Scuba Diving in Colorado, United States

5 mapped sites

Destination guide

Scuba diving in Colorado, United States

Colorado, United States has 5 public dive sites on PickADive. Use the list below to compare mapped sites by depth, access, difficulty, ratings, and reviews before opening a site page.

Open map view Check condition context

Public sites: 5; Indexed destination pages
Reviews: 0; Catalog review count
Rating: Building; Reviews are still growing
Common access: Shore; 3 dive sites

Seasonal patterns

Best months, historically in Colorado, United States

Typical conditions by month across dive sites in Colorado, United States— historical patterns, not a forecast.

Jan94%
Feb89%
Mar81%
Apr80%
May82%
Jun90%
Jul96%
Aug94%
Sep94%
Oct94%
Nov92%
Dec86%

From 5 sites’ typical conditions · historical typicals, not a forecast

Best dive sites in Colorado, United States

Showing 1–5 of 5

Horsetooth Reservoir - Sunrise Beach

Colorado · 1.5–15.2 m

Sunrise Beach is the commonly used shore-entry dive area on Horsetooth Reservoir, the long foothills lake immediately west of Fort Collins. A gradual slope, silty bottom, submerged timber and rock make it a workhorse site for checkouts, refreshers and cold-water practice, with typical maximum dive depths around 50 feet and 5-10 ft visibility. As at Carter Lake, divers must notify Larimer County Natural Resources 24 hours before diving.

Shore entry

Aurora Reservoir (Scuba Beach)

Colorado · 1.5–15.2 m

The Denver metro area's main training dive site, with a dedicated roped-off scuba beach and dive area on the reservoir's eastern shore. The signature attraction is a Cessna twin-engine airplane purpose-sunk in 1994 in about 30 feet of water, marked by a buoy; the silty bottom keeps visibility in the 5-10 ft range. The dive area is open April 1 to October 1, dawn to dusk, and is heavily used for open-water checkouts, navigation, and search-and-recovery practice.

Shore entry

Chatfield Reservoir

Colorado · 3–21.3 m

A state-park reservoir southwest of Denver used regularly for scuba training, with a designated dive area featuring a sunken sailboat on its trailer, a fire hydrant and a toilet connected by rope lines. Old flooded gravel quarries in the 30-50 ft range dot the lake, which reaches about 70 feet at its deepest; the soft silt bottom usually keeps visibility under 5-15 feet. The main lake may be dived with a flag, but boat traffic is heavy in summer.

Shore entry

Turquoise Lake

Colorado · 6.1–30.5 m

A 1,780-acre mountain reservoir near Leadville at roughly 9,900 feet, making it one of the highest commonly dived lakes in the United States. Clear, very cold water offers around 20 feet of visibility over depths of 20-100 feet, with boulder fields and submerged forest along the shores. The extreme altitude makes specialized altitude-diving planning essential; air fills are available in Leadville.

AdvancedShore + boat

Carter Lake - The Saddle

Colorado · 3–12.2 m

Carter Lake is a 3-mile-long foothills reservoir near Berthoud operated by Larimer County, and The Saddle on its east side is the approved shore-diving site. Large boulders are strewn along the bottom and visibility can reach 30 feet on good days (averaging 5-10 ft), with nearby Coffin Rock known for walleye sightings. Divers must notify Larimer County Natural Resources 24 hours before each day's diving, and are advised to stay shallower than 40 feet.

IntermediateShore + boat

Plan a dive in Colorado, United States

Compare nearby sites

Colorado has 5 public dive sites in the PickADive catalog. Start with the map when coastline, nearby alternatives, and travel distance matter.

Explore sites on the map

Match depth and difficulty

Current public data shows 1 advanced and 1 intermediate dive sites. Listed depths range from about 2m to 31m where available. Shore is the most common listed access type. Use those signals as a starting point, then confirm the plan against training, equipment, and current local guidance.

Check conditions close to the dive

PickADive can help with research and comparison, but it does not certify that a dive is safe today. Weather, current, visibility, entry, boat traffic, and local rules can change quickly.

How condition context works

Common questions about diving in Colorado, United States

What are the best dive sites in Colorado, United States?

Use the ranked list on this page to compare 5 public dive sites in Colorado. PickADive highlights ratings, reviews, depth, access type, difficulty, and mapped location so you can move from destination research to a specific site page.

Is Colorado beginner-friendly for scuba diving?

PickADive does not yet have enough beginner-labeled public site data to summarize Colorado confidently. Review difficulty, access, depth, and recent notes on each site page before deciding.

Are there advanced dives in Colorado?

Yes. PickADive currently marks 1 dive site in Colorado as advanced or expert level. These dives deserve extra attention to depth, access, current, visibility, and local guidance.

What depths can I expect in Colorado?

Listed PickADive depth data for Colorado ranges from about 2m to 31m. Use that as a research starting point, then verify current conditions and site-specific guidance.

Can I see Colorado dive sites on a map?

Yes. Use the map link on this page to compare Colorado dive sites by location, coastline, nearby alternatives, and individual site details.