Scuba Diving in Colorado: A Guide to the Best Local Dive Sites
Carolyn Bryan Jun 24, 2026
Colorado isn't the first place people think of for scuba diving, but the Front Range has a surprisingly active dive community. The sites are cold, often murky, and nothing like a tropical reef. That's kind of the point.
Diving here builds skills you can't get in warm, clear water. Buoyancy in a drysuit. Navigation with limited visibility. Dive planning at altitude. The divers who come home from Cozumel or Bonaire with the most control are usually the ones who put in reps at Chatfield first.
Here's where to go.
Check on access and permits for the individual sites before going - things can change seasonally and access can vary.
Aurora Reservoir
Aurora Reservoir is the most popular dive site on the Front Range, and it's easy to see why. It has dedicated dive access at Scuba Beach in the northeastern corner of the reservoir, parking, and a few underwater attractions that make it worth the entry fee.
The main draw is a Cessna 310 aircraft sitting in about 40 feet of water. There's also a small boat, some tires, and a few other structures that attract fish and give you something to navigate toward.
Conditions: Visibility runs 10 to 20 feet on a good day, though it can drop after heavy rain. Water temps are in the low 50s at depth through most of spring and summer. A 5mm wetsuit is the minimum. A drysuit is more comfortable.
Tip: Aurora Reservoir requires a park permit. Buy it before you go — the entry booth fills up on summer weekends.
Chatfield State Park
Chatfield sits southwest of Denver in Littleton and is one of the closer options for divers coming out of the metro area. The dive area is designated, and the site sees a lot of training dives because of its accessibility.
The bottom is relatively flat and sandy in the dive area, with visibility that ranges from 5 to 15 feet depending on the season and recent activity. It's not the most scenic site, but it's a good place to practice skills.
Conditions: Water temps drop into the high 40s at depth. Expect limited visibility on busy summer weekends when boats kick up sediment. Spring and early fall tend to be clearer.
Carter Lake
Carter Lake is north of Denver near Loveland, and it's worth the drive. Visibility here can reach 25 to 30 feet, which makes it one of the better-looking sites in Colorado. Large boulders scattered along the bottom give the site some structure, and fish populations are healthy.
Shore entry is straightforward from the designated dive area. The lake sits at around 5,700 feet, so standard altitude dive planning applies.
Conditions: Cleaner visibility than most Front Range sites. Cold water year-round. A 5mm wetsuit is the minimum, drysuit preferred outside of summer.
Turquoise Lake
Turquoise Lake sits just outside Leadville at nearly 10,000 feet above sea level, which makes it one of the highest freshwater dive sites in Colorado. The altitude here matters more than anywhere else on this list. If you haven't taken an altitude diver course, this is not the place to wing it.
That said, the setting is stunning. The lake is surrounded by mountains, the water is cold and clear, and the experience is unlike anything at sea level.
Conditions: Very cold water even in summer. Visibility can be excellent. Plan your dives conservatively and factor in the drive back down to lower elevation for your surface interval.
Blue Mesa Reservoir
Blue Mesa is the largest body of water in Colorado and one of the clearest. It's a longer drive from Denver (about 3.5 hours out near Gunnison), but divers who make the trip report excellent visibility and some interesting underwater geography near the Dillon Pinnacles area.
This is more of a destination dive than a weekend training spot, but it's worth putting on the list for an overnight trip.
Conditions: Colder and deeper than Front Range sites. Visibility can exceed 20 feet. Good for experienced divers looking for something different.
What You Need to Dive in Colorado
A wetsuit or drysuit. Water temps in Colorado run from the high 40s to low 60s Fahrenheit, depending on the site and time of year. A 5mm wetsuit is the starting point. If you plan to dive regularly in Colorado, a drysuit is a worthwhile investment. We can help you find the right fit at the shop.
An altitude dive plan. Every dive site in Colorado qualifies as an altitude dive — the threshold is 1,000 feet above sea level, and the lowest Front Range sites are well above 5,000 feet. Standard sea-level dive tables and many computer defaults don't account for this. If you're not sure how to adjust your planning, our PADI Altitude Diver course covers exactly this.
A certification. If you're not yet certified, our PADI Open Water course is where to start. It's the world's most recognized certification, and it's what you need to dive any of the sites above.
If you have questions about local dive sites, gear for cold water, or getting certified, stop by the shop at 160 S Union Blvd in Lakewood or give us a call at 303.988.6725. We've been diving Colorado since 1983 and are happy to point you in the right direction.
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