Artifacts of prehistoric origin suggest that nomadic hunters of Paleo-Indian and later Archaic cultures foraged across northeastern Colorado in the vicinity of what is now North Sterling Reservoir. During the post-Archaic era, Plains Woodland foragers gave way to the Upper Republican culture, which migrated into northeast Colorado after 1000 CE. Over time, distinct tribal units emerged: Cheyenne, Arapaho and Pawnee tribes all inhabited northeastern Colorado, following the great herds of buffalo in their migrations across the Great Plains.  

The first Europeans in the area were generally believed to be French fur trappers, who followed the South Platte River in pursuit of furbearers. Several trading posts and forts sprang up in the early 1800s, but settlement was nearly nonexistent until the discovery of gold in California (1849) and later in Colorado (1858). The Overland Trail, which paralleled the Platte River, became the most heavily used highway in the country between 1862 and 1868.  

An ambitious, privately-financed project comprising what is now the North Sterling Irrigation District was conceived in 1893. Originally known as Point of Rocks Reservoir, North Sterling was constructed to supply water for the irrigation of table lands above the South Platte River drainage northeast of Sterling. 

This was a mammoth undertaking for its time, involving the construction of a 3,000-acre reservoir, dam, 62-mile inlet canal, 63-mile outlet canal, and numerous bridges and diversion structures. On February 19, 1909, the Empire Construction Company was awarded the contract to build the reservoir at the Point of Rocks site on Cedar Creek for the sum of $1,689,375. Construction began on May 7, 1909. Local farmers and ranchers were hired to build the reservoir at 25 cents an hour, or 50 cents an hour if they furnished their own horse and equipment. Fifteen hundred horses and mules were used on a daily basis to excavate the reservoir and build the earthen dam. The reservoir was completed on August 16, 1911. 

The North Sterling Irrigation District first entered into an agreement with the former Game, Fish and Parks Division to lease the reservoir for public recreation, hunting, fishing and boating in 1958. The Colorado Division of Wildlife continued to manage North Sterling Reservoir until October 1, 1992, when Colorado Parks and Wildlife acquired the property. Colorado Parks and Wildlife manages recreation on the reservoir through a perpetual easement with North Sterling Irrigation District. An additional 2,800 acres of land support a wide variety of recreational activities