Hunting, Fishing and Shooting

The White River National Forest has miles of streams, and beautiful lakes and ponds for you to fish... and great big game hunting opportunities.

Permitted outfitters and guides may be hired to provide horse rental, packing , guiding and camp services. Contact our offices to find permitted outfitters.
State laws govern fishing and hunting regulations on all national forests and grasslands. Visit Colorado Parks and Wildlife for fishing and hunting licenses and regulations.

Fishing:

Protect our waters from aquatic nuisance species: keep your boat and equipment clean
Approved lures and species harvest may vary; be sure to review regulations for the body of water you'll visit.
Not sure where to start? View the state's weekly reports to identify locations where catchable trout were recently stocked.

Hunting:

Research Big-Game Hunting

Lake and Pond Fishing

The White River has several reservoirs and many lakes and ponds. Some reservoirs allow motorized boats, with varying restrictions on horsepower.

Ruedi Reservoir is a 1,000-acre reservoir 15 miles east of Basalt popular for camping, boating, fishing, and ice fishing. Map of Ruedi Reservoir. The White River National Forest manages five campgrounds at Ruedi. There is a boat ramp and several picnic areas.

Green Mountain Reservoir lies at the northern end of Summit County, Colorado along the Blue River near the town of Heeney. There are 6 campgrounds at the reservoir and a 7th campground is located along Cataract Creek adjacent to Eagles Nest Wilderness and various hiking trails.

For a quieter experience, check out Trappers Lake or Sweetwater Lake:

Trappers Lake lies completely within Flat Tops Wilderness; motorized boats and wheeled carts for boat transport are prohibited. Trappers Lake is known as the "Cradle of Wilderness." The 302-acre lake contains a strain of native cutthroat trout. There are five Forest Service campgrounds nearby. Dispersed camping is prohibited within 1/4 mile of Trappers Lake and the campgrounds. Several trails bring visitors to the open meadows with dozens of lakes above the Trappers Lake basin.

Sweetwater Lake offers good fishing from water craft (5 hp electric motors only). Shoreline access is limited due to the geography of the area. Sweetwater Campground has small sites; six sites can accomodated vehicles up to 30'.

River and Stream Fishing

The White River has several Gold Medal Waters designated by the Colorado Wildlife Commission, and many other sites across each Ranger District.

Hunting

The White River National Forest is well-known for its elk, mule deer, moose, and black bear hunting opportunities. Hunting is regulated by Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

Use Colorado Parks and Wildlife's site to learn about regulations and licenses, then use it's Hunting Atlas and YouTube videos to identify the Game Management Units you plan to hunt. Next, find the Motor Vehicle Use Map (by Ranger District) that best covers the area where you'll hunt.

Motor Vehicle Use Maps will show you which Forest roads and trails are available for the equipment you plan to use, as well as areas where dispersed camping is permitted.

Permitted outfitters and guides may be hired to provide horse rental, packing and camp services. Contact our offices to find permitted outfitters.