River and Stream Fishing

River and Stream Fishing Areas

• Leadville Ranger District

  The Leadville Ranger District is home to the Sawatch Range, the highest mountain range in Colorado. These rugged, glaciated mountains form the crest of the Continental Divide. Mount Elbert, at 14,443 feet, is Colorado's highest peak and one of ten "fourteeners" located on the district.

  Leadville was once a booming mining town during the Colorado gold rush and competed with Denver to be the capitol city of Colorado. At 10,152 feet, it is the highest incorporated city in the United States. Leadville is a rustic mountain town rich in mining history and unsurpassed natural beauty.

  Large, developed campgrounds and picnic areas at Turquoise Lake Recreation Area and Twin Lakes Reservoir provide abundant recreation opportunities. Fishing, boating, and hiking are popular summertime activities. Because of the district's high altitude, late spring snows occasionally delay the opening of some facilities.

  At 12,095 feet, Independence Pass is one of the highest paved mountain passes in the United States. It is here the Top of the Rockies National Scenic and Historic Byway crosses the Continental Divide offering motorists breathtaking views of the Rockies and a close look at its rugged alpine tundra habitat. It is also here the Arkansas River begins its long journey to the Gulf of Mexico. There are many opportunities to drive on four-wheel drive roads on the Leadville Ranger District, but OHVs must be registered. See OHV registration Information for the Leadville Ranger District to see how you can register your OHV.

• Clear Creek Canyon

  Forest Service Road 390, known as the Clear Creek Road, provides several trailhead accesses into the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness. Please be respectful-bicycles are not permitted within the Wilderness. Dispersed camping opportunities can be found in the old mining settlement of Winfield, and visitors looking to find a bit of old mining history will find it in Vicksburg.

   

  Visitor use in this area is busiest during the summer months.

• South Fork Clear Creek Trailhead
• Crystal Lake

  Crystal Lake is a small, standing lake with a fantastic view of the mountains rising up in any direction. Crystal Lake is a fly/lure lake only. This lake is small, and great for children.

• Crystal Lake Fishing Site
• Halfmoon Recreation Area

  Forest Service Road 110, known as the Halfmoon Road, follows the southern border of the Mount Massive Wilderness. It provides access to several popular campgrounds, as well as two of the most popular trailheads on the Leadville district, the Mount Massive trailhead and the North Elbert Trailhead. From the Mount Massive Trailhead, visitors can access the beautiful Mount Massive Wilderness.

  There are many opportunities for recreation along this road, which leads to very busy summer months.

• Elbert Creek Campground
• Halfmoon East Campground
• Halfmoon West Campground
• Twin Lakes Recreation Area

  Located nearly in the center of the Leadville Ranger District, the Twin Lakes Recreation Area provides many different opportunities for recreation. Scenic drivers and road cyclists can enjoy the beautiful Independence Pass and view the aspens in fall, which draw thousands of people every year. Hikers can enjoy the nearby Interlaken trail and Big Willis Gulch trail, while also taking in some of the historic sites, such as the Twin Lakes Historic Village and Interlaken Historic Resort. Twin Lakes also hosts many sites for fishing, camping, and sight-seeing. On either side of Twin Lakes rise fourteeners such as Mt. Elbert and La Plata Peak, and a host of smaller peaks such as Mt. Hope and Twin Peaks. Within driving distance are three wilderness areas; Buffalo Peaks, Collegiate Peaks and Mt. Massive Wildernesses are located close to the Twin Lakes Recreation area.

  Twin Lakes sees a great deal of visitor traffic, especially during the summer months. Reservations for the Lakeview and White Star campgrounds fill up early in the season.

• Parry Peak Campground
• Twin Peaks Campground
• Salida Ranger District

  The Salida Ranger District is part of the Pike-San Isabel National Forests & Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands located near the towns of Salida, Buena Vista and Poncha Springs. The district encompasses over 440,000 acres in central Colorado, "the heart of the Rockies." It's an outdoor recreation paradise with seven 14,000- foot peaks "fourteeners" (Harvard, Tabeguache, Yale, Columbia, Shavano, Princeton, Antero), three wilderness areas (Buffalo Peaks, Collegiate Peaks, Sangre De Cristo) and Browns Canyon National Monument.

  The Forest Service manages most of the higher elevation areas, while the Arkansas River corridor is managed by Colorado State Parks and the Bureau of Land Management. The Arkansas River is one of the nation's most popular rivers for whitewater rafting and kayaking. It's also a designated "gold medal" trout fishing river. For fishing & hunting licenses or off-highway-vehicle (OHV) licenses, please contact Colorado Parks and Wildlife. 

  The majority of the Salida Ranger District is located within Chaffee County. Nearly 80% of Chaffee County lands are public lands. Small portions of the district are also located in Lake, Fremont, Saguache and Park Counties.

• Angel of Shavano Campground
• Browns Canyon National Monument
• Coaldale Campground
• Collegiate Peaks Campground
• Cottonwood Lake Campground
• Hayden Creek Campground
• Iron City Campground
• Little Cochetopa Trail
• Mount Princeton Campground
• Bear Lake Campground
• Cuchara Day Use Picnic Area
• South Park

  South Park Ranger District includes South Park, part of the Mosquito Range, Eleven Mile Canyon and Jefferson Lake Recreation Areas, and the Tarryall Mountains and Puma Hills.

   

• Ridgeview Trail
• Rough and Tumbling Creek Trail
• Lost Park Campground
• Platte River Trail
• Platte Springs Trail
• South Platte Ranger District - Recreation

  The South Platte Ranger District is located east of the Continental Divide in the central Rocky Mountains and lies adjacent to the Denver metro area in Park, Jefferson, Douglas, Clear Creek and Teller counties.

  The South Platte District is 450,000 acres in size with elevations ranging from 5,800' along the South Platte River, to over 14,000' at Mount Evans.

  Feel free to stop by our visitor center on Highway 285 in Conifer to ask what's going on and get maps you may need to enjoy your visit on our district.

  Note: For camping near Morrison or Red Rocks Amphitheatre, contact Bear Creek Lake Park at 303-697-6159 or Chatfield State Park at 303-791-7275.

• South Platte River Corridor

  The South Platte River Corridor near Deckers, Colorado, has been a popular fishing location for decades. In the 1890s, Stephen Decker built a general store and later a saloon in this area. The South Platte Hotel, located at the confluence of the North Fork of the South Platte, was a popular resort in the early 1900s and was accessible only by train. The confluence provides access for fishing, kayaking and trail use.

  The South Platte River is part of a 1.6 million-acre watershed that reaches from the Continental Divide to Strontia Springs Reservoir, southwest of Denver. The watershed is a recreational mecca with over 1 million acres of public lands; it provides municipal water for about three quarters of Colorado’s residents; it is renowned for its “gold-medal” fishing streams; and it is home to numerous threatened and endangered species.

  The Upper South Platte Watershed varies in elevation from about 6,000' to over 14,000' above sea level and contains five major municipal and several smaller reservoirs.

• Bridge Crossing Picnic Area
• Cheesman Canyon Trailhead

  The Cheesman Canyon Trailhead is located along Jefferson County Route 126, approximately 22 miles from south of Pine Junction from US Highway 285.

  The five-mile Gill Trail #610 follows the South Platte River through Cheesman Canyon and ends at the upper Cheesman Reservoir trailhead. The trail is difficult and steep in many sections and there are no facilities in the canyon. Help protect the canyon by staying on designated trails.

  User Regulations:
  Trailhead

  • No fees; donations accepted
  • No overnight use
  • No overnight parking
  • Park in designated spaces only

  Cheesman Canyon

  • Flies and lures only
  • Catch and release only
  • Stay on designated trails
  • Dogs must be leashed at all times
  • Pack it in, Pack it out

  Protect these waters from Aquatic Nuisance Species.

• Gill Trail #610
• Lone Rock Campground
• Platte River Campground
• Scraggy View Picnic Area
• Willow Bend Picnic Area