Watson Lake is a Quick and Easy Northern Colorado Outing

My boys and I had an hour to play while their sister took her horse class in Laporte. So I drove them to Watson Lake knowing it was close by. On a weekday morning there were only a few other visitors to the lake. This is a great place because there is both river access to a more mellow part of the Poudre River and there is the still beautiful Watson Lake with beautiful red rock ridges as a backdrop.

My boys enjoyed collecting and throwing rocks into the water. It's a beautiful and easy to access place that we will come back to. If you were wondering about fishing, I heard it used to be great, but a source I trust told me the fishing now "sucks".

Here are my directions in local speak. Turn at Vern's like you're going up to Rist Canyon. Take a right after the bridge, just before you enter Bellvue.

Or there are these directions: From Fort Collins, go north on HWY 287 . Stay on "Old 287" (do not take 287 bypass) to the town of LaPorte. From LaPorte, go 1 mile west on County Road 54G (the main road through town) to County Road 52E (Rist Canyon road), then 1 mile west (left) to the property entrance on the west side of the river.