11 Lake/ River/ Ponds to Explore in Garfield County

A beautiful lake located in the heart of Garfield. it is one of the iconic location, which offers a nice area for fishing and for other recreational activities.

This is a majestic canyon, which was carved over 3 million years by the power of the Colorado River. This 16-mile canyon provides endless opportunities for recreation including hiking, biking, river rafting and more. The canyon, which has historically provided the routes of railroads and highways through western Colorado, currently furnishes the routes of Interstate 70 and the Union Pacific's Central Corridor between Denver and Grand Junction.

Grass Valley Reservoir is located in Garfield County. This lake is 201 acres in size. When fishing, anglers can expect to catch a variety of fishes.The lake offers a scenic background to paddle around. Only 20-horsepower or less motors are allowed.

Hanging Lake is an amazing example of a lake formed by travertine deposition. It’s also a great example of a hanging garden plant community. When open, the lake is reached via a trailhead located along the Glenwood Canyon Bike and Pedestrian Path that runs along the north side of I-70 in the bottom of the canyon. The trail follows Dead Horse Creek, a tributary of the Colorado River. It’s very popular on summer and fall weekends.

The trail to Hanging Lake is a steep and rocky 1.2 mile scenic trail climbs 1,000 feet up from the bottom of Glenwood Canyon up through Deadhorse Creek Canyon to Hanging Lake. This National Natural Landmark features awe-inspiring scenery and gentle waterfalls! The Hanging Lake trail is a backcountry hike. At the beginning and end of the hiking trail it is steep, rugged and rocky. In just over a mile, the trail gains elevation of 1200 feet.

Rifle Gap Reservoir, has a water surface of 359 acres and a maximum capacity of 12,168 acre-feet. Recreation includes scuba diving in its clear water, fishing (for rainbow and German brown trout, walleye, perch, and smallmouth and largemouth bass, etc.), wildlife watching, boating, year-round camping, and hiking.

Rifle Gap State Park is a Colorado State Park located in Garfield County near Rifle. It comprises of pristine 360-acre lake, ideal for boating, fishing, swimming, RV and tent camping. Full-service visitor center with interpretive displays and area information. Commonly observed wildlife include mule deer, elk and great horned owls.

The 6,700-acre Stillwater Reservoir is located in the western Adirondacks, and provides undeveloped, remote camping on both islands and along the shoreline. Its recreational uses including camping, canoeing, boating, fishing, hunting, snowmobiling, and cross-country skiing. It is one of the iconic attraction and attracts a lot of tourists to here.

Sweetwater Lake State Park is a Colorado State Park in Garfield County. The park contains 488 acres and is located within the White River National Forest in the Flat Tops Wilderness Area. The 72-acre natural lake and surrounding land was originally part of a privately owned ranch and had been considered for a golf course or housing developments.

This majestic 302-acre lake is known as the "Cradle of Wilderness" and contains a strain of native cutthroat trout. There is a large camping area and lodge near the lake. The lake is roughly a mile and a half long and half a mile wide reaching depths of 180 feet.

West Lost Lake is a lake located just 28.7 miles from Hayden, in Garfield County. Fishermen will find a variety of fish including cutthroat trout and brook trout here. It is also a good camping location and also there are so many things to see and do.