Summit Lake
Jackson County, ColoradoView mapDirections
Not enough samples to grade — no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). No letter yet. Here is what we do have.
- Limited data
Summit Lake in Jackson County, Colorado is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 12.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 12.1 ft
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Summit Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Summit Lake in Jackson County, Colorado — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water.
Top-rated places to stay near Summit Lake
Prices for Sep 4–6, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Colorado’s top lakes →
Watch Summit Lake’s letter
Email me if this lake’s grade moves. Grades stay free.
Or email
Why Summit Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when the monitoring record supports a letter: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Summit Lake, no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). Sampling here has recorded water clarity and phosphorus, but not algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by CDPHE and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Summit Lake is a lake in Jackson County, Colorado.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, CDPHE, last sampled 2020-09-02. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Summit Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water12.1 ft of visibility
- Camping1 public campground nearby
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Summit Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Good clarity, visible to about 12.1 ft. Phosphorus 20 µg/L. TSI 44.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 12.1 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 20 µg/L | Not graded |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 44 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Recreation & Access
Public campgrounds near Summit Lake
- Summit Lake0.2 km
Nearest public campgrounds in the USGS National Map inventory, within about 3 miles. An empty list means USGS records no campground that close, which is not the same as camping being unavailable. Where the source gives an official reservation link, it is used; the cabin and hotel search does not cover campsites. More camping lakes
Fishing Summit Lake
Graded lakes near Summit Lake
Summit Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Jackson County
Frequently asked questions about Summit Lake
Where is Summit Lake?
- Summit Lake is a lake in Jackson County, Colorado. LakeQuality has not rated this lake (UNRATED) — no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years).
What is the water quality grade for Summit Lake?
- Summit Lake in Jackson County, Colorado is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 12.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L.
Is Summit Lake safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there campgrounds on Summit Lake?
- Summit Lake has 1 public campground from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Summit Lake. This is a location join, not a booking. Cabins and hotels are listed separately; campsite reservations use the official link when the source provides one.
Explore Summit Lake across LakeQuality
6.5 mi away · 283 ft
2 thermal springs within 8.9 mi, nearest Steamboat Springs
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Colorado's top lakes, each with its grade
Colorado's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Colorado Lake Rankings
Other Lakes in Colorado
Mesotrophic Lakes in Colorado
Where this data comes from
3 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- USGS Colorado Water Science Center
USGS-CO3 samples · 2020
Analytical methods
- Secchi disk method
- P, wu, WCA, persulfate CF color
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated and data sources.
Other records on this page
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles