Every Lake
Horsetooth Reservoir
Fort Collins' foothill reservoir, named for the rock formation that watches over it.
- 18 ft · first step
- 35 ft
- 53 ft
- 71 ft
- 88 ft
- 106 ft · bottom
About Horsetooth Reservoir
Horsetooth Reservoir was built between 1946 and 1949 as part of the Colorado-Big Thompson Project, filling a long, narrow valley in the foothills just west of Fort Collins with water pumped over from the Colorado River basin. It covers about 1,900 acres and reaches 188 feet deep, named for the jagged rock outcrop on the ridge above that resembles a horse's tooth from town. Boating, cliff diving off South Bay and the trails along Horsetooth Mountain Open Space make it one of northern Colorado's most-used recreation lakes.
- 145 roads engraved around the shore, 1 of them labeled
- 6 depth layers, each step engraved with its depth in feet
- Compass rose, title block with coordinates, max depth and area; keyhole hanger on the back
Turn it in your hands
Live 3D of the actual cut files — drag to orbit, pinch to zoom. Every road you see is engraved on the real thing.
Viewer not showing? Open it full screen.
Horsetooth Reservoir depth chart, in wood
This is a Horsetooth Reservoir depth chart you can hang: 6 stacked layers of birch, each one a depth contour — 18 ft, 35 ft, 53 ft, 71 ft, 88 ft and deeper, down to the deepest hole at about 106 ft. The lake covers about 2.6 square miles, and 145 shore roads are engraved around it. The shape of the bottom is the real one from published soundings, so anglers recognise their drop-offs and points.
A Horsetooth Reservoir map for the wall — or a gift
Most of these go to a cabin wall, a lake house entry, or a home office; a lot are gifts — the family that has been on Horsetooth Reservoir for three generations, the retirement move, the first boat. The 12-inch is the desk-and-shelf size; the 24- and 30-inch boards read across a room. Add a line under the title and star your place on the shore, and it becomes the map of your Horsetooth Reservoir.
Horsetooth Reservoir map — the details
How big is the map?
Four sizes: 12, 17, 24 and 30 inches on the long side, from $149. Every size is cut from the same depth data of Horsetooth Reservoir; the bigger boards carry more shoreline roads and place names.
Is it made from real depth data?
Yes. Horsetooth Reservoir is cut layer by layer from published bathymetric soundings — each layer of birch is a depth contour, so the shape of the bottom is the real one, not decorative.
Can I add my own place on it?
Yes. At checkout you can add a line under the title (a family name, a cabin name, a year) and star the spot on the shore that matters to you.
How long does it take?
Made to order in Waterford, Pennsylvania and shipped in 7–10 days; shipping is free in the lower 48.
Can you make a lake that isn't listed?
Any lake in the United States — we hold depth data for 104,419 of them. Search for yours; if it isn't built yet we build it when you order.
- 6 depth layers down to 106 ft
- 2.6 square miles of water
- 145 shore roads engraved, 1 named
- Title block, compass rose and depth markers
- Birch plywood, keyhole hanger, made in Waterford, PA
