Boating rules change from one foothills reservoir to the next

West of Loveland, three reservoirs sit within a few miles of one another: Carter Lake, Pinewood Reservoir, and Flatiron Reservoir. They look similar on a map, but the boating rules are not the same, and assuming they are can lead to a wasted trip with a trailer.

Carter Lake is the large one, and it allows motorized boats, water skiing, and sailing. Like Horsetooth, it requires an aquatic nuisance species inspection before a motor or trailered boat launches. Pinewood is much smaller and quieter: it does not allow trailered or motorized boats at all. Only hand-launched, non-motorized craft are allowed there — kayaks, canoes, rafts, paddleboards, and other small craft you can carry to the water. Flatiron is different again, with no boating allowed.

Flatiron has a specific reason for its rule. It works as an afterbay for upstream power generation, which means its water level can rise and fall through the day as water is released. That changing level makes boating and swimming unsafe, so they are not allowed.

The simple lesson for a newcomer: match the boat to the water before you load up. Check the Larimer County Natural Resources page for each reservoir to confirm what is allowed, since rules and inspection requirements are set water by water.