US lakes & ponds
Colorado › Larimer County › Fort Collins › Sheldon Lake

Sheldon Lake

Fort Collins, Colorado — Larimer County.

Share:TextEmailFacebookX
15Surface acres

Surface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 128076124).

Getting there

Flying here

The closest airport with scheduled passenger flights to Sheldon Lake, plus larger airports within about 150 miles:

Driving here

Pick up a rental car at the airport you fly into and drive to Sheldon Lake.

Compare car rentals near this lake

Car rental links go to our partner Discover Cars; LakeRipple may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Affiliate disclosure.

Staying here

Look for hotels in and around Fort Collins, CO.

Search hotels near Fort Collins, CO on Klook

Hotel links go to our partner Klook; LakeRipple may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices and availability are set by Klook. Affiliate disclosure.

Airports with scheduled airline service from OurAirports (large and medium airports); larger airports are FAA large, medium and small hubs by FAA CY2025 enplanements ("major airport" = FAA large hub). Distances are straight-line from the lake's center, not driving distance; road routes are longer.

Things to do near Sheldon Lake

Look up tours, activities and attraction tickets around Fort Collins, CO on Klook.

Browse things to do near Fort Collins, CO on Klook

Activity links go to our partner Klook; LakeRipple may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Affiliate disclosure.

Boat rentals near Sheldon Lake

Browse boat, pontoon and kayak rentals and charters listed on GetMyBoat.

Boat rentals in Fort Collins, CO on GetMyBoat

Listings, prices and availability are set by GetMyBoat and its hosts. Check the lake's own boating rules before you go.

Location & fast facts

Where Sheldon Lake is in Colorado

The red circle marks Sheldon Lake.

Fast facts

About Sheldon Lake

  • County: Larimer
  • City or town on the shore: Fort Collins
  • Mapped as: Lake or pond (USGS National Hydrography Dataset)
  • Distance: about 1 mi from Fort Collins and 59 mi from Denver, straight-line (not driving distance)

Towns and counties: U.S. Census Bureau boundaries overlaid on the USGS lake outline (Colorado: incorporated places touching the lake, otherwise the nearest one).

Fishing in Colorado

Official CPW pages. Rules and fees change; check before you go.

Good for & watch for

Good for

  • Fishing. Largemouth bass, Rainbow trout, Black crappie and Bluegill
  • Camping. 11 campgrounds within 15 mi (list)

Watch for

    Built only from the data on this page: official access lists, OpenStreetMap beaches and trails, campground listings, state and USGS invasive-species records. We don't rate crowds or water quality.

    Official fishing data (Colorado Parks and Wildlife)

    Fish species listed for this water in the CPW Fishing Atlas: Black crappie, Bluegill, Channel catfish, Cutbow trout, Green sunfish, Largemouth bass, Pumpkinseed, Rainbow trout, Snake River cutthroat trout, Yellow perch.

    Stocking: Catchable trout, Sub-catchables and Warmwater

    Source: Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Colorado Fishing Atlas record for Sheldon Lake (Larimer County, CPW water code 52768). Acreage here can differ slightly from our mapped outline.

    Fishing gear for Sheldon Lake

    Gear picks based on the fish listed for Sheldon Lake above. These open Amazon search results; check your state's fishing rules for the water before you buy bait or tackle.

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Affiliate disclosure.

    Lake map

    Sheldon Lake shoreline

    0.1 mileN

    No public access sites are listed for this water in the OpenStreetMap boat ramps (no statewide agency ramp layer used) data.

    Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 128076124), public domain. State outline: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb. Points: OpenStreetMap boat ramps (no statewide agency ramp layer used). Interactive map: Leaflet with © OpenStreetMap contributors. Not for navigation.

    Campgrounds near Sheldon Lake

    We found 11 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles of Sheldon Lake, 2 of them within 5 miles. Distances are straight-line from the nearest point on the shoreline, so driving distance is longer.

    5 more within 15 miles

    All campgrounds & RV parks in Colorado

    Green tent icons on the lake map mark campgrounds near the shore, and the interactive map shows the closest 12. Amenities are listed only where a source records them; call or check the campground's website before you go, since seasons and rates change every year.

    Campground data: Recreation.gov (RIDB) · OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Pulled Oct 12, 2026.

    Conditions right now

    Air temperature & conditions (nearest NWS station)Loading…
    Fetching the latest National Weather Service observation…

    Live from the National Weather Service API for the lake's coordinates (40.5828, -105.1043). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Sheldon Lake. No live water-temperature sensor is shown because we haven't found a public one for this lake.

    Sun, moon & best fishing times

    Sun & moon at Sheldon Lake

    Best fishing times

    Major periodMinor periodDaylight

      Based on solunar theory, an estimate. Major periods (about 2 hours) center on when the moon is directly overhead or underfoot; minor periods (about 1 hour) center on moonrise and moonset. The 0–100 activity score rises during those periods and gets a boost near sunrise and sunset and around the new and full moon. Weather, water temperature and pressure often matter more. Sun and moon times are calculated in your browser from the lake's coordinates with standard astronomy formulas, shown in MT (America/Denver), and accurate to within a few minutes.

      Contact & official info

      Questions about Sheldon Lake

      How big is Sheldon Lake?

      Sheldon Lake covers about 15 acres in Fort Collins, Colorado (Larimer County).

      What fish are in Sheldon Lake?

      CPW Colorado Fishing Atlas lists Largemouth bass, Rainbow trout, Black crappie, Bluegill, Yellow perch, Channel catfish, Pumpkinseed, Cutbow trout, Green sunfish and Snake River cutthroat trout.

      Are there campgrounds near Sheldon Lake?

      Yes. We list 11 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles, 2 of them within 5 miles.

      What towns are on Sheldon Lake?

      Sheldon Lake touches Fort Collins in Larimer County, Colorado.

      Share a tip or fishing report

      Know Sheldon Lake? Tell us about the launch, parking, where they're biting or anything a first-time visitor should know. Tips go privately to the LakeRipple editor; nothing is posted automatically. Helpful tips may be featured on this page (we'll use your first name only if you give one).

      Lakes & ponds nearby

      Straight-line distance between lake centers. All Colorado lakes & ponds · All waters in Fort Collins