Coot Lake is a scenic natural area with fishing, walking and jogging opportunities. It is about 1.2 miles around the lake.
- Boating, belly-boats, rafts are prohibited. Please respect the wetlands along the shoreline.
- Dogs permitted under certain conditions. Dogs are allowed to swim on the east and south shores only. Dogs are not allowed on the west side or in any of the wetland areas. Dogs are only permitted off-leash if they are registered as participants in the Voice and Sight Tag Program.
- The City of Boulder permits class 1 and class 2 e-bikes on sidewalks (except in dismount zones), multi-use paths, bike lanes and streets. This includes bike paths at Boulder Reservoir, Coot Lake and Valmont Bike Park.
Coot Lake Footbridge Replacement
A temporary closure will occur to replace the footbridge, upgrade the ADA parking lot stalls, and update trail alignments to the new bridge at Coot Lake in late-October through November. This work will provide much needed maintenance on the expiring bridge connection to the south side of the lake as well as update accessibility to the dock. Wetland mitigation and restoration will also be provided in and around the areas of construction to restore the lake bank and drainage channel.
The footbridge (marked in red) will be closed during construction. The rest of the path around Coot Lake will remain open. Please note that completing a loop around Coot Lake will not be possible due to construction. Access to Boulder Reservoir from Coot Lake is around the northern edge (see map). There will be no access to Tom Watson Park south of the construction area. Please do not walk along 63rd to access Tom Watson park.
Schedule
- Footbridge Closure: Late November – Late December
- Wetland Mitigation Work: November 2023 – Summer of 2024
Nature Play Opportunities
Children have a wide variety of unique nature play opportunities at Coot Lake. A portion of Coot Lake is a wildlife reserve for wetland species, which provides ample opportunities for children to observe local species as well as to fish in other designated areas. The 1.2-mile trail around the lake has access to various short trails and the Boulder Reservoir and contains an art walk. The art walk displays prints of scenes and quotes from the lake that children may stop by and read during their walk around the lake. The art walk brings a new and creative perspective to the trail.
Algae Bloom Notice
If you see algae in lakes and ponds, take extra precautions to avoid contact with the water, because some algae blooms can be harmful to people and pets. Algal blooms can contain cyanobacteria –often referred to as blue-green algae. While the vast majority of algae often seen in ponds and lakes during summer months are not toxic, cyanobacteria can produce toxins, which can be harmful to dogs and humans at elevated levels.
