Colorow Mountain SWA: hunting rules and access
Colorow Mountain SWA is 1,982 acres of State Wildlife Area in Rio Blanco County, Colorado, in game management unit 11. CPW lists bear, deer, elk, mountain lion and small game for it, and its rules for the property run to 15 lines: 7 on its page for the property and 8 in its regulations.
| Kind | State Wildlife Area |
|---|---|
| County | Rio Blanco |
| Game management unit | 11 |
| Size | 1,982 acres |
| Coordinates | 40.1827, -108.1316 (middle of the boundary CPW maps) |
| Map | Open Colorow Mountain SWA on the map |
| Among CPW properties in unit 11 | 5th largest of 22 by the acres on CPW's pages, 3% of their 66,122 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
Bear, Deer, Elk, Mountain lion, Small game.
Fishing, as CPW lists it: Fishing Opportunities, Pond.
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 for public access NEW May 1-Jan. 31.
- B. Parking and access in designated parking areas only.
- C. Motorized vehicles prohibited in Scenery Gulch Unit and N of designated camping area in Tschuddi Unit.
- D. Discharging firearms or bows prohibited within 200 yards of camping, parking areas or structures.
- E. Discharge of firearms or bows is prohibited, except while hunting.
- F. Camping in designated areas only.
- G. Fires allowed within a containment structure.
In CPW's regulations
- a. Public access is prohibited from February 1 through April 30.
- b. Motorized vehicles are prohibited in the Scenery Gulch Unit.
- c. Motorized vehicles are prohibited in the Tschuddi Unit north of the designated camping area.
- d. Parking and access is allowed from designated parking areas only.
- e. Discharge of firearms or bows is prohibited within 200 yards of camping or parking areas or any structure.
- f. Discharge of firearms or bows is prohibited, except while hunting.
- g. Camping is allowed in designated areas only.
- h. Fires are allowed within a containment structure.
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 Colorow Mountain 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 11, around Colorow Mountain SWA
- Elk in unit 11, 2024: 2,467 hunters in all seasons took 623 elk, 25% success (2023: 16% from 2,698 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 2,104 hunters, 27%. Unit 11 elk by season
- Deer in unit 11, 2024: 600 hunters in all seasons took 288 deer, 48% success (2023: 44% from 537 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 560 hunters, 51%. Unit 11 deer by season
- Unit 11: 611 square miles in Moffat and Rio Blanco Counties, 0% national forest and 60.5% BLM land, from 5,600 to 7,700 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 11
| Season | 2026 dates | Legal shooting light here, opening day | Elk codes | Deer codes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st rifle | Oct 14 to Oct 18 | 6:52 AM to 7:04 PM | E-F-011-O1-R cow E-M-011-O1-R bull | |
| 2nd rifle | Oct 24 to Nov 1 | 7:03 AM to 6:50 PM | E-F-011-O2-R cow E-F-131-O2-R cow E-F-231-O2-R cow E-M-000-U2-R bull | D-F-011-O2-R doe D-M-011-O2-R buck |
| 3rd rifle | Nov 7 to Nov 15 | 6:19 AM to 5:33 PM | E-F-011-O3-R cow E-F-131-O3-R cow E-M-000-U3-R bull | D-F-011-O3-R doe D-F-012-O3-R doe D-M-011-O3-R buck D-M-012-O3-R buck |
| 4th rifle | Nov 18 to Nov 22 | 6:32 AM to 5:23 PM | E-F-011-O4-R cow E-F-131-O4-R cow E-M-011-O4-R bull E-M-025-O4-R bull E-M-131-O4-R bull | D-M-011-O4-R buck D-M-012-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 11 elk, unit 11 deer.
Nearest CPW properties to Colorow Mountain SWA
| Property | Distance | Direction | Mapped acres | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rio Blanco Lake SWA | 7.6 miles | south-west | 1,207 | 11, 22 |
| Citadel STL | 8.0 miles | north-west | 642 | 11 |
| Ted's Canyon STL | 8.6 miles | west | 640 | 11 |
| Piceance SWA - North Ridge Unit | 10.3 miles | south-west | 13,064 | 11, 21, 22, 31 |
| Temple Canyon STL | 10.8 miles | north | 644 | 211 |
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 11
Bitter Brush SWACedar Springs STLCoal Creek STLCrooked Wash Ranch SWA (Limited Access Easement)Cross Mountain STLDouglas Mountain STLElk Springs #1 STLElk Springs Ranch SWAHightower STLHomestead STLLone Tree Gulch STLMaybell STLPeck Mesa STLPiceance SWA - Little Hills 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.