Boulder County government offices closed Tuesday, Dec. 24 (at noon), and Wednesday, Dec. 25, for the Christmas holiday.

Dodd Reservoir
Dodd Lake

Dodd Reservoir

Dodd Reservoir, also known as Dodd Lake, is a quaint bird and wildlife viewing area.

Trails

  • Dodd Reservoir Trail
    0.1 miles – Easy
    Hiking Allowed Dogs Prohibited Bikes Allowed E-bikes Allowed Horses Allowed Fishing Prohibited

Rules & Regulations

Day Use Only
No Pets Allowed
No Swimming
No Camping

All Parks & Open Space Rules & Regulations

Trailhead Amenities

4 car parking spots
1 ADA van accessible parking spot

See Photos

Keep In Mind

  • Bikes and horses are not recommended as the trail is only 0.1 miles long.
  • Access to the shore and water are prohibited. Users must stay on trail.
  • Dogs and alcohol are prohibited.

Mammals

  • Coyote
  • Fox squirrel
  • Muskrat
  • Prairie Dog
  • Raccoon
  • Red Fox

Birds

  • American white pelican
  • Bald eagle
  • Barn swallow
  • Black-billed magpie
  • Canada goose
  • Great blue heron
  • Killdeer
  • Northern shoveler
  • Mallard
  • Red-tailed hawk
  • Red-winged blackbird
  • Snow goose
  • Tree swallow
  • Western grebe
  • Western meadowlark

Invertebrates

  • American rubyspot
  • Ambush bug
  • Band-winged meadowhawk
  • Blue-eyed darner
  • Cabbage white
  • Differential grasshopper
  • Five-spotted hawk moth
  • Golden paper wasp
  • Golden northern bumble bee
  • Long-tailed giant ichneumonoid wasp
  • Painted lady
  • Queen butterfly
  • Two-tailed swallowtail
  • Variegated meadowhawk
  • Widow skimmer

Shrubs & Trees

  • Peach leaf willow (Salix amygdaloides)
  • Plains cottonwood (Populus deltoides var. monilifera)

Grasses, Sedges & Cattails

  • Broad-leaf cattail (Typha latifolia)
  • Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum)
  • Western wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii)
  • Western ragweed (Ambrosia psilostachya)

Yellow Wildflowers

  • Golden currant (Ribes aureum)
  • Prairie sunflower (Helianthus petiolaris)

Pink, Orange & Red Wildflowers

  • Showy milkweed (Asclepias speciosa)

Alvah Dodd Sr. arrived from Iowa in 1880 to homestead on the property. The Dodd family raised cattle, along with harvesting ice blocks from the frozen lake in the winter. In 1999, Boulder County purchased 243 acres from Alvah’s descendants, along with the water rights to Dodd Lake.

From 2014 to 2017, Boulder County Audubon conducted a habitat restoration to return the land to a shortgrass prairie wetland to provide habitat for migratory birds.

Contact Us

Parks & Open Space

8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Monday-Friday

Office Location

5201 St. Vrain Road
Longmont, CO 80503
Map and Directions

Office Hours
8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Monday-Thursday
Friday by phone, email, or appointment only.
The office is closed to the public Dec. 23-Jan. 1.

Parks are open sunrise to sunset