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SWA · Fremont County
Beaver Creek State Wildlife Area, a guide for Colorado hunters
State wildlife area in Fremont County covering 2,227 acres.
Photo: Ken Lund (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to Beaver Creek State Wildlife Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near Beaver Creek State Wildlife Area
- Parking areaParking · 1.2 mi from the centreDirections
Parking, trailhead and gate locations come from OpenStreetMap contributors. Roads into public land can be gated or seasonal; check with the managing agency before you go.
Beaver Creek SWA: size, game and management
By the count in the CPW SWA page, there are 2,227 acres at Beaver Creek SWA. Of 224 state wildlife areas listed here, Beaver Creek SWA ranks 59th for size. Wildlife officers for Beaver Creek SWA work out of Area 13, Southeast Region; district: Canon City N. The CPW page sends questions to the Area CPW Office, Salida office, 719-530-5520. The printed guide lists deer, elk, bear, rabbit, dove, turkey with limited license for hunters on Beaver Creek SWA. For a fishing break the brochure lists cold-water stream. Recreation listed besides hunting: hiking, wildlife viewing.. CPW does not list camping among the amenities for Beaver Creek SWA.
On the game list: Deer, Elk, Black bear, Wild turkey, Doves, Rabbits.
CPW lists these uses: Hunting, Fishing, Nature Viewing, Hiking and Walking.
From the agency page, 2026 Recreation Lands brochure, p. 5 (Colorado Parks and Wildlife); retrieved 2026-11-04, checked November 5, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Beaver Creek State Wildlife Area
Beaver Creek SWA game management units
Beaver Creek SWA lies in 1 game management unit: GMU 59.
Point restriction for bulls: GMU 59. Mountain lion harvest-limit group 11 covers these units.
The 2024 GMU harvest tables below are unit totals, not counts for Beaver Creek SWA; GMU 59 had the largest figure, 135 elk.
| Unit | Species | Harvest | Hunters | Pct success |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GMU 59 | Elk | 135 | 704 | 19% |
| GMU 59 | Deer | 54 | 166 | 32% |
| GMU 59 | Pronghorn | 3 | 6 | 52% |
| GMU 59 | Black bear | 2 | – | – |
GMU overlay from the CPW Big Game GMU layer; unit rules from the 2026 Big Game brochure; 2024 elk harvest by GMU, 2024 deer harvest by GMU, 2024 pronghorn harvest by GMU, 2024 bear harvest by GMU; checked November 5, 2026.
Before you walk onto Beaver Creek SWA
Bring a current Colorado hunting or fishing license, or the State Wildlife Area Pass, if you are 16 or over; that is the standing SWA entry rule. Drive only on roads open to motor vehicles and camp only where CPW authorizes it. Only portable stands or blinds may go up, no sooner than 30 days ahead of the season. Parking areas, campgrounds and picnic spots are no-shoot zones for guns and bows.
CPW restrictions, as lettered on the page:
- Public access allowed May 1 to August 14, except while hunting or fishing or while wildlife viewing from designated parking areas.
- Dogs prohibited.
Limited access, per CPW: ['b. Dogs prohibited. Running State Wildlife Header Areas A. Public access allowed May 1 to August 14, except while hunting or fishing or while wildlife viewing from designated parking areas. B. Dogs prohibited. deer, elk, bear, rabbit, dove, turkey with limited license']
Where a reservation is needed, use the Hunting Reservation System, phone 1-800-244-5613.
From the agency source, CPW SWA finder, Big Game brochure, reservations; checked November 5, 2026.
Big game dates that apply on Beaver Creek SWA
Big game hunters on Beaver Creek SWA can choose from 29 dated windows, each tied to a hunt code. Over-the-counter rows (6) cover elk and wild turkey; the rest need a drawn or leftover license. 2 private-land-only, Ranching for Wildlife or game damage rows for the same units are left out because they do not apply on public ground. Only the listed species are kept; 9 other big game rows are dropped. Spring turkey dates shown are from 2026; the 2027 brochure is not out.
| Animal | Method | Sex | License | Start | End | Valid in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elk | Archery | cow | Limited, nonresident | Sep 2, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | 59 |
| Elk | Archery | cow | OTC, residents | Sep 2, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | 59 |
| Elk | Archery | either sex | Limited, nonresident | Sep 2, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | 59 |
| Elk | Archery | either sex | OTC, residents | Sep 2, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | 59 |
| Elk | Muzzleloader | bull | Limited draw | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | 59 |
| Elk | Muzzleloader | cow | Limited draw | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | 59 |
| Elk | Rifle | bull | Limited draw | Oct 14, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | 59 |
| Elk | Rifle | cow | Limited draw | Oct 14, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | 59 |
| Elk | Rifle | cow | Limited draw | Oct 24, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | 59 |
| Elk | Second rifle | bull | OTC | Oct 24, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | 59 |
| Elk | Rifle | cow | Limited draw | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 15, 2026 | 59 |
| Elk | Third rifle | bull | OTC | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 15, 2026 | 59 |
| Elk | Rifle | bull | Limited draw | Nov 18, 2026 | Nov 22, 2026 | 59 |
| Elk | Rifle | cow | Limited draw | Nov 18, 2026 | Nov 22, 2026 | 59 |
| Deer | Archery | buck | Limited draw | Sep 2, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | 59 |
| Deer | Muzzleloader | buck | Limited draw | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | 59 |
| Deer | Muzzleloader | doe | Limited draw | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | 59 |
| Deer | Rifle | buck | Limited draw | Oct 24, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | 59 |
| Deer | Rifle | buck | Limited draw | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 15, 2026 | 59 |
| Black bear | Archery | either sex | Limited draw | Sep 2, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | 59 |
| Black bear | Rifle | either sex | Limited draw | Sep 2, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | 59 |
| Black bear | Muzzleloader | either sex | Limited draw | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | 59 |
| Black bear | Rifle | either sex | Limited draw | Oct 14, 2026 | Nov 22, 2026 | 59 |
| Wild turkey | Spring | – | Limited draw | Apr 11, 2026 | May 1, 2026 | 59 |
| Wild turkey | Spring | – | Limited, youth | Apr 11, 2026 | May 31, 2026 | 59 |
| Wild turkey | Spring | – | OTC | Apr 11, 2026 | May 31, 2026 | 59 |
| Wild turkey | Spring | – | Limited draw | May 2, 2026 | May 31, 2026 | 59 |
| Wild turkey | Fall | – | Limited, late | Sep 1, 2026 | Oct 4, 2026 | 59 |
| Wild turkey | Fall | – | OTC | Sep 1, 2026 | Oct 4, 2026 | 59 |
Birds and small game
| Species | Hunt | Zone | Begins | Ends |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mourning dove | Season | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 |
| Cottontail | Season | Statewide | Oct 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 |
Season rows and hunt codes from the 2026 Colorado Big Game brochure, the 2026 Small Game and Waterfowl brochure, the Turkey brochure and the Mountain Lion brochure; property access dates still apply; checked November 5, 2026.
What lies near Beaver Creek SWA on the map
The list below starts with Table Mountain STL, 3 miles away to the southeast. Six neighbours, by kind: 5 trust land parcels and 1 military site. Off limits to hunting close by: Skaguay Reservoir State Wildlife Area (CPW lists no hunting), Brush Hollow State Wildlife Area (CPW lists no hunting) and Rosemont Reservoir State Wildlife Area (CPW lists no hunting).
| Public land | Kind | Acres | County | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Table Mountain STL | State trust land | 9,427 | Fremont | 3 miles | southeast |
| Adelaide STL | State trust land | 640 | Fremont | 5 miles | west |
| Brush Hollow STL | State trust land | 1,398 | Fremont | 9 miles | south |
| Oil Well Flats STL | State trust land | 600 | Fremont | 9 miles | southwest |
| Fort Carson | Military | 136,376 | El Paso | 11 miles | east |
| Shelf Road STL | State trust land | 640 | Teller | 12 miles | northwest |
Point: CPW Managed Properties (public access only) layer, CPWAdminData (1 polygon) (point inside polygon (centroid falls outside) of the largest part). Straight-line distances. Closed places from lands.json closed rows. Statewide public land map.
Finding Beaver Creek SWA on the ground
Getting there (CPW): From Cañon City, go 8 miles E on Highway 50 to Highway 67 (Phantom Canyon Road), then go N 2 miles to CR 123, then E 0.2 miles to CR 132, then N 9 miles to property. Or: From Skaguay Dam, go downstream 12 miles on trail to property (2-day hike).
The pin sits at 38.5866, -105.0199.
Directions from the 2026 Colorado State Recreation Lands brochure; map files from the CPW property page; point from CPW Managed Properties (public access only) layer, CPWAdminData (1 polygon) (point inside polygon (centroid falls outside) of the largest part); checked November 5, 2026.
Legal light on Beaver Creek SWA, opener by opener
The sun rises about twenty minutes later at Grand Junction than at Burlington, so use the times worked out for Beaver Creek SWA.
| Date | Season point | Sunrise | Sunset | Big game | Birds and small game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 15, 2026 | Pronghorn bow opener | 6:15 a.m. | 7:58 p.m. | 5:45 a.m. to 8:28 p.m. | 5:45 a.m. to 7:58 p.m. |
| Sep 2, 2026 | Archery opener | 6:31 a.m. | 7:32 p.m. | 6:01 a.m. to 8:02 p.m. | 6:01 a.m. to 7:32 p.m. |
| Sep 12, 2026 | Muzzleloader opens | 6:40 a.m. | 7:17 p.m. | 6:10 a.m. to 7:47 p.m. | 6:10 a.m. to 7:17 p.m. |
| Oct 3, 2026 | Duck season opens | 6:58 a.m. | 6:43 p.m. | 6:28 a.m. to 7:13 p.m. | 6:28 a.m. to 6:43 p.m. |
| Oct 24, 2026 | Second rifle opens | 7:19 a.m. | 6:13 p.m. | 6:49 a.m. to 6:43 p.m. | 6:49 a.m. to 6:13 p.m. |
| Nov 23, 2026 | Lion season opens | 6:52 a.m. | 4:45 p.m. | 6:22 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. | 6:22 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:15 a.m. | 4:44 p.m. | 6:45 a.m. to 5:14 p.m. | 6:45 a.m. to 4:44 p.m. |
Hours rules from the 2026 Colorado Big Game brochure and the Small Game and Waterfowl brochure; sunrise and sunset worked out for this location with the NOAA solar formula (Mountain Time); checked November 5, 2026. Legal hours for every county.
Where to fuel up and buy ice near Beaver Creek SWA
Gas, groceries and a motel bed: Cripple Creek is the nearest, 14 miles away. Fountain tops the list for size, 29,457 people. Closest CPW office: Colorado Springs, 24 miles.
| Nearest towns | County | Population | Miles | Heading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cripple Creek | Teller | 1,122 | 14 miles | northwest |
| Cañon City | Fremont | 17,193 | 15 miles | southwest |
| Midland | Teller | – | 19 miles | north |
| Fountain | El Paso | 29,457 | 20 miles | east |
| Pueblo West | Pueblo | – | 23 miles | southeast |
Towns from places.json (Census 2024 estimates); CPW offices from the CPW Contact Us page; businesses from services.json listings; straight-line miles. Checked November 5, 2026.
Beaver Creek SWA country in pictures
Beaver Creek State Wildlife Area hunters: public range plus clubs
For a no-dues line, Beaver Creek State Wildlife Area hunters head 14 miles to Cheyenne Mountain State Park Archery Range. After the public range come the nearest clubs within 30 miles.
From the CPW Shooting Range Finder, ranges’ own pages and directory listings, checked November 5, 2026.
Quick answers about Beaver Creek SWA
What is the closest town with services to Beaver Creek SWA?
The closest town with a page here is Cripple Creek (14 miles).
Are there antler point restrictions on Beaver Creek SWA?
Bulls must meet the antler point rule in GMU 59. No mandatory CWD sampling reaches these units this year.
Does the orange rule apply on Beaver Creek SWA?
Required for firearm big game; mesh is legal, camouflage orange is not.
Who looks after wildlife on Beaver Creek SWA?
Reach Area CPW Office in Salida, 719-530-5520.
How early may a rifle hunter shoot on Beaver Creek SWA?
For deer and elk, 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 after sunset; around Fremont County on November 7, 2026 about 6:04 a.m. to 5:27 p.m.
Is it legal to hunt over bait on Beaver Creek SWA?
No. It is illegal to hunt big game, turkey, small game or migratory birds over bait in Colorado, whoever placed it.
Can I pitch a tent on Beaver Creek SWA during the hunt?
Not by the CPW page, which shows no camping.
Is any hunting on Beaver Creek SWA by draw or reservation?
['b. Dogs prohibited. Running State Wildlife Header Areas A. Public access allowed May 1 to August 14, except while hunting or fishing or while wildlife viewing from designated parking areas. B. Dogs prohibited. deer, elk, bear, rabbit, dove, turkey with limited license']
What documents must I carry on Beaver Creek SWA?
Entry rule: hunting license, fishing license or SWA Pass at 16 and over. Check the property restrictions for any exception.
Which official page should I bookmark for Beaver Creek SWA?
Colorado Parks and Wildlife publishes it: official page.
What counties does Beaver Creek SWA reach into?
Inside Fremont County.
How many acres are listed for Beaver Creek SWA in the agency count?
2,227 acres on the agency count.
Are there date or time limits on Beaver Creek SWA?
Public access allowed May 1 to August 14, except while hunting or fishing or while wildlife viewing from designated parking areas.
Which unit should my license be for on Beaver Creek SWA?
GMU 59; GMU lines follow roads and ridges, so check the map near a line.
Can I buy an elk license over the counter for Beaver Creek SWA?
Only for some hunts. 4 OTC elk rows reach these GMUs, archery among them (OTC, residents).
Which seasons matter on Beaver Creek SWA?
Agency sources name deer, elk, black bear, wild turkey, doves and rabbits.
Beaver Creek SWA: the final check
Saw poaching on Beaver Creek SWA? CPW's Turn In Poachers program rewards reports that lead to charges with licenses and preference points.
Sources: source 1 · source 2 · source 3 · source 4; seasons from the 2026 Colorado Big Game brochure. Checked November 5, 2026.
Other photos on this page: Kahunapule Michael Johnson (CC BY-SA 2.0); Cindy Sue Causey (CC BY 2.0); James St. John (CC BY 2.0).