Wind in the Willows SWA: hunting rules and access
Wind in the Willows SWA is 4 acres of State Wildlife Area in Hinsdale County, Colorado, in game management unit 66. CPW lists no hunting for it, and its rules for the property run to 10 lines: 4 on its page for the property and 6 in its regulations.
| Kind | State Wildlife Area |
|---|---|
| County | Hinsdale |
| Game management unit | 66 |
| Size | 4 acres |
| Coordinates | 37.9530, -107.3002 (middle of the boundary CPW maps) |
| Map | Open Wind in the Willows SWA on the map |
| Acres inside the boundary CPW maps | 6, against 4 on CPW's page. Both are CPW's own figures, and they do not agree |
| Among CPW properties in unit 66 | 2nd largest of 2 by the acres on CPW's pages, under 1% of their 1,433 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, Trout.
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 fly fishing only; access 1 hour before sunrise to 1 hour after sunset, by foot only.
- B. Public access to easement area allowed from one point only at S end of property, N of bridge on CR 33, near intersection of CR 33 and CR 30. All other access prohibited.
- C. Dogs prohibited.
- D. Fishing allowed only on Lake Fork of Gunnison River, including 20 feet on either side of riverbank.
In CPW's regulations
- a. Public access to the Easement Area is allowed from a single point located at the southerly end of the property, just north of the bridge on Hinsdale Co Rd 33, near the intersection of Hinsdale Co Rd 33 and Hinsdale Co Rd 30. Public access to the Easement Area from any other portion of the property is prohibited.
- b. Public access is prohibited, except while fly fishing only.
- c. Public access is prohibited from one (1) hour after sunset to one (1) hour before sunrise.
- d. Public access is allowed by foot only.
- e. Fishing access is allowed only on the Lake Fork of the Gunnison River, including twenty (20) feet on either side of the riverbank.
- f. Dogs 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 Wind in the Willows 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 66, around Wind in the Willows SWA
- Elk in unit 66, 2024: 1,196 hunters in all seasons took 503 elk, 42% success (2023: 34% from 1,151 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 984 hunters, 43%. Unit 66 elk by season
- Deer in unit 66, 2024: 465 hunters in all seasons took 346 deer, 74% success (2023: 66% from 511 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 339 hunters, 86%. Unit 66 deer by season
- Unit 66: 899 square miles in Gunnison, Hinsdale and Saguache Counties, 34.6% national forest and 44.2% BLM land, from 7,600 to 13,100 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 66
| Season | 2026 dates | Legal shooting light here, opening day | Elk codes | Deer codes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st rifle | Oct 14 to Oct 18 | 6:47 AM to 7:03 PM | E-F-066-O1-R cow E-M-066-O1-R bull | |
| 2nd rifle | Oct 24 to Nov 1 | 6:57 AM to 6:49 PM | E-F-066-O2-R cow E-M-066-O2-R bull | D-F-066-O2-R doe D-M-066-O2-R buck |
| 3rd rifle | Nov 7 to Nov 15 | 6:11 AM to 5:34 PM | E-F-066-O3-R cow E-M-066-O3-R bull | D-F-066-O3-R doe D-M-066-O3-R buck |
| 4th rifle | Nov 18 to Nov 22 | 6:23 AM to 5:25 PM | E-F-066-O4-R cow E-M-066-O4-R bull | D-M-066-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 66 elk, unit 66 deer.
Nearest CPW properties to Wind in the Willows SWA
| Property | Distance | Direction | Mapped acres | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rito Hondo Reservoir SWA | 7.8 miles | south-east | 41 | 76 |
| Brown Lakes SWA | 10.8 miles | south-east | 525 | 76 |
| Road Canyon Reservoir SWA | 14.5 miles | south-east | 177 | 76 |
| Mason Family SWA | 18.0 miles | north-east | 1,424 | 66, 67 |
| Creede SWA | 23.1 miles | south-east | 10 | 76 |
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.