Piceance SWA - Yellow Creek Unit: hunting rules and access
Piceance SWA - Yellow Creek Unit is one of 4 parts of Piceance SWA that CPW lists on one page (25,193 acres in all); CPW's map draws this part as 1,468 acres. It is a State Wildlife Area in Garfield/Rio Blanco County, Colorado, in game management units 11, 21, 22 and 31. CPW lists deer, dove, dusky (blue) grouse, elk, rabbit and waterfowl for it, and its rules for the property run to 8 lines: 4 on its page for the property and 4 in its regulations.
| Kind | State Wildlife Area |
|---|---|
| County | Garfield/Rio Blanco |
| Game management unit | 11, 21, 22, 31 |
| Size | 25,193 acres |
| Coordinates | 40.0449, -108.3490 (middle of the boundary CPW maps) |
| Map | Open Piceance SWA - Yellow Creek Unit on the map |
| This part, as CPW maps it | 1,468 acres. The size above is CPW's figure for all 4 parts of Piceance SWA |
| Among CPW properties in unit 11 | Piceance SWA as a whole is the largest of 22 by the acres on CPW's pages, 38% of their 66,122 acres together |
| Among CPW properties in unit 22 | Piceance SWA as a whole is the largest of 2 by the acres on CPW's pages, 99% of their 25,576 acres together |
| Among CPW properties in unit 31 | Piceance SWA as a whole is the largest of 2 by the acres on CPW's pages, 100% of their 25,197 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
Deer, Dove, Dusky (blue) grouse, Elk, Rabbit, Waterfowl.
Fishing, as CPW lists it: Fishing Opportunities, Coldwater Lake, Trout, Warm Water.
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. Discharging firearms or bows prohibited in designated safety zones or as posted on Little Hills Unit.
- B. Camping allowed.
- C. Camping allowed in designated areas only on the Yellow Creek and Square S Units.
- D. Fires allowed within a containment structure.
In CPW's regulations
- a. Discharge of firearms or bows is prohibited in the designated safety zones, or as posted on the Little Hills Unit.
- b. Camping is allowed.
- c. Camping is allowed in designated areas only on the Yellow Creek and Square S Units.
- d. Fires are allowed within in a containment structure.
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 Piceance SWA - Yellow Creek Unit 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 11, 21, 22 and 31, around Piceance SWA - Yellow Creek Unit
- Elk in unit 11, 2024: 2,467 hunters in all seasons took 623 elk, 25% success (2023: 16% from 2,698 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 2,104 hunters, 27%. Unit 11 elk by season
- Deer in unit 11, 2024: 600 hunters in all seasons took 288 deer, 48% success (2023: 44% from 537 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 560 hunters, 51%. Unit 11 deer by season
- Unit 11: 611 square miles in Moffat and Rio Blanco Counties, 0% national forest and 60.5% BLM land, from 5,600 to 7,700 feet.
- Elk in unit 21, 2024: 1,992 hunters in all seasons took 324 elk, 16% success (2023: 19% from 1,906 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 1,246 hunters, 17%. Unit 21 elk by season
- Deer in unit 21, 2024: 420 hunters in all seasons took 333 deer, 79% success (2023: 85% from 430 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 361 hunters, 85%. Unit 21 deer by season
- Unit 21: 890 square miles in Rio Blanco and Garfield Counties, 0% national forest and 86.1% BLM land, from 5,200 to 8,800 feet.
- Elk in unit 22, 2024: 2,668 hunters in all seasons took 770 elk, 29% success (2023: 18% from 2,761 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 1,843 hunters, 32%. Unit 22 elk by season
- Deer in unit 22, 2024: 494 hunters in all seasons took 293 deer, 59% success (2023: 67% from 479 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 410 hunters, 65%. Unit 22 deer by season
- Unit 22: 989 square miles in Rio Blanco and Garfield Counties, 0% national forest and 69.4% BLM land, from 5,700 to 8,500 feet.
- Elk in unit 31, 2024: 1,597 hunters in all seasons took 453 elk, 28% success (2023: 24% from 1,566 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 1,228 hunters, 31%. Unit 31 elk by season
- Deer in unit 31, 2024: 467 hunters in all seasons took 253 deer, 54% success (2023: 53% from 495 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 323 hunters, 58%. Unit 31 deer by season
- Unit 31: 702 square miles in Mesa, Garfield and Rio Blanco Counties, 0% national forest and 56.2% BLM land, from 4,900 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 units 11, 21, 22 and 31
| Season | 2026 dates | Legal shooting light here, opening day | Elk codes | Deer codes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st rifle | Oct 14 to Oct 18 | 6:53 AM to 7:05 PM | E-E-021-O1-R either-sex E-F-011-O1-R cow E-F-021-O1-R cow E-M-011-O1-R bull | |
| 2nd rifle | Oct 24 to Nov 1 | 7:04 AM to 6:51 PM | E-F-011-O2-R cow E-F-021-O2-R cow E-F-131-O2-R cow E-F-231-O2-R cow E-M-000-U2-R bull | D-F-011-O2-R doe D-F-022-O2-R doe D-M-011-O2-R buck D-M-021-O2-R buck D-M-022-O2-R buck D-M-031-O2-R buck |
| 3rd rifle | Nov 7 to Nov 15 | 6:20 AM to 5:34 PM | E-F-011-O3-R cow E-F-021-O3-R cow E-F-030-O3-R cow E-F-131-O3-R cow E-M-000-U3-R bull | D-F-011-O3-R doe D-F-012-O3-R doe D-F-022-O3-R doe D-M-011-O3-R buck D-M-012-O3-R buck D-M-021-O3-R buck D-M-022-O3-R buck D-M-031-O3-R buck |
| 4th rifle | Nov 18 to Nov 22 | 6:32 AM to 5:25 PM | E-E-021-O4-R either-sex E-F-011-O4-R cow E-F-021-O4-R cow E-F-030-O4-R cow E-F-131-O4-R cow E-M-011-O4-R bull E-M-025-O4-R bull E-M-131-O4-R bull | D-M-011-O4-R buck D-M-012-O4-R buck D-M-022-O4-R buck D-M-031-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 11 elk, unit 11 deer, unit 21 elk, unit 21 deer, unit 22 elk, unit 22 deer, unit 31 elk, unit 31 deer.
Nearest CPW properties to Piceance SWA - Yellow Creek Unit
| Property | Distance | Direction | Mapped acres | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Piceance SWA - North Ridge Unit | 7.1 miles | east | 13,064 | 11, 21, 22, 31 |
| Rio Blanco Lake SWA | 8.9 miles | east | 1,207 | 11, 22 |
| Piceance SWA - Little Hills Unit | 10.7 miles | east | 1,806 | 11, 21, 22, 31 |
| Pinon Ridge STL | 13.0 miles | north | 641 | 11 |
| Ted's Canyon STL | 13.2 miles | north | 640 | 11 |
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 11, 21, 22, 31
Bitter Brush SWACedar Springs STLCitadel STLCoal Creek STLColorow Mountain SWACrooked Wash Ranch SWA (Limited Access Easement)Cross Mountain STLDouglas Mountain STLElk Springs #1 STLElk Springs Ranch SWAHightower STLHomestead STLLone Tree Gulch STLMaybell STL
All 721 State Wildlife Areas and State Trust Lands
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