Horsetooth Reservoir
In the western
foothills above the city of Fort Collins, Horsetooth
Reservoir serves Larimer County in Colorado as a municipal
water supply and for seasonal outdoor recreation.
Horsetooth Reservoir is named for Horsetooth Mountain that
sits above the city to the south. It rests at an elevation
of 5,400 feet above sea level. This body of water is
situated in a south to north orientation and is over six
miles in length. It is about a half mile in width. It
contains over 1,900 acres of water and is surrounded by
nearly 2,000 acres of public land. Larimer County Parks and
Open Lands Department manages the recreational visitors at
Horsetooth. Over 500,000 people visit the area each year.
Hiking, mountain trail biking, road cycling, boating, and
swimming are all available. Swimming is allowed at one
designated beach site. No swimming is allowed from the
dams. Warnings have been published about concerning
elevated pollution contaminants in fish caught at the
reservoir. Horsetooth Reservoir was constructed by the
federal Bureau of Reclamation in 1949. It was part of the
Colorado-Big Thompson Project.
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