You’ve Got to be Rich to Rent a Boat in Northern Colorado

For me, some of the best childhood memories were from the days of being on a boat. As an adult with financial responsibilities, bills always come first. I know owning a boat is not cheap, but being on the water sounds fun.

For as long as I can remember, there has always been this saying "The two happiest days of a boater's life are the day you buy the boat and the day you sell it". Sure, a boat can be a headache with the upkeep and maintenance but think of all the fun times you can have while on the water in a boat.

We have an upcoming vacation soon to a spot known for its lakes and water sports. I started to look at how much a pontoon rental would be for a single day. While the price wasn't too bad, I also didn't factor in how much fuel would cost at the marina and all the other stuff needed to rent a boat. Ultimately, we decided renting a boat for a single day was not financially feasible.

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Still, the idea of renting a boat for a day lingered in my head and I decided to look at how much it would be to rent one in Northern Colorado. I was immediately humbled at the price tag for a single day on Horsetooth Reservoir, Boyd Lake, and Carter Lake.

Pontoon Boat Rental at Horsetooth Reservoir in Fort Collins

Located in close proximity to downtown Fort Collins, Horsetooth Reservoir is a popular place to spend a day on the water. Renting a pontoon boat at Horsetooth for eight hours is going to cost you a lot of money for some quality time too. Pontoon boat rentals start at $150 and go up to $180 per hour. If you are planning on spending the day on a pontoon at Horsetooth Reservoir, you are looking at spending a minimum of $1,200, plus the cost of gas, for a single day.

Pontoon Boat Rental at Boyd Lake in Loveland

Boyd Lake in Loveland is nestled between Interstate 25 and Highway 287 north of Highway 34. The large lake in Loveland is a favorite in Northern Colorado to spend a day on the lake. If you were to rent a pontoon boat at Boyd Lake, it's going to be a litter bit cheaper, but still expensive. For a six to eight-person pontoon, prices start at $80 an hour, plus gas and oil. For a 12-person pontoon boat, the rate is $100 per hour, plus gas.

Carter Lake Pontoon Boat Rentals

Carter Lake is another spot in West Loveland where you can rent a pontoon boat to spend the day on the water in Northern Colorado. Carter Lake is the most economically priced boat rental location with pontoon boats starting at $70 per hour with a three-hour minimum or $400 for a full-day rental of a pontoon boat.

With prices like these to rent a boat in Northern Colorado, it looks like I will be sticking to buying arm floaties and using my legs as a motor at the lakes for the foreseeable future or until I win the lottery.