Coal Creek Ranch SWA: hunting rules and access
Coal Creek Ranch SWA is 1,122 acres of State Wildlife Area in Rio Blanco County, Colorado, in game management unit 23. CPW lists deer and elk for it, and its rules for the property run to 8 lines: 4 on its page for the property and 4 in its regulations.
| Kind | State Wildlife Area |
|---|---|
| County | Rio Blanco |
| Game management unit | 23 |
| Size | 1,122 acres |
| Coordinates | 40.1200, -107.7315 (middle of the boundary CPW maps) |
| Map | Open Coal Creek Ranch SWA on the map |
| Among CPW properties in unit 23 | 4th largest of 5 by the acres on CPW's pages, 5% of their 23,209 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
Deer, Elk.
Fishing, as CPW lists it: Fishing Opportunities, Coldwater Stream, Trout.
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. Open May 1-Nov. 30 while fishing only.
- B. Public access allowed while deer and elk hunting during the archery and muzzleloader seasons only.
- C. Public access limited to 4 hunters per day and hunters must sign in and out of property as posted.
- D. Parking access is allowed from designated parking areas only.
In CPW's regulations
- a. Public access allowed from May 1 through November 30 while fishing only.
- b. Public access is allowed while deer and elk hunting during the archery and muzzleloader season only.
- c. Public access is limited to four hunters per day and hunters must sign in and out of property as posted.
- d. Parking and access is allowed from designated parking areas only.
From CPW regulations, chapter W-9 (Wildlife Properties), 2 CCR 406-9, dated July 16, 2026.
Read it at the source before you go
The rules above are CPW's words, copied from CPW's page for Coal Creek Ranch 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 23, around Coal Creek Ranch SWA
- Elk in unit 23, 2024: 1,870 hunters in all seasons took 423 elk, 23% success (2023: 18% from 2,436 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 1,352 hunters, 22%. Unit 23 elk by season
- Deer in unit 23, 2024: 565 hunters in all seasons took 150 deer, 27% success (2023: 28% from 564 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 388 hunters, 36%. Unit 23 deer by season
- Unit 23: 424 square miles in Rio Blanco and Garfield Counties, 31.3% national forest and 7.3% BLM land, from 6,300 to 9,600 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 23
| Season | 2026 dates | Legal shooting light here, opening day | Elk codes | Deer codes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd rifle | Oct 24 to Nov 1 | 7:01 AM to 6:48 PM | E-F-012-O2-R cow E-F-033-O2-R cow E-F-131-O2-R cow E-F-231-O2-R cow E-M-000-U2-R bull | D-F-012-O2-R doe D-M-012-O2-R buck |
| 3rd rifle | Nov 7 to Nov 15 | 6:17 AM to 5:31 PM | E-F-012-O3-R cow E-F-131-O3-R cow E-M-000-U3-R bull | D-F-022-O3-R doe D-M-022-O3-R buck |
| 4th rifle | Nov 18 to Nov 22 | 6:30 AM to 5:22 PM | E-F-011-O4-R cow E-F-131-O4-R cow E-M-011-O4-R bull E-M-012-O4-R bull E-M-025-O4-R bull E-M-131-O4-R bull | D-M-022-O4-R buck |
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 23 elk, unit 23 deer.
Nearest CPW properties to Coal Creek Ranch SWA
| Property | Distance | Direction | Mapped acres | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jensen SWA | 3.9 miles | north-west | 6,011 | 12, 23, 211 |
| Meeker Pasture SWA | 8.6 miles | south-west | 40 | 23 |
| Oak Ridge SWA - Wilber Unit | 8.9 miles | south | 1,807 | 23, 24 |
| Oak Ridge SWA | 9.6 miles | south | 9,499 | 23, 24 |
| Oak Ridge SWA - Lake Avery Unit | 10.9 miles | south | 2,162 | 23, 24 |
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 23
Collins Mountain Ranch SWA (Limited Access Easement)Oak Ridge SWA - Bel Aire UnitOak Ridge SWA - Sleepy Cat Ponds Unit
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.