Smith Reservoir SWA: hunting rules and access
Smith Reservoir SWA is 278 acres of State Wildlife Area in Costilla County, Colorado, in game management unit 83. CPW lists 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 | Costilla |
| Game management unit | 83 |
| Size | 278 acres |
| Coordinates | 37.3917, -105.5336 (middle of the boundary CPW maps) |
| Map | Open Smith Reservoir SWA on the map |
| Among CPW properties in unit 83 | 4th largest of 4 by the acres on CPW's pages, 6% of their 4,281 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
Waterfowl.
Fishing, as CPW lists it: Fishing Opportunities, Coldwater Lake.
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. N and E shores open for public access July 16-Feb. 14 only.
- B. Fishing only within 200 yards of dam from Nov. 1 through end of waterfowl season.
- C. Field trials may be authorized Feb., March, Aug. and Sept.
- D. Motor vehicles prohibited within 50 feet of water.
In CPW's regulations
- a. Public access is prohibited from February 15 through July 15 on the north and east shore areas.
- b. Fishing is prohibited from November 1 through the last day of the waterfowl season, except within two-hundred (200) yards of the dam.
- c. Motor vehicles are prohibited within fifty (50) feet of the water.
- d. Field trials may be authorized during February, March, August and September 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 Smith Reservoir 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 83, around Smith Reservoir SWA
- Elk in unit 83, 2024: 884 hunters in all seasons took 367 elk, 42% success (2023: 26% from 878 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 637 hunters, 50%. Unit 83 elk by season
- Deer in unit 83, 2024: 101 hunters in all seasons took 75 deer, 74% success (2023: 77% from 92 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 77 hunters, 74%. Unit 83 deer by season
- Unit 83: 1,251 square miles in Alamosa and Costilla Counties, 0.1% national forest and 0.4% BLM land, from 7,500 to 12,400 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 83
| Season | 2026 dates | Legal shooting light here, opening day | Elk codes | Deer codes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st rifle | Oct 14 to Oct 18 | 6:39 AM to 6:56 PM | E-E-083-O1-R either-sex | |
| 2nd rifle | Oct 24 to Nov 1 | 6:49 AM to 6:43 PM | E-E-083-O2-R either-sex | D-M-083-O2-R buck |
| 3rd rifle | Nov 7 to Nov 15 | 6:03 AM to 5:28 PM | E-E-083-O3-R either-sex | D-M-083-O3-R buck |
| 4th rifle | Nov 18 to Nov 22 | 6:15 AM to 5:20 PM | E-E-083-O4-R either-sex E-F-083-O4-R cow | D-M-083-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 83 elk, unit 83 deer.
Nearest CPW properties to Smith Reservoir SWA
| Property | Distance | Direction | Mapped acres | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mountain Home Reservoir SWA | 8.5 miles | east | 1,061 | 83 |
| East Alamosa STL | 11.0 miles | west | 1,799 | 83 |
| Zapata Falls STL | 15.3 miles | north | 628 | 82 |
| Sugar Loaf STL | 19.3 miles | south-west | 637 | 81 |
| East Bend STL | 19.7 miles | south-west | 705 | 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 83
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.