City: Boulder, CO

Category: Parks & Recreation

Telephone: (303) 441-3468 (gate)

Address: 5100 51st Street, off north side of the

Description: For those craving a beach, this is the closest thing to it in Boulder County. Tons and tons of sand were trucked in to create the beaches for the reservoir, and more is added periodically. Swimmers, sailors, sailboarders, canoeists, kayakers, and water-skiers make this a busy place on summer weekends. Various watercraft are for rent, including sailboats and Windsurfers; call the boathouse for rates. Grills and picnic tables provide a nice spot for summer barbecues on the swimming beach. The reservoir hosts sailboat races, volleyball tournaments, and a national in-line skating competition. The chilly reservoir is also the scene of the annual Polar Bear Dip on New Year’s Day (see the Festivals and Annual Events chapter). Waterskiing, sailboating, and sailboarding classes are available. One-day summer admission to The Res is $6.00 for adults age 19 and older, $3.50 for teens ages 13 through 18, $3.00 for children ages 4 through 12, $4.00 for seniors ages 60 to 64, and free for seniors 65 and older and children younger than age 4. Season passes are available; call the gate for information. The one-acre reservoir is open year-round, but services are provided weekends only in the spring (Memorial Day weekend to the second Monday in June) and fall (third Monday in August through Labor Day weekend), seven days a week during the months in between. There is no admission charge during the rest of the year. Boulder Reservoir is 1.5 miles north of Jay Road via the Diagonal Highway (Highway 119).