Watson Lake SWA: hunting rules and access
Watson Lake SWA is 44 acres of State Wildlife Area in Larimer County, Colorado, in game management unit 19. CPW lists no hunting for it, and its rules for the property run to 19 lines: 8 on its page for the property and 11 in its regulations.
| Kind | State Wildlife Area |
|---|---|
| County | Larimer |
| Game management unit | 19 |
| Size | 44 acres |
| Coordinates | 40.6388, -105.1700 (middle of the boundary CPW maps) |
| Map | Open Watson Lake SWA on the map |
| Acres inside the boundary CPW maps | 149, against 44 on CPW's page. Both are CPW's own figures, and they do not agree |
| Among CPW properties in unit 19 | 3rd largest of 3 by the acres on CPW's pages, 6% of their 791 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 Stream, 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. Open for public access 1 hour before sunrise to 1 hour after sunset; no time restrictions for fishing.
- B. Access to fish passage structure (on NE side of the property) prohibited.
- C. Closed on NW side as posted.
- D. Fishing from walls of fish passage or fishing in fish passage prohibited.
- E. Use/possession of live minnows prohibited.
- F. Parking prohibited on S dam.
- G. Vessel use, hunting, ice fishing, ice skating, discharging firearms or bows prohibited.
- H. Dogs must be under control and on leash by handler, except service animals or when actively hunting or training for hunting.
In CPW's regulations
- a. Public access is prohibited from one (1) hour after sunset to one (1) hour before sunrise, except while fishing.
- b. Public access onto the fish passage structure located on the northeast side of Watson Lake State Wildlife Area is prohibited.
- c. Public access is prohibited to the northwest side as posted to prevent access to the water outtake and fish disposal area.
- d. Fishing from the walls of the fish passage or fishing in the fish passage is prohibited.
- e. The use or possession of live minnows is prohibited.
- f. Vehicle parking is prohibited on the South Dam.
- g. Launching and take out of vessels is prohibited.
- h. Hunting and discharge of firearms or bows is prohibited.
- i. Ice fishing is prohibited.
- j. Ice skating is prohibited.
- k. Dogs are allowed but must be kept under control on a physical leash by the handler at all times, except as authorized in #900(C)(15).
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 Watson 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 19, around Watson Lake SWA
- Elk in unit 19, 2024: 1,140 hunters in all seasons took 119 elk, 10% success (2023: 10% from 988 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 690 hunters, 8%. Unit 19 elk by season
- Deer in unit 19, 2024: 1,138 hunters in all seasons took 333 deer, 29% success (2023: 28% from 1,015 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 778 hunters, 37%. Unit 19 deer by season
- Unit 19: 423 square miles in Larimer County, 59.8% national forest and 0% BLM land, from 4,900 to 11,600 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 19
| Season | 2026 dates | Legal shooting light here, opening day | Elk codes | Deer codes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st rifle | Oct 14 to Oct 18 | 6:41 AM to 6:52 PM | E-M-019-O1-R bull | |
| 2nd rifle | Oct 24 to Nov 1 | 6:52 AM to 6:37 PM | E-F-019-O2-R cow E-M-019-O2-R bull | D-F-009-O2-R doe D-M-019-O2-R buck |
| 3rd rifle | Nov 7 to Nov 15 | 6:08 AM to 5:20 PM | E-F-019-O3-R cow E-M-019-O3-R bull | D-F-009-O3-R doe D-M-019-O3-R buck |
| 4th rifle | Nov 18 to Nov 22 | 6:21 AM to 5:10 PM | E-F-019-O4-R cow E-M-019-O4-R bull | D-M-019-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 19 elk, unit 19 deer.
Nearest CPW properties to Watson Lake SWA
| Property | Distance | Direction | Mapped acres | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poudre River SWA | 3.9 miles | north-west | 319 | 19, 191 |
| Poudre River STL | 5.1 miles | north-west | 4,657 | 191 |
| Douglas Reservoir SWA | 6.4 miles | north-east | 765 | 9 |
| Eagle Canyon STL | 10.1 miles | south-west | 633 | 20 |
| Wellington SWA - Schware Unit | 10.6 miles | east | 160 | 87 |
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 19
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.