Mount Ouray SWA: hunting rules and access
Mount Ouray SWA is 231 acres of State Wildlife Area in Chaffee County, Colorado, in game management unit 56. CPW lists no hunting 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 | Chaffee |
| Game management unit | 56 |
| Size | 231 acres |
| Coordinates | 38.5539, -106.0421 (middle of the boundary CPW maps) |
| Map | Open Mount Ouray SWA on the map |
| Among CPW properties in unit 56 | 3rd largest of 6 by the acres on CPW's pages, 6% of their 3,896 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 Lake, 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. Parking and access from designated parking areas.
- B. Hunting with centerfire rifles prohibited.
In CPW's regulations
- a. Parking and access is allowed from designated parking areas only.
- b. Hunting with centerfire rifles is prohibited.
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 Mount Ouray 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 56, around Mount Ouray SWA
- Elk in unit 56, 2024: 421 hunters in all seasons took 99 elk, 24% success (2023: 21% from 423 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 279 hunters, 27%. Unit 56 elk by season
- Deer in unit 56, 2024: 344 hunters in all seasons took 111 deer, 32% success (2023: 37% from 298 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 274 hunters, 33%. Unit 56 deer by season
- Unit 56: 238 square miles in Chaffee County, 59.5% national forest and 5.8% BLM land, from 7,100 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 unit 56
| Season | 2026 dates | Legal shooting light here, opening day | Elk codes | Deer codes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st rifle | Oct 14 to Oct 18 | 6:42 AM to 6:57 PM | E-M-056-O1-R bull | |
| 2nd rifle | Oct 24 to Nov 1 | 6:52 AM to 6:44 PM | E-F-056-O2-R cow E-M-056-O2-R bull | D-M-048-O2-R buck |
| 3rd rifle | Nov 7 to Nov 15 | 6:07 AM to 5:28 PM | E-F-056-O3-R cow E-M-056-O3-R bull | D-M-048-O3-R buck |
| 4th rifle | Nov 18 to Nov 22 | 6:19 AM to 5:19 PM | E-F-056-O4-R cow E-M-056-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 56 elk, unit 56 deer.
Nearest CPW properties to Mount Ouray SWA
| Property | Distance | Direction | Mapped acres | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frantz Lake SWA | 1.3 miles | south-east | 25 | 56 |
| Mount Shavano SWA | 1.7 miles | east | 63 | 56, 57 |
| Sands Lake SWA | 2.2 miles | east | 14 | 57 |
| Poncha Pass STL | 4.7 miles | south-west | 366 | 561 |
| Droney Gulch SWA | 4.8 miles | north-west | 2,930 | 56 |
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 56
Chaffee County Shooting Range SWASand Creek Central 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.