Billings is I think a lot farther than 5 or 6 hours from Cheyenne and the diving in Billings is pretty grim with the divers there going elsewhere.
Glendo Reservoir about an hour north of Cheyenne has really poor visibility although it is probably diveable up in the area of the lake up in the canyon , where it is not quite as wind blown.
Pactola Reservoir located west of Rapid City SD offers very good visibility by freshwater standards - 10-15 ft on a bad day, and 30 feet on a good day. It is also fairly well sheltered from wind, etc so the viz stays pretty consistent. It is a cold lake with several thermoclines. The upper layer warms to about 75 degrees by late July-early August and will be that temp for the first 20-30 ft. Normally there is a thermocline under that depth and a few more as you go deeper before you reach the bottom where water temps are in the upper 30's to lmid 40's depending on how deep the lake is that season. Surface temps are much colder earlier inthe summer and are probably in the 50-60 degree range in may and June. As a consolation for the cold, the visibility gets better the deeper you go and at 100 ft no light is needed and at 150 ft. you can almost see without one if your eyes adjust.
It is probably a 4 hour drive from Cheyenne. There is a full service dive shop in Rapid City (about 25 minutes away) and in the summer season (approx May through September) the shop will take divers out on the boat on both weekends and on Wednesday evenings during the week. Air and Nitrox are both available and while the shop's weekend hours are not ideal for a weekend traveling diver, the air and Nitrox prices are not bad. So bring extra tanks and be sure to get the Saturday morning tanks refilled by 2pm on Saturday.
Shore diving is also good but access is limited to the swimming beach and the area around the overflow parking area near the north marina.
When full, the lake is 150 ft deep although currently after several years of drought it is down about 40 feet limiting the max depth to about 110'. There is a great deal of vertical relief in the lake and much of it amounts to wall diving. Camping is also available at the lake as is a marina with store, food and pontoon rentals.
Lake McConaughahay in Nebraska offers good walley spearing opportunities.
Angastora Lake near Hot Springs SD can offer good diving and excellent walleye spearing but low water levels leave it out of the picture for the immediate future.
Glendo Reservoir about an hour north of Cheyenne has really poor visibility although it is probably diveable up in the area of the lake up in the canyon , where it is not quite as wind blown.
Pactola Reservoir located west of Rapid City SD offers very good visibility by freshwater standards - 10-15 ft on a bad day, and 30 feet on a good day. It is also fairly well sheltered from wind, etc so the viz stays pretty consistent. It is a cold lake with several thermoclines. The upper layer warms to about 75 degrees by late July-early August and will be that temp for the first 20-30 ft. Normally there is a thermocline under that depth and a few more as you go deeper before you reach the bottom where water temps are in the upper 30's to lmid 40's depending on how deep the lake is that season. Surface temps are much colder earlier inthe summer and are probably in the 50-60 degree range in may and June. As a consolation for the cold, the visibility gets better the deeper you go and at 100 ft no light is needed and at 150 ft. you can almost see without one if your eyes adjust.
It is probably a 4 hour drive from Cheyenne. There is a full service dive shop in Rapid City (about 25 minutes away) and in the summer season (approx May through September) the shop will take divers out on the boat on both weekends and on Wednesday evenings during the week. Air and Nitrox are both available and while the shop's weekend hours are not ideal for a weekend traveling diver, the air and Nitrox prices are not bad. So bring extra tanks and be sure to get the Saturday morning tanks refilled by 2pm on Saturday.
Shore diving is also good but access is limited to the swimming beach and the area around the overflow parking area near the north marina.
When full, the lake is 150 ft deep although currently after several years of drought it is down about 40 feet limiting the max depth to about 110'. There is a great deal of vertical relief in the lake and much of it amounts to wall diving. Camping is also available at the lake as is a marina with store, food and pontoon rentals.
Lake McConaughahay in Nebraska offers good walley spearing opportunities.
Angastora Lake near Hot Springs SD can offer good diving and excellent walleye spearing but low water levels leave it out of the picture for the immediate future.
