Dry Creek Basin SWA: hunting rules and access
Dry Creek Basin SWA is 12,775 acres of State Wildlife Area in San Miguel County, Colorado, in game management unit 70. CPW lists bobcat, coyote, deer, dove, elk, mountain goat and rabbit for it, and its rules for the property run to 4 lines: 2 on its page for the property and 2 in its regulations.
| Kind | State Wildlife Area |
|---|---|
| County | San Miguel |
| Game management unit | 70 |
| Size | 12,775 acres |
| Coordinates | 38.0225, -108.5221 (middle of the boundary CPW maps) |
| Map | Open Dry Creek Basin SWA on the map |
| Among CPW properties in unit 70 | The largest of 13 by the acres on CPW's pages, 50% of their 25,308 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
Bobcat, Coyote, Deer, Dove, Elk, Mountain goat, Rabbit.
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. Camping only in designated areas by licensed hunters during big-game season, plus 3 days before and 3 days after each season.
- B. Snowmobiles prohibited.
In CPW's regulations
- a. Snowmobile use is prohibited.
- b. Camping is allowed in designated areas by licensed hunters during an established big game season plus three (3) days before and three (3) days after each season.
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 Dry Creek Basin 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 70, around Dry Creek Basin SWA
- Elk in unit 70, 2024: 3,448 hunters in all seasons took 1,275 elk, 37% success (2023: 25% from 3,346 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 2,696 hunters, 39%. Unit 70 elk by season
- Deer in unit 70, 2024: 1,249 hunters in all seasons took 859 deer, 69% success (2023: 70% from 1,118 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 1,073 hunters, 76%. Unit 70 deer by season
- Unit 70: 1,511 square miles in Dolores, Montrose and San Miguel Counties, 15.9% national forest and 47.9% BLM land, from 5,200 to 12,500 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 70
| Season | 2026 dates | Legal shooting light here, opening day | Elk codes | Deer codes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st rifle | Oct 14 to Oct 18 | 6:52 AM to 7:08 PM | E-F-070-O1-R cow E-M-070-O1-R bull | D-M-070-O1-R buck |
| 2nd rifle | Oct 24 to Nov 1 | 7:02 AM to 6:54 PM | E-F-070-O2-R cow E-M-000-U2-R bull | D-M-070-O2-R buck |
| 3rd rifle | Nov 7 to Nov 15 | 6:16 AM to 5:39 PM | E-F-070-O3-R cow E-M-000-U3-R bull | D-M-070-O3-R buck |
| 4th rifle | Nov 18 to Nov 22 | 6:28 AM to 5:30 PM | E-F-070-O4-R cow E-M-070-O4-R bull | D-M-070-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 70 elk, unit 70 deer.
Nearest CPW properties to Dry Creek Basin SWA
| Property | Distance | Direction | Mapped acres | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dead Horse Creek STL | 2.5 miles | south | 684 | 70 |
| Hamilton Mesa STL | 2.9 miles | east | 671 | 70 |
| Dry Creek Basin STL | 3.5 miles | west | 642 | 70 |
| Spring Creek Basin STL | 6.4 miles | south-west | 631 | 70 |
| Klondike Basin STL | 6.7 miles | west | 645 | 70 |
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 70
Carter Place STLDan Noble SWADan Noble SWA - Greager TractDan Noble SWA - John Kane TractDisappointment Valley STLJim Olterman/Lone Cone SWAMcKenna Peak STLPoison Spyder STLWoods Lake 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.