Chambers Lake, reservoir in Larimer County, Colorado, United States

Chambers Lake is a mountain reservoir in Colorado sitting above 9000 feet in elevation. The water is held back by a dam constructed over a century ago and feeds downstream into the Poudre River to supply nearby communities and agricultural areas.

The first dam at the site burst in 1891, and its replacement failed in 1904, both times causing flooding downstream. The present dam was built in 1910 and raised to 58 feet by renovations finished in 1928. Since 1894 the Skyline Ditch has carried water from the Laramie River in the North Platte watershed into the lake, which drains to the South Platte.

The area is open from late June through late September when weather conditions are milder. Cold nights and rapidly changing conditions mean visitors should bring layers of clothing, and unexpected snow is possible even in late spring.

The Skyline Ditch feeding the lake was one of the earliest examples of water diversion between different watersheds in Colorado. This late 1800s innovation allowed water to be moved from one river system to another.