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Carter Lake Conditions

Current Conditions

Park Elevation 5760'
Report Last Updated: 6/30/2009
These reports are updated only when conditions change
photo from Park
Park Situation

No hunting allowed at any time.

The swim beach will open on Friday May 22.
Hours of operation will be 8 a.m. to 8.p.m.

Terrain is rocky. Trails may be muddy at times. Please hike with caution. 

Call the hotline at (970)679-4554 for immediate changes.


Fishing Conditions

Trout fishing has been fair this week. Hopefully the warm weather coming in will make things better for the weekend. The best bet for Rainbow Trout is still power bait, salmon eggs and nightcrawlers. DOW stocked 50,000 stocker-sized trout on 02/04/2009. Bass fishing has picked up recently but no good reports of any "hotspots".

Walleye fishing has been pretty good on the water and is even picking up for shore anglers. The latest "hotspot" is offshore by Dam #2 from 8 p.m. to 9:15 p.m. The daily limit is one walleye, and please remember the size restriction -- between 16 and 20 inches only. Larger or smaller fish must be returned to the water immediately.

Send and receive messages from fellow anglers and gain precious fishing knowledge! Join us at fishing forum: www.fishexplorer.com


Water Level & Boat Ramps

Summer is upon us and the past weekend was hot and sunny. The reservoir is about 10 feet below maximum so we have a little more space on the shoreline. All boat ramps are open and the North and South boat ramps now have courtesy docks in the water. There is a new entrance for the north boat ramp; all boaters must enter and exit from the road across from Eagle Campground (about 500 feet west of the old entrance).

The state Zebra Mussle inspection stations are now in operation. All boats that are transported on trailors must be inspected before launching. This includes PWC's (jetskis).

Monday thru Thursday:
the only inspection station open will be the North Ramp by the Carter Lake Marina.

Friday thru Sunday:
all three boat ramps will be open and staffed by State Inspectors.


Water Elevation

Maximum Elevation - 5,759 ft.
Current Elevation - 5,747.8 ft.
Temperature - On 6/29/2009 the surface temperature was 62 degrees.


Carter Lake Marina

The Marina Store is now open 7 days a week. Dave Buck is the new Marina Store manager and will be there to assist you. Call the Marina Store at (970)667-1062 for additional information.


Camping

The dump station at Gate 1, on County Road 8E, is now open. All campground water faucets are now operating. Camp Hosts are here to serve you at South Shore, Eagle, Pinewood, and Flatiron campgrounds.

All campgrounds are now open at the summer rates. It's a good idea to reserve a site in advance, as most weekends are booked ahead. Remember, if you don't have a reservation, the camping fee is collected by a Ranger at your site. Please do not put camping fees in the vehicle self serve vaults by the gates.

Self-serve permits are available as usual for vehicles. Gate 1 is open Monday thru Wednesday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Thursday thru Sunday 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Gate 2 is open Thursday thru Sunday 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.

The swim beach is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. There is NO Lifeguard on duty so please be careful. Children under the age of 13 must be with an adult. Observe the signs and follow Parks regulations for your safety. Animals are NOT allowed in the swim beach area.


Wildlife

A Bald Eagle was spotted on the East side of Carter. The Elk are starting to head back up to their summer home in the more mountainous areas. Only a few are being spotted now. Also, a Big Horn Sheep and 3 Bobcats were sited off of County Road 18E. In mid-February there was a young mountain lion spotted between S CR 31 and S CR 29 on W CR 18E.

There are also a lot of young deer in the area so be careful when driving thru the Park as they are often close to the road. The Elk are in abundance in the area and are seen regularly near the Flatiron campground. 

There have been recent sightings of Black Bears with cubs in the Pinewood area and off CR 18E. They are very protective of their young. Please keep a safe distance if you spot one and notify Park officials. When camping keep food items secure and your camp cleaned up.


Park Events

See our Upcoming Events section at www.larimer.org/naturalresources/


Activities
See the Parks and Open Lands Event Calendar