Emerald Mountain SWA: hunting rules and access
Emerald Mountain SWA is 674 acres of State Wildlife Area in Routt County, Colorado, in game management unit 131. CPW lists no hunting for it, and its rules for the property run to 8 lines: 5 on its page for the property and 3 in its regulations.
| Kind | State Wildlife Area |
|---|---|
| County | Routt |
| Game management unit | 131 |
| Size | 674 acres |
| Coordinates | 40.4523, -106.8522 (middle of the boundary CPW maps) |
| Map | Open Emerald Mountain SWA on the map |
| Among CPW properties in unit 131 | The largest of 2 by the acres on CPW's pages, 70% of their 962 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 Stream.
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. Public access prohibited Dec. 1-July 15..
- B. Public access prohibited from sunset to sunrise, except while fishing.
- C. Access by foot or horseback only.
- D. Discharge of firearms or bows prohibited.
- E. Dogs prohibited.
In CPW's regulations
- a. Public access is prohibited from December 1 through July 15.
- b. Public access is prohibited from 9:00 p.m. - 4:00 a.m.
- c. Public access is allowed by foot and horseback 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 Emerald 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 131, around Emerald Mountain SWA
- Elk in unit 131, 2024: 872 hunters in all seasons took 198 elk, 23% success (2023: 19% from 1,027 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 515 hunters, 24%. Unit 131 elk by season
- Deer in unit 131, 2024: 60 hunters in all seasons took 19 deer, 32% success (2023: 22% from 68 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 31 hunters, 39%. Unit 131 deer by season
- Unit 131: 193 square miles in Routt and Rio Blanco Counties, 0.6% national forest and 8.2% BLM land, from 6,600 to 8,800 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 131
| Season | 2026 dates | Legal shooting light here, opening day | Elk codes | Deer codes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd rifle | Oct 24 to Nov 1 | 6:58 AM to 6:44 PM | 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-M-131-O2-R buck |
| 3rd rifle | Nov 7 to Nov 15 | 6:14 AM to 5:27 PM | E-F-131-O3-R cow E-M-000-U3-R bull | D-M-131-O3-R buck |
| 4th rifle | Nov 18 to Nov 22 | 6:27 AM to 5:18 PM | E-F-131-O4-R cow E-M-025-O4-R bull E-M-131-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 131 elk, unit 131 deer.
Nearest CPW properties to Emerald Mountain SWA
| Property | Distance | Direction | Mapped acres | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chuck Lewis SWA | 2.1 miles | south-east | 288 | 131 |
| Fly Gulch STL | 8.9 miles | north-west | 593 | 214 |
| Sleeping Giant STL | 10.2 miles | north-west | 407 | 214 |
| Adams SWA | 10.5 miles | south | 650 | 15 |
| Blacktail Conservation Easement | 11.1 miles | south | 575 | 15 |
Straight-line miles between the middles of the boundaries CPW maps, not road miles. A property can be much nearer at its edge.
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.