Crystal Lake STL: hunting rules and access
Crystal Lake STL is 467 acres of State Trust Land in Lake County, Colorado, in game management units 48 and 49. CPW lists deer, elk, small game and waterfowl for it, and its rules for the property run to 3 lines: 1 on its page for the property and 2 in its regulations.
| Kind | State Trust Land |
|---|---|
| County | Lake |
| Game management unit | 48, 49 |
| Size | 467 acres |
| Coordinates | 39.1803, -106.3366 (middle of the boundary CPW maps) |
| Map | Open Crystal Lake STL on the map |
| Among CPW properties in unit 48 | 3rd largest of 3 by the acres on CPW's pages, 29% of their 1,596 acres together |
| Among CPW properties in unit 49 | 5th largest of 8 by the acres on CPW's pages, 3% of their 17,909 acres together |
| CPW's page read | October 8, 2026 |
State Trust Land is closed to the public unless CPW leases it, and this parcel is open only on the terms printed below. How the kinds of public land differ.
What CPW lists for hunting here
Deer, Elk, Small game, Waterfowl.
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
Everyone age 16 years or older MUST have a valid hunting or fishing license to access a state trust land.
Restrictions on CPW's page for this property
- a. Access by foot only.
In CPW's regulations
- a. Access is by foot only.
- b. Open for fishing year-round.
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 Crystal Lake STL 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.
Units 48 and 49, around Crystal Lake STL
- Elk in unit 48, 2024: 339 hunters in all seasons took 93 elk, 27% success (2023: 29% from 339 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 184 hunters, 35%. Unit 48 elk by season
- Deer in unit 48, 2024: 187 hunters in all seasons took 54 deer, 29% success (2023: 33% from 205 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 110 hunters, 36%. Unit 48 deer by season
- Unit 48: 300 square miles in Lake and Chaffee Counties, 80.5% national forest and 4.5% BLM land, from 9,100 to 13,600 feet.
- Elk in unit 49, 2024: 971 hunters in all seasons took 378 elk, 39% success (2023: 36% from 961 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 676 hunters, 39%. Unit 49 elk by season
- Deer in unit 49, 2024: 729 hunters in all seasons took 343 deer, 47% success (2023: 49% from 727 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 516 hunters, 57%. Unit 49 deer by season
- Unit 49: 538 square miles in Lake, Park and Chaffee Counties, 58.4% national forest and 8% BLM land, from 8,300 to 13,400 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 units 48 and 49
| Season | 2026 dates | Legal shooting light here, opening day | Elk codes | Deer codes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st rifle | Oct 14 to Oct 18 | 6:44 AM to 6:58 PM | E-M-048-O1-R bull E-M-049-O1-R bull | |
| 2nd rifle | Oct 24 to Nov 1 | 6:55 AM to 6:44 PM | E-F-048-O2-R cow E-F-049-O2-R cow E-M-048-O2-R bull E-M-049-O2-R bull | D-F-049-O2-R doe D-M-048-O2-R buck D-M-049-O2-R buck |
| 3rd rifle | Nov 7 to Nov 15 | 6:10 AM to 5:28 PM | E-F-048-O3-R cow E-F-049-O3-R cow E-M-048-O3-R bull E-M-049-O3-R bull | D-F-049-O3-R doe D-M-048-O3-R buck D-M-049-O3-R buck |
| 4th rifle | Nov 18 to Nov 22 | 6:22 AM to 5:19 PM | E-F-048-O4-R cow E-F-049-O4-R cow E-M-048-O4-R bull E-M-049-O4-R bull |
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 48 elk, unit 48 deer, unit 49 elk, unit 49 deer.
Nearest CPW properties to Crystal Lake STL
| Property | Distance | Direction | Mapped acres | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Box Creek STL | 4.3 miles | south | 639 | 48 |
| Paddock SWA | 5.7 miles | east | 1,348 | 49 |
| Clear Creek Reservoir SWA | 11.9 miles | south | 684 | 48, 481 |
| Treasurevault Mountain STL | 12.5 miles | north-east | 306 | 49 |
| Delmonica Gulch STL | 13.3 miles | north-east | 292 | 49 |
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 units 48, 49
Alma SWAAntero STLChubb Park Ranch SWAChubb Park STL
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.