Big Meadows Reservoir SWA: hunting rules and access
Big Meadows Reservoir SWA is 117 acres of State Wildlife Area in Colorado, in game management unit 76. CPW lists no hunting for it, and its rules for the property run to 1 line: 1 on its page for the property and 0 in its regulations.
| Kind | State Wildlife Area |
|---|---|
| Game management unit | 76 |
| Size | 117 acres |
| Coordinates | 37.5371, -106.8043 (middle of the boundary CPW maps) |
| Map | Open Big Meadows Reservoir SWA on the map |
| Among CPW properties in unit 76 | 4th largest of 6 by the acres on CPW's pages, 8% of their 1,437 acres together |
| CPW's page read | October 8, 2026 |
A State Wildlife Area has its own rules on top of the statewide season rules. How the kinds of public land differ.
What CPW lists for hunting here
CPW's page for this property lists no hunting opportunities.
Fishing, as CPW lists it: Fishing Opportunities, Coldwater Lake.
A species on this list is one CPW names for the property. It still needs an open season, the right license for the unit, and nothing in the restrictions below against it on your dates.
Who may enter
A valid hunting or fishing license OR SWA pass is required for everyone 16 or older accessing this state wildlife area.
Restrictions on CPW's page for this property
- A. Launching and use of vessels is permitted, except when operating a vessel in a manner that creates a whitewater wake.
In CPW's regulations
The regulations for CPW properties carry no section of their own for this one. The rules that apply to every State Wildlife Area still apply.
Read it at the source before you go
The rules above are CPW's words, copied from CPW's page for Big Meadows Reservoir SWA as it read on October 8, 2026 and from the regulations for CPW properties. CPW can change them or close the property at any time, signs on the ground count, and a rule that names a season moves with that season each year.
Unit 76, around Big Meadows Reservoir SWA
- Elk in unit 76, 2024: 1,138 hunters in all seasons took 518 elk, 46% success (2023: 32% from 1,118 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 881 hunters, 47%. Unit 76 elk by season
- Deer in unit 76, 2024: 82 hunters in all seasons took 46 deer, 56% success (2023: 48% from 86 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 42 hunters, 69%. Unit 76 deer by season
- Unit 76: 971 square miles in Hinsdale, Mineral and Rio Grande Counties, 93.6% national forest and 0% BLM land, from 8,600 to 12,900 feet.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife survey estimates for the whole unit, private land included. They are not figures for this property, and whether elk or deer may be hunted here is in CPW's list above.
2026 elk and deer rifle hunt codes for unit 76
| Season | 2026 dates | Legal shooting light here, opening day | Elk codes | Deer codes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st rifle | Oct 14 to Oct 18 | 6:45 AM to 7:01 PM | E-M-076-O1-R bull | |
| 2nd rifle | Oct 24 to Nov 1 | 6:54 AM to 6:48 PM | E-F-076-O2-R cow E-M-076-O2-R bull | D-M-076-O2-R buck |
| 3rd rifle | Nov 7 to Nov 15 | 6:09 AM to 5:33 PM | E-F-076-O3-R cow E-M-076-O3-R bull | D-M-076-O3-R buck |
| 4th rifle | Nov 18 to Nov 22 | 6:20 AM to 5:24 PM | E-F-076-O4-R cow |
A code valid in the unit is not permission to hunt this property: the property's own list and restrictions decide that. Legal light is half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset at the coordinates above, on the Colorado clock; the state's printed table is the rule. Archery, muzzleloader, late and private-land codes are on the unit pages: unit 76 elk, unit 76 deer.
Nearest CPW properties to Big Meadows Reservoir SWA
| Property | Distance | Direction | Mapped acres | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alberta Park Reservoir SWA | 5.2 miles | south-east | 38 | 80 |
| Beaver Creek Reservoir SWA | 8.7 miles | north-east | 102 | 80 |
| Coller SWA - Rio Grande River Access | 12.6 miles | north-east | 3 | 76, 79 |
| Coller SWA | 13.9 miles | north | 768 | 76, 79 |
| Gerrard STL | 14.9 miles | north-east | 785 | 80 |
Straight-line miles between the middles of the boundaries CPW maps, not road miles. A property can be much nearer at its edge.
More CPW properties in unit 76
Brown Lakes SWACreede SWARito Hondo Reservoir SWARoad Canyon Reservoir SWA
All 721 State Wildlife Areas and State Trust Lands
Have a tag for this fall?
A FilledTag plan checks the rules of any CPW property it uses against your species and your dates, and gives you one exact plan: where to park, camp and sit, with every pin checked against public land and road rules.