Upper Red Cliff Ranch SWA: hunting rules and access
Upper Red Cliff Ranch SWA is 480 acres of State Wildlife Area in Custer County, Colorado, in game management unit 84. CPW lists bear, deer, dusky (blue) grouse, elk and turkey for it, and its rules for the property run to 12 lines: 5 on its page for the property and 7 in its regulations.
| Kind | State Wildlife Area |
|---|---|
| County | Custer |
| Game management unit | 84 |
| Size | 480 acres |
| Coordinates | 38.1207, -105.0690 (middle of the boundary CPW maps) |
| Map | Open Upper Red Cliff Ranch SWA on the map |
| Among CPW properties in unit 84 | 6th largest of 7 by the acres on CPW's pages, 3% of their 14,970 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
Bear, Deer, Dusky (blue) grouse, Elk, Turkey.
Fishing, as CPW lists it: Fishing Opportunities, Coldwater Stream, 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. Public access prohibited Dec. 1-April 30, except for licensed hunters and one nonhunting companion. Hunting by reservation only. See "Reservations: Hunting" (page 1) for details.
- B. Parking and access allowed from designated parking areas only.
- C. Discharging firearms or bows allowed only while hunting.
- D. Camping allowed by licensed hunters during big game or turkey season plus 3 days before and 3 days after each season. Camping prohibited within 100 feet of any stream.
- E. Dog training and field trials prohibited.
In CPW's regulations
- a. Public access is prohibited from December 1 through April 30, except for properly licensed hunters and one non-hunting companion.
- b. Parking and access is allowed from designated parking areas only.
- c. Hunting access is allowed by reservation only.
- d. All hunters must comply with the Hunter Reservation System and reservations must be made through the Hunter Reservation System in accordance with #901.A of these regulations.
- e. Discharge of firearms or bows is prohibited, except while hunting.
- f. Camping is allowed by licensed hunters during an established big game or turkey season plus three (3) days before and three (3) days after each season. Camping is prohibited within one hundred (100) feet of any stream.
- g. Dog training and field trials are 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 Upper Red Cliff Ranch 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 84, around Upper Red Cliff Ranch SWA
- Elk in unit 84, 2024: 722 hunters in all seasons took 272 elk, 38% success (2023: 44% from 667 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 597 hunters, 39%. Unit 84 elk by season
- Deer in unit 84, 2024: 1,179 hunters in all seasons took 529 deer, 45% success (2023: 44% from 1,092 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 975 hunters, 48%. Unit 84 deer by season
- Unit 84: 1,280 square miles in Custer, Fremont, Huerfano and Pueblo Counties, 19.2% national forest and 2.9% BLM land, from 4,800 to 11,200 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 84
| Season | 2026 dates | Legal shooting light here, opening day | Elk codes | Deer codes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd rifle | Oct 24 to Nov 1 | 6:48 AM to 6:40 PM | E-F-069-O2-R cow E-M-069-O2-R bull | D-M-069-O2-R buck |
| 3rd rifle | Nov 7 to Nov 15 | 6:03 AM to 5:25 PM | E-F-069-O3-R cow E-M-069-O3-R bull | D-M-069-O3-R buck |
| 4th rifle | Nov 18 to Nov 22 | 6:15 AM to 5:16 PM | E-F-069-O4-R cow E-M-069-O4-R bull | D-M-069-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 84 elk, unit 84 deer.
Nearest CPW properties to Upper Red Cliff Ranch SWA
| Property | Distance | Direction | Mapped acres | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florence STL | 11.4 miles | north-west | 614 | 69 |
| Bear Gulch STL | 11.8 miles | west | 620 | 69 |
| Newlin Creek STL | 13.2 miles | north | 628 | 69 |
| Blue Spring STL | 13.9 miles | south-west | 645 | 84 |
| Rosita STL | 15.1 miles | west | 684 | 84 |
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 84
Black Mountain STLFoster Gulch STLLake Beckwith SWALake Pueblo SWA
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.