Carter Lake serves as home to North Pines Campground, a Larimer County-managed facility that operates year-round with full hookups for RVs up to 40 feet. The campground provides electric, water, and sewer connections along with showers, restrooms, and a dump station. Sites sit in open terrain near the lake's shoreline.
Site #4 draws repeat visitors for its position next to a small fishing inlet, offering direct water access while maintaining reasonable distance from the restroom facilities. The campground allows pets and accepts reservations, with hiking trails and fishing as the primary activities. For broader exploration, campers can check campgrounds around Carter Lake or visit nearby Eagle Campground at Carter Lake just 0.3 miles east. Sites cost $30 per night with campfires permitted.
Description
Carter Lake is located in the foothills west of Loveland at an elevation of 5,760 feet. It is a part of the Colorado-Big Thompson Project operated by the Bureau of Reclamation and the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District. The purpose of this water project is to divert water from the west slope to the east slope for drinking water, irrigation, and hydropower generation. The Bureau of Reclamation is solely responsible for power generation. The agencies jointly manage water levels for irrigation, municipal, and industry use. Recreation is managed by Larimer County Natural Resources. Three miles long and about one mile wide, Carter Lake is a 1,100-acre reservoir surrounded by 1,000 acres of public lands and is popular for fishing, sailing, camping, swimming, scuba diving, rock climbing, and water skiing. It is open year round. Park Entrance Permits and Camping Fees are required.
Please check the Season Dates tab for annual updates on site availability.
Warning 2 Alerts are In Effect
There are 2 alerts for this campground. Camp safely!
Warning 2 Alerts are In Effect
There are 2 alerts for this campground. Camp safely!
Fire Restrictions are currently in place for portions of Larimer County. Note, this is NOT a ban. For more info, view the press release,.
Ongoing site improvements and road construction are currently in progress. For more info, see **_"Alerts and Important Information"_** below or check COTREX for the latest updates on trail and area conditions.
RV Road Trip Guides
Location
Public CampgroundNorth Pines Campground at Carter Lake is located in Colorado
Directions
(Park address: 1800 S.C.R. 31; Loveland, CO 80537) Take I-25 to the Berthoud Exit (Exit 250). Turn left (west) onto Highway 56 and continue for 9 1/2 miles, passing through the town of Berthoud. At the foothills, the road will curve sharply to the right (north). Turn left (west) onto County Road 8E and continue for 3 miles to the entrance station where you can purchase permits.
Address
1800 SOUTH COUNTY ROAD 31
Loveland, CO 80537
Coordinates
40.35397004 N
105.2202294 W
Connectivity
T-MobileNo CoverageVerified by 2 usersLast on 4/24/26- VerizonNo CoverageVerified by 8 usersLast on 4/24/26
- AT&TNo CoverageVerified by 1 userLast on 4/13/26
Connectivity
- T-MobileNo CoverageVerified by 2 usersLast on 4/24/26
- VerizonNo CoverageVerified by 8 usersLast on 4/24/26
- AT&TNo CoverageVerified by 1 userLast on 4/13/26
Access
- Drive-InPark next to your site
Site Types
- Tent Sites
- RV Sites
- Standard (Tent/RV)
- Group
- Tent Cabin
Features
For Campers
- Picnic Table
- Reservable
- Showers
- Drinking Water
- Electric Hookups
- Toilets
- Pets
- Fires
For Vehicles
- Sanitary Dump
- Sewer Hookups
- Water Hookups
- 30 Amp Hookups
- 50 Amp Hookups
- Big Rig Friendly
Drive Time
- 33 min from Fort Collins, CO
- 37 min from Greeley, CO
- 39 min from Boulder, CO
- 58 min from Denver, CO
