Sands Lake SWA: hunting rules and access
Sands Lake SWA is 14 acres of State Wildlife Area in Chaffee County, Colorado, in game management unit 57. CPW lists no hunting for it, and its rules for the property run to 6 lines: 3 on its page for the property and 3 in its regulations.
| Kind | State Wildlife Area |
|---|---|
| County | Chaffee |
| Game management unit | 57 |
| Size | 14 acres |
| Coordinates | 38.5436, -106.0044 (middle of the boundary CPW maps) |
| Map | Open Sands Lake SWA on the map |
| Among CPW properties in unit 57 | 8th largest of 8 by the acres on CPW's pages, under 1% of their 9,608 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, 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. Hunting and the discharge of firearms or bows prohibited.
- B. Bicycles allowed.
- C. Dogs allowed but must be under control and on leash by handler.
In CPW's regulations
- a. Hunting and the discharge of firearms or bows is prohibited.
- b. Bicycles are allowed.
- c. Dogs are allowed but must be kept under control on a physical leash by the handler at all times.
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 Sands Lake 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 57, around Sands Lake SWA
- Elk in unit 57, 2024: 483 hunters in all seasons took 163 elk, 34% success (2023: 31% from 584 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 370 hunters, 36%. Unit 57 elk by season
- Deer in unit 57, 2024: 303 hunters in all seasons took 148 deer, 49% success (2023: 45% from 263 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 251 hunters, 59%. Unit 57 deer by season
- Unit 57: 273 square miles in Chaffee, Park and Fremont Counties, 53.4% national forest and 16.6% BLM land, from 7,100 to 10,400 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 57
| 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-F-057-O1-R cow E-M-057-O1-R bull | |
| 2nd rifle | Oct 24 to Nov 1 | 6:52 AM to 6:43 PM | E-F-057-O2-R cow E-M-057-O2-R bull | D-F-049-O2-R doe D-M-049-O2-R buck |
| 3rd rifle | Nov 7 to Nov 15 | 6:07 AM to 5:28 PM | E-F-057-O3-R cow E-M-057-O3-R bull | D-F-049-O3-R doe D-M-049-O3-R buck |
| 4th rifle | Nov 18 to Nov 22 | 6:19 AM to 5:19 PM | E-F-057-O4-R cow E-M-057-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 57 elk, unit 57 deer.
Nearest CPW properties to Sands Lake SWA
| Property | Distance | Direction | Mapped acres | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Shavano SWA | 0.5 miles | west | 63 | 56, 57 |
| Frantz Lake SWA | 1.0 miles | west | 25 | 56 |
| Mount Ouray SWA | 2.2 miles | west | 229 | 56 |
| Poncha Pass STL | 5.7 miles | south-west | 366 | 561 |
| Railroad Gulch STL | 6.1 miles | north | 485 | 57 |
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 57
Aspen Ridge STLBadger Creek STLBurns Canyon STLChubb Park STLSand Gulch #2 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.