Every Lake
Sloan's Lake
A homesteader's well struck water in the 1860s and flooded into Denver's second-largest lake.
- 2 ft · first step
- 5 ft
- 7 ft
- 10 ft
- 12 ft
- 14 ft · bottom
About Sloan's Lake
Thomas Sloan homesteaded land northwest of Denver in the 1860s and, according to local record, struck an underground spring while digging a well; the flooding formed the lake that carries his name. By the 1890s the shoreline hosted Manhattan Beach, an amusement park with a dance hall, roller coaster, and boat rides that drew crowds out from downtown by streetcar. Elitch Gardens, the amusement park later relocated across the city, opened nearby in 1890, and the two parks competed for the same lakeside visitors through the early 1900s.
Sloan's Lake sits between the Sloan's Lake, Edgewater, and Highland neighborhoods northwest of downtown Denver, ringed by a paved path used for running and cycling. Covering about 178 acres, it ranks as one of the largest bodies of water in the city. Sailors and paddleboarders use the open water, and the surrounding park hosts the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival each summer. The lake sits close enough to downtown that the skyline is visible across the water on clear days.
- 105 roads engraved around the shore, 18 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.
Sloan's Lake depth chart, in wood
This is a Sloan's Lake depth chart you can hang: 6 stacked layers of birch, each one a depth contour — 2 ft, 5 ft, 7 ft, 10 ft, 12 ft and deeper, down to the deepest hole at about 14 ft. The lake covers about 0.3 square miles, and 105 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 Sloan's Lake 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 Sloan's Lake 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 Sloan's Lake.
Sloan's Lake 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 Sloan's Lake; the bigger boards carry more shoreline roads and place names.
Is it made from real depth data?
Yes. Sloan's Lake 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 14 ft
- 0.3 square miles of water
- 105 shore roads engraved, 18 named
- Title block, compass rose and depth markers
- Birch plywood, keyhole hanger, made in Waterford, PA
