking, and horseback riding (at Horsetooth Rock, an open mountain space near the reservoir). Picnic areas are close by for resting and relaxing between trips.

Horsetooth Reservoir is so large you can ride the waters all day, and so gorgeous you’ll be almost indefatigable, making this the ideal spot for long trips.

Palmer Lake

In the Tri-lakes region between Colorado Springs and Denver lies three communities. Palmer Lake is one of those three communities and the lake itself, also known as Palmer Lake, is situated inside of it.

This growing community provides sweeping, panoramic views of the Rocky Mountain Foothills plus a museum, shops, restaurants, and a lake to the delight of visitors.

You’ll find the lake where the New Santa Fe Trail begins. This trail is the longest continuous trail that exists in El Paso County and spans 15 miles. If you want to hike at Palmer Lake, I recommend you try this trail first.

The Santa Fe trail provides a spectacular view of Pikes Peak, a famous, imposing mountain in Colorado. Another trall that affords this view is the Greenland Open Space Trail. Both trails aren’t just great lookouts for Pikes Peak, their rolling hills enrich your hiking experience.

There’s a parking lot at Palmer Lake, but overnight camping isn’t available. That said, you can camp at the Colorado Heights Camping Resort, which is just 10 minutes away from the lake.

This resort offers 200 campsites, free WIFI and parking, picnic areas, hot tubs, and beautiful views of the Front Range and Pikes Peak.

At Palmer Lake, swimming isn’t allowed and motorized boats aren’t allowed either. It’s pet-friendly though, so you can SUP with your dog provided that you have all the safety gear required. The waters are calm too, making it a good spot for beginners.

Be sure to stop by Rock House Ice Cream for some delicious, flavored ice cream and visit in the winter to walk on a completely frozen lake.

Union Reservoir

Union Reservoir used to be known as Calkins Lake because it wasn’t considered a real reservoir until 1903 when the 736-acre body of water became a true reservoir as a result of Union Ditch Company’s drilling activities.

Now, Union Reservoir is one of the best places to paddleboard in Colorado, offering many recreational activities to visitors year-round via the Union Reservoir Nature Area.

On weekends and holidays, you may have to join a queue to get in, so make coming early a priority if you want to avoid waiting.

Paddleboard rentals are available at Rocky Mountain Paddleboard. Individuals that prefer paddling in peaceful spots will like this place because motorized boats are prohibited. This also makes the water safer and easier to paddle on for beginners.

There are lots of shady trees and picnic areas with grills and tables at the park. Some of the picnic areas are individual sites, while some are group sites, and you have to reserve the campsite you want as they’re rented out on a first-come, first-served basis.

This spot is popular for birding and fishing, with a good variety of water birds to watch and a good variety of fish to catch. Most of the shoreline is accessible to anglers and you can also fish from a paddleboard, kayak, or other watercraft.

Union Reservoir is a paradise for swimmers and dogs. It has two dedicated swim beaches, one for swimmers and one in the dog off-leash area where your canine companions can roam freely and swim. Near the swim beach you’ll find a sand volleyball court and a playground for extra fun.

Union Reservoir has no campground so you can’t stay overnight, but the expensive alternative, hotels, are available a few minutes from the reservoir.

Crested Butte

Looking for a mountain paradise with a seemingly unlimited amount of opportunities for adventuring? The town of Crested Butte is the place you’ve been looking for.

It’s a modern resort village that is popular for skiing in the winter, but in the summer, it’s a paddleboarder’s paradise. Crested Butte offers paddleboarders many picturesque bodies of water to float on and explore the area with splendid views of the alpine forests and rocky mountains.

Fishing, hiking, rafting, biking, horseback riding, and camping are also available here. The campgrounds offer all the amenities you’ll need, primitive and modern. The area also has a good number of stores, restaurants, and hotels for your convenience.

Crested Butte is the ideal place for extended paddleboard rides and adventures. When you’re done with a river or lake, simply hit one of the hiking trails and discover even more rivers and lakes to explore.

Here are some of the water bodies this town offers you:

• Slate River: A long winding river with a wide variety of wild birds, suitable for intermediate and expert paddleboarders.
• Emerald Lake: An extremely beautiful lake surrounded by nature with immersive panoramas. It’s important to come in a four-wheel drive vehicle as the drive to the lake is a challenging one.
• Gunnison River: This is Colorado’s second largest river and it’s a moderately challenging spot with several access points for paddleboarding.

Other lakes and rivers at Crested Butte include Lake Irwin, Taylor Reservoir, Lost Lake, and several more. If you need a paddleboard, you can rent or buy one from Wheelies & Waves.

Dillon Reservoir

The peaceful, blue waters at Dillon Reservoir look so inviting you’ll want to start SUPing as soon as you get there. Dillon Reservoir is a freshwater reservoir owned and managed by Denver Water, the main source of drinking water in Denver, Colorado.

It’s also called Lake Dillon, and it’s bordered by three towns – Dillon, Frisco, and Silverthone. With 27 miles of shoreline and upwards of 3,000 acres of fresh water, Dillon Reservoir is one of the largest draws in Summit County.

Its calm, blue waters are perfect for paddleboarding, and its large size means you’ll have a vast expanse of water for all-day SUPing.

Paddleboards can be rented from Dillon Marina and Frisco Bay Marina. These marinas provide access points for launching watercraft, but you can launch from any publicly accessible part of the shoreline too. They also offer lessons, tours, and lakeside dining.

Dillon Reservoir has a recreation area that is managed by the US Forest Services, and this is where the campgrounds are located. There are five campgrounds in the area, all with reservable campsites and a good number of useful amenities.

After floating around and taking in the splendid views of the mountains, try cycling, hiking, or horseback riding on one of the awesome trails in the vicinity. The trails closer to the reservoir offer better vistas compared to those further away.

Dogs are welcome here and they are allowed to join in the activities available at the reservoir. You can hike, boat, fish, and paddleboard with them.

Since Dillon Reservoir is the primary source of drinking water in the region, body contact with the water is prohibited, which means no swimming. You’re allowed to fish though, with a license.

Barr Lake

Barr Lake is accessible from Barr Lake State Park, a park that is considered a prime birdwatching spot thanks to the 350 species of birds that live within it.

An 8.5-mile trail surrounds the lake with several wildlife viewing stations where you can sit or stand and enjoy views of the wildlife, beautiful landscapes, and sunsets. This trail is open to cyclists, horseback riders, and hikers.

You’ll enjoy paddleboarding at Barr Lake. The waters are calm and quiet, and even though powerboats are permitted, powerboats with a horsepower that exceeds ten are not allowed on the water. This means you won’t have to worry about powerboats stirring up the water to your discomfort.

In addition to that, this is a large lake. It offers about 2,000 acres of calm water, perfect for short or extended paddleboard trips.

A line of buoys separates the lake into two sections. The first section is the southern section, and this is the wildlife refuge. All forms of water sports and fishing are prohibited in the southern section to avoid endangering the wildlife, which include deers, coyotes, foxes, bald eagles, and many more.

The northern section is the polar opposite of the southern section where water sports and fishing are permitted, but swimming and all forms of body contact are prohibited.

Barr Lake experiences algae blooms during summer due to its low depth and high nutrient profile. Whenever this happens, you won’t be able to paddleboard until the algae clears up.

Barr Lake State Park is a day-use park, so camping is not allowed. That said, there are other parks about an hour’s drive away from this one that allow camping. The park offers group picnic areas though.

What to bring along

Regardless of how good a paddleboarder you are or how much you excel at swimming, it’s necessary to wear a Personal Floatation Device (PFD) every single time you go paddleboarding.

Type III PFDs are suitable for paddlers because they’re comfortable to wear for long periods of time and offer freedom of movement as well. However, they’re designed for calm waters, so if you intend to visit a lake or river where the waters are rough, bring a type I PFD instead.

The other requisite items you need are a paddleboard and a paddle. You can rent these from a rental at the lake, river, or park you’re visiting or get them from a rental that delivers your items straight to your location.

If your chosen spot has a rocky shoreline/terrain or choppy waters, you might need a helmet and shoes/boots. These are a must for paddleboarding on creeks and rivers.

Essential tips for paddleboarding in Colorado

1. You can paddle year-round if you want. There are many spots that allow this in Colorado, but most of the stores will be closed outside of the summer months. Bring everything you need and make sure the lake or reservoir isn’t frozen.
2. Inflatable paddleboards are easier to travel with, so get an inflatable if you want the extra convenience.
3. Bring a thick wetsuit for winter paddleboarding.
4. A lot of marinas and rentals offer paddleboarding lessons. Take advantage of these if you’re a beginner and start with shallow or small lakes with calm waters.
5. Learn what the weather conditions are before visiting so you’ll know what to expect.
6. Check the park’s or recreational center’s rules and regulations before visiting.
7. Take note of the direction of the wind currents. Paddling against the wind is more difficult compared to the converse. It’s better to paddle against the wind at the start of your trip when your energy levels are higher so that you can move in the direction of the wind and have an easier time paddling when you’re returning to shore.

Closing thoughts

Colorado is famous for its imposing mountains, but it’s not just a mountainous state, it’s a haven for paddleboarders, offering many amazing paddleboarding spots that are suitable for beginners, intermediates, and experts.

Each spot in this article has its own rules, regulations, and set of activities. Consider what kind of experience you seek and pick a suitable spot or go all out for your paddling adventures and visit every single spot one after the other.