Top 6 Lakes in Garfield County

For family-friendly activities, Rifle Gap Reservoir is an excellent choice, offering swimming, boating, and camping. Harvey Gap Reservoir also provides a designated swimming beach and picnic sites. Trappers Lake is also listed as family-friendly, providing a more rustic wilderness experience with hiking and fishing.

Garfield County lakes offer diverse fishing. Trappers Lake is renowned for world-class fly fishing, particularly for native cutthroat trout, with special regulations like artificial flies/lures only and catch-and-release for larger cutthroat. Rifle Gap Reservoir is popular for rainbow and German brown trout, walleye, pike, and bass, including excellent ice fishing. Harvey Gap Reservoir is stocked with rainbow trout, northern pike, bass, perch, crappie, and muskie, also offering winter ice fishing.

Yes, there are numerous hiking opportunities. Around Trappers Lake, you can find the 5.4-mile Arthur H. Carhart Trail that loops around the lake, and over 160 miles of trails in the surrounding Flat Tops Wilderness. Rifle Gap State Park offers nearly five miles of designated hiking trails, including paths around the reservoir. For more hiking options throughout the region, you can explore the Hiking in Garfield County guide.

Rifle Gap Reservoir is ideal for a wide range of water sports, including boating, water skiing, jet skiing, sailing, windsurfing, and paddleboarding. Harvey Gap Reservoir allows boating (with a 20 horsepower limit), swimming, paddleboarding, kayaking, and canoeing. Trappers Lake offers a more serene experience, with no motorized boats allowed, making it perfect for kayaking, canoeing, and paddleboarding in a pristine wilderness setting.

Hanging Lake is a rare travertine geological formation, giving its waters distinctive aquamarine and turquoise colors, surrounded by dramatic canyon walls. Trappers Lake is situated in the Flat Tops Wilderness Area, surrounded by the Flat Tops Mountains and the striking semicircular Amphitheater, offering a remote wilderness experience. Harvey Gap Reservoir is known for its clean, clear, often turquoise-colored water, set against the dramatic Grand Hogback ridge.

Yes, camping is available. Rifle Gap State Park offers 89 campsites across five campgrounds along the northern shore of Rifle Gap Reservoir, accommodating tents and RVs, with some sites offering electric or full hookups. Near Trappers Lake, several Forest Service campgrounds like Shepherds Rim and Cutthroat provide rustic camping. Dispersed camping is also permitted in the surrounding White River National Forest. Harvey Gap State Park is day-use only, but camping is available at nearby Rifle Falls State Park and Rifle Gap State Park.

Yes, a permit system is in place for Hanging Lake to manage visitor numbers and protect its sensitive environment. You can obtain a permit through the official website: visitglenwood.com/hanginglake/. For other state parks like Rifle Gap and Harvey Gap, standard state park passes or entrance fees apply.

The best time to visit largely depends on your preferred activities. Summer (June-August) is ideal for water sports, swimming, and hiking. Spring and Fall offer milder temperatures, beautiful foliage, and fewer crowds, perfect for hiking and fishing. Winter provides opportunities for ice fishing at Rifle Gap and Harvey Gap Reservoirs, and snowshoeing or cross-country skiing in areas like Trappers Lake.

Yes, the lakes and surrounding areas are home to various wildlife. Harvey Gap Reservoir is a good spot for birdwatching, with waterfowl, shorebirds, and raptors. Trappers Lake is a prime location for birdwatching, especially for breeding Barrow's Goldeneyes and various woodpeckers, and you might spot larger mammals in the Flat Tops Wilderness. Rifle Gap State Park also offers opportunities to observe local wildlife in its piñon- and cedar-covered mountains.

Beyond lake-specific activities, Garfield County offers a variety of outdoor pursuits. You can find numerous running trails, including moderate and difficult options like Mushroom Rock loop and Grandstaff Trail, detailed in the Running Trails in Garfield County guide. Road cycling is also popular, with routes like the Glenwood Canyon Recreation Path and sections of the Rio Grande Trail, as highlighted in the Road Cycling Routes in Garfield County guide.

Trappers Lake is often called the 'Cradle of Wilderness' due to its historical significance in the U.S. Wilderness Area system. It is the second-largest natural lake in Colorado and offers a truly remote and pristine wilderness experience within the Flat Tops Wilderness Area, with no motorized boats allowed and world-class fly fishing for native cutthroat trout.

Yes, for easier options, the 5.4-mile Arthur H. Carhart Trail around Trappers Lake is a relatively flat loop suitable for many. Rifle Gap State Park also has nearly five miles of designated trails, some of which are likely easy to moderate. For more general easy hiking trails in the region, you can consult the Hiking in Garfield County guide, which lists routes like the Northside Access Trail and East Elk Creek Trail as easy.