Where is Lake Creek Reservoir located?

Lake Creek Reservoir is located in Routt County, Colorado.

Lake Creek Reservoir

Routt County, Colorado

4.6(45 reviews)

About Lake Creek Reservoir

Lake Creek Reservoir, also known as Stagecoach Reservoir, is a full-service recreation destination in Routt County that combines camping, fishing, boating, and beach swimming in one scenic Colorado mountain setting. Managed as part of Stagecoach State Park, the reservoir sits along the Yampa River corridor and offers enough variety to keep families and outdoor enthusiasts busy for a multi-day stay.

Fishing draws visitors year-round. Trout are the main target, with anglers reporting limit catches within three hours from the boat ramp area. Trolling from a boat tends to produce the best results during warmer months, as fish move deeper when surface temperatures climb into the mid-80s. Shore fishing is available but can be less productive without a boat. Ice fishing for trout is also popular during winter months, extending the season well beyond summer. The Yampa River tailwater section below the reservoir offers additional fishing, though some anglers note it can be crowded and overfished.

The reservoir has a designated swim beach with a roped-off area for children, a volleyball net, and coarse sand. No lifeguard is on duty. Paddleboards and kayaks can be launched directly from the beach, and kids can paddle within the roped swimming zone. A substantial no-wake area keeps conditions manageable for paddlers and swimmers, though waves from ski boats sometimes reach these zones on busy weekends. The marina area rents paddleboards, kayaks, and motorboats for visitors who do not bring their own.

Pinnacle Campground offers electric-only sites, with water hydrants nearby for RV refilling. Campsites are close together but functional. The dump station is available and the water, while slightly brownish, is safe when filtered. The Keep Colorado Wild pass covers vehicle entry for motorhomes; without it, daily fees apply. A visitor center on-site sells fishing licenses, boat renewals, and merchandise.

A few important notes: PFDs are required on paddleboards and enforcement is active, with rangers issuing tickets. Blue-green algae blooms can occur in summer, and while testing may show no dangerous toxin levels, dogs should not drink the lake water. No glass containers are allowed on the beach. The hike up Pinnacle Point near the campground is short and easy, offering panoramic views. Biking along CR18 to the dam is a flat, scenic ride, and the walk across the dam is worth the stop. Fall brings vibrant autumn colors around the reservoir.

Reviews (10)

James Sanchez

Don't go here.

Ignacio Gomez

Love this place. Good fishing. We come here once or twice a year.

Kelly Goddard

Super fun place to visit & camp! New Visitor Center is beautiful!! Got our fishing licenses & boat renewal there. Also they have cute merchandise for sale.

Andrew Tarpley

Beautiful scenery! Great paddle boarding spot!

Dmitry Vashchishin

My fav lake in colorado

Mike Keys

We were here right at the end of July 2023, Pinnacle Campground, sites 62 and 61, electric only, but water is nearby and if you have a motorhome, you can pull up near one of those hydrants and recharge your fresh water. Any of those sites along that side are closest to the beach but you still have to walk down a long single switchback of stairs. Still, it's great access. The lake is beautiful, and great for paddle boarding if you like that, or other small craft, although there are ski boats out there, there is a substantial amount of no wake area. Of course the big waves reach those areas sometimes. Weekends are busiest of course. It's a nice beach, although it's not the best sand, a bit coarse. There is no lifeguard. There's a nice volleyball net set up and there doesn't seem to be any restriction against drinking on the beach, at least in the very informative sign that's there they don't mention it, just no glass. You can paddle board right from the beach area and in the beach swimming area, so if you have kids, they can play around with the paddle boards right there in the roped off area! That seemed pretty nice to me. There were a fair amount of kids doing that in fact, and it wasn't bothersome at all. We had no kids ourselves. There is plenty of space. You can slip out into the broader part of the lake, which is near the marina, through the corner, where they have the rope pulled down. Wear a PFD. It's required to at least be on the paddle board but what good is it if you're not wearing it? Any lake tragedies that you read about or see on the evening news rarely involves someone who was wearing a PFD! They will ticket you for not having one on your board. We saw it happen, although the ranger was very nice and gave a single violation from what we could tell, to a group of three teenagers. Dad wasn't very happy, but it's well posted. Boo hoo. There are boat rentals, including paddle boards, kayaks, and I believe also motor boats. The lake had blue green algae, which is common that time of year. The sign said they've tested and they haven't found any of the toxins that can close certain waters, so I didn't worry about it. Remember, it's not the amoeba! It's just algae. But don't let your dog drink the water, would be the main worry there. Maybe tell your kids the same! Be sure to travel along the north side of the lake on CR18 to the dam. There's a parking area there and then you can walk across the dam. It wouldn't be a very hard trip on a bicycle, it's fairly flat. Also, take the very short hike to the top of that rock that's right next to the campground. It might be called Pinnacle Point. The views are incredible from up there and it's so short and easy. The fishing was poor when I was there, at least the way I fish, which is using a Kastmaster from my paddle board. I usually catch something doing that, but not this time. I saw boats trolling and I'm betting that that is what you would need to do and you would need to fish deep. It was mid '80s and sunny and the water was warm. Great for beach activities but not so much for fishing. Camping in state parks of Colorado is getting high-priced in my opinion. We had the Keep Colorado Wild pass for our motorhome but if you had to pay daily fees, that would add to the cost. But there are more amenities than in national areas. The dump station was decent and the water is okay, if a bit red or brownish. I don't worry about that either. Just filter it going into your camper and relax!

Camile Molina

Do not take your pets here right now - there is a TON of toxic blue green algae.

Cruz Vanderbosch

Great place to play

troy heistand

Views were ok. Fishing was decent. Just didn't seemed like much going on if you didn't have a boat.

AHC

Reservoir is great, ran into a Karen here but the park rangers took care of that.