Williams Creek Reservoir SWA: hunting rules and access
Williams Creek Reservoir SWA is 508 acres of State Wildlife Area in Hinsdale County, Colorado, in game management unit 77. CPW lists waterfowl for it, and its rules for the property run to 9 lines: 4 on its page for the property and 5 in its regulations.
| Kind | State Wildlife Area |
|---|---|
| County | Hinsdale |
| Game management unit | 77 |
| Size | 508 acres |
| Coordinates | 37.5105, -107.2219 (middle of the boundary CPW maps) |
| Map | Open Williams Creek Reservoir SWA on the map |
| Among CPW properties in unit 77 | 2nd largest of 2 by the acres on CPW's pages, 48% of their 1,069 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. Vessel use allowed; operating a vessel in a manner that creates a whitewater wake is prohibited.
- B. Discharge of firearms or bows is prohibited, except while hunting.
- C. Snowmobiles allowed only as an aid in ice fishing.
- D. Dogs must be under control and on leash by handler, except service animals or when actively hunting, training for hunting or during licensed field trials.
In CPW's regulations
- a. Launching and use of all vessels is allowed.
- b. Operating a vessel in a manner that creates a whitewater wake is prohibited.
- c. Discharge of firearms or bows is prohibited, except while hunting.
- d. Snowmobiles are allowed only as an aid in ice fishing.
- e. 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 Williams Creek 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 77, around Williams Creek Reservoir SWA
- Elk in unit 77, 2024: 3,299 hunters in all seasons took 683 elk, 21% success (2023: 12% from 3,437 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 2,433 hunters, 24%. Unit 77 elk by season
- Deer in unit 77, 2024: 1,356 hunters in all seasons took 612 deer, 45% success (2023: 40% from 1,010 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 1,021 hunters, 47%. Unit 77 deer by season
- Unit 77: 557 square miles in Archuleta, Hinsdale, La Plata and Mineral Counties, 81.9% national forest and 0% BLM land, from 6,900 to 12,100 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 77
| Season | 2026 dates | Legal shooting light here, opening day | Elk codes | Deer codes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st rifle | Oct 14 to Oct 18 | 6:46 AM to 7:03 PM | E-F-077-O1-R cow E-M-077-O1-R bull | D-M-077-O1-R buck |
| 2nd rifle | Oct 24 to Nov 1 | 6:56 AM to 6:50 PM | E-F-077-O2-R cow E-M-000-U2-R bull | D-F-077-O2-R doe D-M-077-O2-R buck |
| 3rd rifle | Nov 7 to Nov 15 | 6:10 AM to 5:34 PM | E-F-077-O3-R cow E-M-000-U3-R bull | D-F-077-O3-R doe D-M-077-O3-R buck |
| 4th rifle | Nov 18 to Nov 22 | 6:22 AM to 5:26 PM | E-F-077-O4-R cow E-M-077-O4-R bull | D-F-077-O4-R doe D-M-077-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 77 elk, unit 77 deer.
Nearest CPW properties to Williams Creek Reservoir SWA
| Property | Distance | Direction | Mapped acres | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Road Canyon Reservoir SWA | 17.7 miles | north | 177 | 76 |
| Devil Creek SWA | 19.7 miles | south | 552 | 77 |
| Brown Lakes SWA | 21.8 miles | north | 525 | 76 |
| Big Meadows Reservoir SWA | 23.0 miles | east | 117 | 76 |
| Echo Canyon Reservoir SWA | 24.1 miles | south-east | 222 | 78 |
Straight-line miles between the middles of the boundaries CPW maps, not road miles. A property can be much nearer at its edge.
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.