Loading page content…
Loading page content…
Loading lake conditions…
McPhee Reservoir is one of the reservoirs LakeRadar tracks in Colorado. Fish documented in the area include Brown Trout, Yellow Perch, Northern Pike, and Rainbow Trout. At around 4,470 acres (about 7 square miles), it is a mid-sized waterbody. Sitting at around 6,929 feet of elevation, it drops to a maximum depth near 270 feet. A nearby water gauge supplies level and temperature readings where available. Below you will find an hourly and 7-day forecast, wind and gust outlook, water readings, fishing conditions, and activity scores for boating, paddling, and swimming. Nearby alternatives include McPhee Reservoir. Check the hourly forecast and activity outlook below before heading out to McPhee Reservoir.
Updated
No active alerts for this lake as of the last check (Oct 9, 4:39 AM MDT). Alerts are re-checked automatically; see the official source for updates.
Overall Fair (64/100) across 4 activities. Best right now: Boating (70/100).
How the score is calculated →Best excellent fishing window, averaging 91/100 across these hours. Wind 5 mph from the east-northeast. Dawn hours (06:00 local). Derived from the hourly forecast; official alerts are not forecast and are checked separately.
| Metric | 10a | 11a | 12p | 1p | 2p | 3p | 4p | 5p | 6p | 7p | 8p | 9p | 10p | 11p | 12a | 1a | 2a | 3a | 4a | 5a | 6a | 7a | 8a | 9a |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°F) | 47° | 48° | 47° | 47° | 49° | 56° | 63° | 67° | 69° | 70° | 71° | 72° | 72° | 70° | 68° | 63° | 59° | 57° | 55° | 54° | 54° | 53° | 53° | 52° |
| Wind (kts) | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Direction | E | E | E | E | E | E | SE | S | S | S | SW | SW | SW | SW | SW | S | SE | SE | SE | SE | SE | SE | SE | SE |
| Gusts (kts) | 10 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 15 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 18 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 10 |
| Precip % | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 3% | 8% | 8% | 9% | 10% | 12% | 16% | 18% | 21% | 23% | 28% |
| Time | Temp | Wind | Gusts | Precip | Cloud | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, 4 AM MDT | 47°F | 5 mph ENE (68°) | 12 mph | 0% | 8% | Mostly Clear |
| Fri, 5 AM MDT | 48°F | 5 mph ENE (68°) | 12 mph | 0% | 9% | Mostly Clear |
| Fri, 6 AM MDT | 47°F | 5 mph ENE (68°) | 12 mph | 0% | 10% | Sunny |
| Fri, 7 AM MDT | 47°F | 5 mph E (90°) | 13 mph | 0% | 11% | Sunny |
| Fri, 8 AM MDT | 49°F | 5 mph E (90°) | 14 mph | 0% | 12% | Sunny |
| Fri, 9 AM MDT | 56°F | 5 mph E (90°) | 15 mph | 0% | 13% | Sunny |
| Fri, 10 AM MDT | 63°F | 10 mph ESE (113°) | 17 mph | 1% | 9% | Sunny |
| Fri, 11 AM MDT | 67°F | 10 mph S (180°) | 21 mph | 1% | 20% | Sunny |
| Fri, 12 PM MDT | 69°F | 10 mph S (180°) | 22 mph | 1% | 14% | Sunny |
| Fri, 1 PM MDT | 70°F | 15 mph S (180°) | 23 mph | 1% | 8% | Sunny |
| Fri, 2 PM MDT | 71°F | 15 mph SSW (203°) | 24 mph | 2% | 19% | Sunny |
| Fri, 3 PM MDT | 72°F | 15 mph SSW (203°) | 24 mph | 2% | 32% | Mostly Sunny |
| Fri, 4 PM MDT | 72°F | 10 mph SSW (203°) | 23 mph | 2% | 25% | Sunny |
| Fri, 5 PM MDT | 70°F | 10 mph SSW (203°) | 21 mph | 3% | 23% | Sunny |
| Fri, 6 PM MDT | 68°F | 10 mph SW (225°) | 17 mph | 8% | 10% | Mostly Clear |
| Fri, 7 PM MDT | 63°F | 10 mph S (180°) | 15 mph | 8% | 17% | Mostly Clear |
| Fri, 8 PM MDT | 59°F | 10 mph SE (135°) | 15 mph | 9% | 31% | Partly Cloudy |
| Fri, 9 PM MDT | 57°F | 10 mph ESE (113°) | 15 mph | 10% | 32% | Partly Cloudy |
| Fri, 10 PM MDT | 55°F | 5 mph ESE (113°) | 14 mph | 12% | 16% | Mostly Clear |
| Fri, 11 PM MDT | 54°F | 5 mph ESE (113°) | 13 mph | 16% | 47% | Slight Chance Rain Showers |
| Sat, 12 AM MDT | 54°F | 5 mph ESE (113°) | 12 mph | 18% | 51% | Slight Chance Rain Showers |
| Sat, 1 AM MDT | 53°F | 5 mph ESE (113°) | 10 mph | 21% | 45% | Slight Chance Rain Showers |
| Sat, 2 AM MDT | 53°F | 5 mph ESE (113°) | 12 mph | 23% | 45% | Slight Chance Rain Showers |
| Sat, 3 AM MDT | 52°F | 5 mph ESE (113°) | 12 mph | 28% | 53% | Chance Showers And Thunderstorms |
| Sat, 4 AM MDT | 52°F | 5 mph ESE (113°) | 12 mph | 24% | 50% | Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms |
Official National Weather Service hourly forecast. Showing 10 of 25 hours. Wind arrows point the way the wind is blowing; the compass point and degrees show where it comes from.
| Period | Overnight October 9, 2026 | Friday October 9, 2026 | Friday Night October 9, 2026 | Saturday October 10, 2026 | Saturday Night October 10, 2026 | Sunday October 11, 2026 | Sunday Night October 11, 2026 | Columbus Day October 12, 2026 | Monday Night October 12, 2026 | Tuesday October 13, 2026 | Tuesday Night October 13, 2026 | Wednesday October 14, 2026 | Wednesday Night October 14, 2026 | Thursday October 15, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°F) | 46° | 72° | 50° | 63° | 49° | 58° | 48° | 57° | 45° | 54° | 36° | 51° | 34° | 55° |
| Wind | ENE 5 mph | SE 5 to 15 mph | SE 5 to 10 mph | SSE 5 to 15 mph | SSE 10 mph | SSE 10 to 20 mph | SSE 10 to 20 mph | SSE 10 to 15 mph | SSE 5 to 10 mph | S 5 to 15 mph | S 0 to 10 mph | SW 0 to 10 mph | N 5 mph | NW 5 to 10 mph |
| Gusts | 12 mph | 24 mph | 17 mph | 30 mph | 25 mph | 48 mph | 46 mph | 45 mph | 33 mph | 47 mph | 28 mph | 22 mph | 16 mph | 27 mph |
| Precip % | 0% | 3% | 29% | 57% | 96% | 94% | 91% | 72% | 69% | 77% | 56% | 29% | 11% | 6% |
| Forecast |
No active USGS or USACE telemetry gauge is currently mapped to McPhee Reservoir. Not available from a verified source for this lake.
Fair for fishing (60/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 5 mph from the east-northeast. 0% chance of precipitation. The forecast mentions thunderstorms, which carries a risk penalty. Not available from a verified source for this lake: pressure trend, water temperature. Confidence is moderate (74%) because some inputs are unavailable or older than ideal.
Fair for boating (70/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 5 mph from the east-northeast. No active official alerts for this lake. The forecast mentions thunderstorms, which carries a risk penalty. Not available from a verified source for this lake: visibility and conditions, verified water access. Confidence is moderate (84%) because some inputs are unavailable or older than ideal.
Fair for sailing (57/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: No active official alerts for this lake. Gusts exceed sustained wind by 7 mph, making the breeze puffy. The forecast mentions thunderstorms, which carries a risk penalty. Not available from a verified source for this lake: visibility. Confidence is high (88%).
Fair for kayaking (68/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 5 mph from the east-northeast. Gusts to 12 mph. The forecast mentions thunderstorms, which carries a risk penalty. Confidence is high (90%).
Water temperature is not available from a verified source for this lake. No swimming score is shown without it.
Loading interactive map…
Individual boat ramp GPS coordinates are maintained under the jurisdiction of CO Parks & Wildlife Authority. Public boaters should verify seasonal launch water levels, gate hours, and daily vehicle/vessel fees before traveling.
Known for its reliable water levels and open navigation, McPhee Reservoir in CO welcomes visitors for boating, paddling, and shoreline recreation. The waterbody supports an active angling community pursuing both native and stocked sportfish. Verifying ramp depth and seasonal regulations helps ensure safe launch operations.
Valid freshwater sport fishing license issued by Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) is required for anglers age 16+. Digital license on mobile is accepted.
Mandatory Clean, Drain & Dry inspection. Out-of-area craft require on-site Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS Quagga/Zebra) inspection or decontamination before launch. USCG life jackets required for all.
Public shoreline and boating access managed by State & Local Authorities. Verify seasonal gate hours, launch fees, and parking rules before travel.
High-speed motorboating, pontoon cruising, wakeboarding, and water skiing across main channels. Target gamefish include Brown Trout, Yellow Perch, Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout. Morning hours typically provide optimal glassy conditions for kayak and stand-up paddleboard (SUP) touring.
Warm water temperatures, peak swimming, active watersports, and open full-service campgrounds. Highest weekly attendance; plan early arrivals on summer weekends.
Spring pre-spawn and fall feeding transitions create prime trophy angling conditions. Cooler air, lower boat traffic, and vibrant seasonal shoreline foliage.
High-altitude mountain winter climate (elevation 6,929 ft MSL). Freezing temperatures, potential snowpack or ice cover, and reduced seasonal amenities. Winter safety caution advised.
No external source rows are cited by the data currently shown on this page.
Updated
Scores are heuristics, not safety guarantees. LakeRadar scores summarize available conditions and are not a substitute for official warnings, local rules, or on-water judgment.
All telemetry for McPhee Reservoir is synchronized directly from authorized federal and state monitoring networks (USGS, NWS, NOAA, and state environmental authorities). Observations are strictly instrumented readings — unmonitored sensors are transparently disclosed rather than synthetic estimates.
Last source audit: Oct 9, 4:39 AM MDT