La Jara STL: hunting rules and access
La Jara STL is 42,881 acres of State Trust Land in Conejos County, Colorado, in game management unit 81. CPW lists bear, bighorn, deer, elk, mountain lion, pronghorn and small game for it, and its rules for the property run to 6 lines: 2 on its page for the property and 4 in its regulations.
| Kind | State Trust Land |
|---|---|
| County | Conejos |
| Game management unit | 81 |
| Size | 42,881 acres |
| Coordinates | 37.2278, -106.3373 (middle of the boundary CPW maps) |
| Map | Open La Jara STL on the map |
| Among CPW properties in unit 81 | The largest of 27 by the acres on CPW's pages, 61% of their 70,713 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
Bear, Bighorn, Deer, Elk, Mountain lion, Pronghorn, Small game.
Fishing, as CPW lists it: Fishing Opportunities, Coldwater Lake, 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
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. Camping permitted only as posted.
- b. From first day of archery big-game season to last day of regular rifle season, closed to motor vehicles on portion bounded on N by signed fence at a point along La Jara Creek in SW quarter of Section 32, T35N, R6E, extending E along fence about 2.2 miles to corner post sign in Section 34, T35N, R6E; on E by signed fence from the above corner to 4.75 miles S to La Jara Creek; on S and W by La Jara Creek. See map at: cpw.info/state-trust-lands
In CPW's regulations
- a. Open for fishing year-round.
- b. Open for hunting from September 1 through the end of February.
- c. Camping is permitted only as posted.
- d. From the first day of archery big game season through the last day of the last regular rifle season, motor vehicle access is prohibited on that portion bounded on the north by a signed fence line beginning at a point along La Jara Creek in the SW ¼ of sect ion 32, T35N, R6E, extending east along this fence line approximately 2.2 miles to a signed corner post in the SW ¼ of section 34, T35N, R6E; on the east by a signed fence line that extends from the above-described corner approximately 4 ¾ miles south to La Jara Creek; and on the south and west by La Jara Creek.
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 La Jara 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.
Unit 81, around La Jara STL
- Elk in unit 81, 2024: 3,726 hunters in all seasons took 882 elk, 24% success (2023: 18% from 3,780 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 2,442 hunters, 26%. Unit 81 elk by season
- Deer in unit 81, 2024: 585 hunters in all seasons took 295 deer, 50% success (2023: 44% from 516 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 329 hunters, 59%. Unit 81 deer by season
- Unit 81: 1,214 square miles in Alamosa, Archuleta, Conejos and Rio Grande Counties, 38.9% national forest and 22.7% BLM land, from 7,500 to 12,100 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 81
| Season | 2026 dates | Legal shooting light here, opening day | Elk codes | Deer codes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st rifle | Oct 14 to Oct 18 | 6:42 AM to 7:00 PM | E-M-080-O1-R bull | |
| 2nd rifle | Oct 24 to Nov 1 | 6:52 AM to 6:46 PM | E-F-080-O2-R cow E-F-081-O2-R cow E-M-000-U2-R bull | D-F-080-O2-R doe D-M-080-O2-R buck |
| 3rd rifle | Nov 7 to Nov 15 | 6:06 AM to 5:31 PM | E-F-080-O3-R cow E-F-081-O3-R cow E-M-000-U3-R bull | D-F-080-O3-R doe D-M-080-O3-R buck |
| 4th rifle | Nov 18 to Nov 22 | 6:18 AM to 5:23 PM | E-F-080-O4-R cow E-F-081-O4-R cow E-M-080-O4-R bull | D-M-080-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 81 elk, unit 81 deer.
Nearest CPW properties to La Jara STL
| Property | Distance | Direction | Mapped acres | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Jara Reservoir SWA | 3.0 miles | north | 700 | 81 |
| Rahadero Canyon STL | 4.2 miles | east | 672 | 81 |
| Hot Creek SWA - Poso Tract | 5.7 miles | north-east | 7,800 | 81 |
| Alamaditas Mesa STL | 7.2 miles | south-east | 703 | 81 |
| Vincente Canyon STL | 7.5 miles | east | 651 | 81 |
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 81
Alamosa Canyon STLAlta STLEast Bend STLGallegos STLHot Creek SWALa Jara Creek SWALas Mesitas STLLos Mogotes Peak STLOritz STLPinon Hills STLPunche Valley STLRomeo STLSan Antonito STLSan Luis Hills 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.