Colorado has 350 State Wildlife Areas, covering more than 684,000 acres. With a valid fishing or hunting license you can access the properties for recreation, including hunting, fishing, hiking and wildlife observation.
State Wildlife Areas in Colorado
Most State Wildlife Areas (SWAs) are open year-round for public use, provided you have a valid license for hunting or fishing. Many times they provide excellent places to camp and just soak in the natural setting, usually not as crowded as other state and city parks.
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Watchable Wildlife Areas in Colorado
Unlike State Wildlife Areas, Watchable Wildlife Areas (WWA) don’t permit hunting or fishing. Recreation is limited and generally open to simple hiking or birdwatching.
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Guide to State Wildlife Areas in Colorado
To enter the state wildlife areas and use their resources, you’ll require a Wildlife Stamp, which comes standard with any valid hunting or fishing license. You can also buy the stamp by itself. Any place you can get a hunting/fishing license will sell you the stamp. This is any small outfitter, some general stores, or Walmart.
“A valid hunting or fishing license is required for everyone 18 or older accessing any State Wildlife Area or CPW-leased State Trust Land”
Wildlife areas are tucked throughout the Rocky Mountains and Great Plains. From east to west, you can find an area designated for wildlife recreation. They are perfect spots to enjoy nature viewing across Colorado.
Many permit camping, either dispersed or in a campground, often for free. Other big activities include fishing and hunting. A lot of recreation like hiking varies based on location. All land is owned either by the state or privately, and open to the public for wildlife recreation.
With over three hundred SWAs to choose from, you can imagine they are easy enough to find. Despite this, they usually lack crowds and are the perfect place to escape into nature for a while. Many offer bodies of water, whether it’s a lake, stream, or river.
If you plan on hunting, fishing, or camping, be sure to check the local rules before you do so. In addition to following state hunting and fishing laws, you’ll also need to pay attention to the local state wildlife area’s requirements. Each may vary, so be attentive.
More about state wildlife areas can be found at cpw.state.co.us. Here is a full list of Colorado’s state wildlife areas:
- Adams SWA
- Adobe Creek Reservoir SWA
- Alberta Park Reservoir SWA
- Alma SWA
- Almont Triangle SWA
- Andrews Lake SWA
- Andrick Ponds SWA
- Apishapa SWA
- Arkansas River (Holly) SWA
- Arkansas River/Big Bend SWA
- Atwood SWA
- Badger Basin SWA
- Banner Lakes SWA
- Basalt SWA
- Beaver Creek Reservoir SWA
- Beaver Creek SWA
- Beaver Lake SWA
- Bellaire Lake SWA
- Bergen Peak SWA
- Big Meadows Reservoir SWA
- Big Thompson Ponds SWA
- Billy Creek SWA
- Bitter Brush SWA
- Bliss SWA
- Blue River SWA
- Bob Terrell SWA
- Bodo SWA
- Boedecker Reservoir SWA
- Bosque Del Oso SWA
- Boyd Ponds SWA
- Bravo SWA
- Brower SWA
- Brown Lakes SWA: Beaver Creek Unit, Calloway Unit, Cold Springs, Wiggins Unit
- Brownlee SWA
- Brush Creek SWA
- Brush Hollow SWA
- Brush Prairie Ponds SWA
- Brush SWA
- Buena Vista SWA
- Burchfield SWA
- Cabin Creek SWA
- Centennial SWA
- Centennial Valley SWA
- Champion SWA
- Charlie Meyers SWA
- Cherokee SWA: Lone Pine Unit, Rabbit Creek Unit, Middle Unit, Upper Unit, Lower Unit
- Chipeta Lake SWA
- Christina SWA
- Chubb Park Ranch SWA
- Chuck Lewis SWA
- Cimarron SWA
- Clear Creek Reservoir SWA
- Cline Ranch SWA
- Coalbed Canyon SWA
- Cochetopa SWA
- Coke Oven SWA
- Coller SWA
- Colorado River Island SWA
- Colorow Mountain SWA
- Columbine SWA
- Conejos River SWA
- Cottonwood Creek SWA
- Cottonwood SWA
- Cowdrey Lake SWA
- Creede SWA
- Dan Noble SWA
- Dawn Pond SWA
- Deadman SWA
- Delaney Butte Lakes SWA
- Devil Creek SWA
- DeWeese Reservoir SWA
- Diamond J SWA
- Dolores River SWA
- Dome Lakes SWA
- Dome Rock SWA
- Douglas Reservoir SWA
- Dowdy Lake SWA
- Dry Creek Basin SWA
- Duck Creek SWA
- Dune Ridge SWA
- Dutch Gulch SWA
- Eagle River SWA
- Echo Canyon Reservoir SWA
- Elliott SWA
- Emerald Mountain SWA
- Escalante SWA: Cap Smith Tract, East Walker Tract, Hamilton Tract, Harrison Tract, Lower Roubideau Tract, Picket Corral Tract, Upper Roubideau and Peach Orchard, Waterwheel, Kelso, and Lower Gunnison River Tracts, West Walker Tract
- Fish Creek SWA
- Flagler Res. SWA
- Flanders Ranch SWA
- Forks SWA
- Fort Lyon SWA
- Four Mile SWA
- Frank SWA
- Franklin Island SWA
- Franz Lake SWA
- Frenchman Creek SWA
- Garfield Creek SWA
- Georgetown SWA
- Granada SWA
- Granite SWA
- Grieve Ranch Easement SWA
- Groundhog Reservoir SWA
- Gunnison River SWA
- Gunnison SWA
- Gypsum Ponds SWA
- Harmon SWA
- Haviland Lake SWA
- Heckendorf SWA
- Higel SWA
- Hohnholz Lakes SWA
- Holbrook Reservoir SWA
- Holly SWA
- Holyoke SWA
- Home Lake SWA
- Horse Creek Reservoir SWA
- Horsethief Canyon SWA
- Hot Creek SWA
- Hot Sulphur Springs SWA: Byers Canyon Rifle Range, Jenny Williams, Joe Gerrans, Lone Buck, Parshall Divide Unit, Paul Gilbert Fishing Area, Pioneer Park
- Huerfano SWA
- Hugo SWA
- Indian Run SWA
- Jackson Lake SWA
- James M. John SWA
- James Mark Jones SWA
- Jean K. Tool SWA
- Jensen SWA
- Jerry Creek Reservoirs SWA: Number 1, Number 2
- Jim Olterman/Lone Cone SWA
- Joe Moore Reservoir SWA
- John Martin Reservoir SWA
- Johnson Village SWA
- Julesburg SWA
- Jumbo Reservoir SWA
- Jumping Cow SWA
- Junction Butte SWA
- Karney Ranch SWA
- Karval Reservoir SWA
- Kemp – Breeze SWA
- Kinney Lake SWA
- Knight-Imler SWA
- Knudson SWA
- La Jara Reservoir SWA
- La Jara SWA
- Lake Beckwith SWA
- Lake Dorothey SWA
- Lake Fork Gunnison SWA
- Lake John SWA
- Leaps Gulch SWA
- Leatha Jean Stassen SWA
- Little Snake SWA
- Loma Boat Launch SWA
- Lon Hagler SWA
- Lone Dome SWA
- Lonetree Reservoir SWA
- Lowell Ponds SWA
- Manville SWA
- Mason Family SWA
- McCluskey SWA
- Meeker Pasture SWA
- Melon Valley SWA
- Messex SWA
- Middle Taylor Creek SWA
- Mike Higbee SWA
- Miller Ranch SWA
- Mitani-Tokuyasu SWA
- Mogensen Ponds SWA
- Mount Evans SWA
- Mount Ouray SWA
- Mount Shavano SWA
- Mount Werner SWA
- Mountain Home Reservoir SWA
- Murphy SWA
- Nakagawa SWA
- Narraguinnep Reservoir SWA
- Narrows SWA
- North Fork SWA
- North Lake SWA
- Oak Ridge SWA
- Odd Fellows SWA
- Ogden-Treat SWA
- Orchard Mesa SWA
- Overland Trail SWA
- Owl Mountain SWA
- Oxbow SWA
- Paddock SWA
- Parachute Ponds SWA
- Parvin Lake SWA
- Pastorius Reservoir SWA
- Perins Peak SWA
- Piceance SWA: Little Hills Unit, North Ridge Unit, Square S Ranch Unit, Square S Summer Range, Yellow Creek
- Pikes Peak SWA
- Plateau Creek SWA
- Playa Blanca SWA
- Pony Express SWA
- Poudre River SWA
- Prewitt Reservoir SWA
- Pueblo Reservoir SWA
- Puett Reservoir SWA
- Purgatoire River SWA
- Queens SWA
- Radium SWA
- Ralston Creek SWA
- Ramah SWA
- Red Dog SWA
- Red Lion SWA
- Red Mountain SWA
- Reddy SWA
- Richard SWA
- Rio Blanco Lake SWA
- Rio Grande River SWA
- Rio Grande SWA
- Rito Hondo Reservoir SWA
- Road Canyon Reservoir SWA
- Roaring Fork SWA: Burry Parcel, Gianinetti Parcel, Wheeler/Dag Parcels
- Rock Creek SWA
- Rocky Ford SWA
- Roeber SWA
- Rosemont Reservoir SWA
- Runyon / Fountain Lakes SWA
- Russell Lakes SWA
- San Luis Lakes SWA
- San Miguel SWA
- Sanchez Reservoir SWA
- Sand Draw SWA
- Sands Lake SWA
- Sandsage SWA
- Sapinero SWA
- Sarvis Creek SWA
- Sawhill Ponds SWA
- Sedgwick Bar SWA
- Sego Springs SWA
- Setchfield SWA
- Seymour Lake SWA
- Sharptail Ridge SWA
- Shriver-Wright SWA
- Simmons SWA
- Simpson Ponds SWA
- 63 Ranch SWA
- Skaguay Reservoir SWA
- Smith Lake SWA
- Smith Reservoir SWA
- Smyth SWA
- South Republican SWA: Bonny Parcel, Kleweno Parcel
- Spanish Peaks SWA
- Spinney Mountain SWA
- Spring Creek Reservoir SWA
- Stalker Lake SWA
- Steamboat Springs SWA
- Summit Reservoir SWA
- Tamarack Ranch SWA
- Tarryall Reservoir SWA
- Taylor River SWA
- Terrace Reservoir SWA
- Teter-Michigan Creek SWA
- Thurston Reservoir SWA
- Tilman Bishop SWA
- Timpas Creek SWA
- Tomahawk SWA
- Tomichi Creek SWA
- Totten Reservoir SWA
- Trujillo Meadows SWA
- Turks Pond SWA
- Twin Sisters SWA
- Two Buttes Reservoir SWA
- Two Buttes SWA
- Vail Deer Underpass SWA
- Van Tuyl SWA: Cabin Creek Parcel, Lost Canyon Parcel
- Verner SWA
- Wahatoya SWA
- Walker SWA
- Ward Road Pond SWA
- Watson Lake SWA
- Webster SWA
- Wellington SWA
- West Bank SWA
- West Lake SWA – Larimer County
- West Lake SWA – Mesa County
- West Rifle Creek SWA
- Wheeler SWA
- Whitehorse SWA
- Williams Creek Reservoir SWA
- Willow Creek SWA
- Woods Lake SWA
- Wright’s Lake SWA
- Yampa River SWA
Related Activities
City, state, and federal lands provide numerous opportunities for viewing wildlife.
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