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Colorado state wildlife area · hunting
Coal Creek Ranch State Wildlife Area (Access Easement) hunting access and seasons
State wildlife area in Rio Blanco County, 1,122 acres.
Photo: Jeffrey Beall (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to Coal Creek Ranch State Wildlife Area (Access Easement)
Coal Creek Ranch SWA (Access Easement) by the numbers
Coal Creek Ranch SWA (Access Easement) takes in 1,122 acres according to the CPW SWA page. Size places it 94th out of 224 state wildlife areas in Colorado. 8 state wildlife areas touch Rio Blanco County, and Coal Creek Ranch SWA (Access Easement) is one of the set. Northwest Region, Area 6, Meeker N district: that is the CPW chain for Coal Creek Ranch SWA (Access Easement). Contact on the property page: Area 6 CPW Office, Meeker, phone 970-878-6090. The 2026 Recreation Lands brochure gives the hunting line for Coal Creek Ranch SWA (Access Easement) as deer, elk. Fishing is listed too: cold-water stream; trout fishing. Overnight stays: not an offered amenity here.
Hunting opportunities on record: Deer, Elk.
Page activities: Hunting, Fishing.
From the agency page, 2026 Recreation Lands brochure, p. 9 (Colorado Parks and Wildlife); retrieved 2026-11-04, checked November 5, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Coal Creek Ranch State Wildlife Area (Access Easement)
What Coal Creek Ranch SWA (Access Easement) allows and forbids
At 16 and older, entry to Coal Creek Ranch SWA (Access Easement) takes a Colorado hunting or fishing license or the SWA Pass. Vehicles stay on roads signed open, and camping is limited to authorized spots. Leave permanent stands at home: portable blinds and stands only, set up within 30 days of the opener. Never fire a gun or loose an arrow in a parking, camping or picnic area.
Restrictions on Coal Creek Ranch SWA (Access Easement):
- Open May 1 to November 30 while fishing only.
- Public access allowed while deer and elk hunting during the archery and muzzleloader seasons only.
- Public access limited to 4 hunters per day and hunters must sign in and out of property as posted.
- Parking access is allowed from designated parking areas only.
From the agency source, CPW SWA finder; checked November 5, 2026.
Finding Coal Creek Ranch SWA (Access Easement) on the ground
Brochure directions: From Meeker, go N on Highway 13, turn E on Rio Blanco CR 15 for approximately 8.5 miles. Turn E on CR 47A. Fishing access parking lot is at the intersection of CRs 15 and 47A. Hunting access parking go E on CR 47A for approximately 1/2 mile.
Coal Creek Ranch SWA (Access Easement) is plotted at 40.1200, -107.7315 on the statewide map.
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) (polygon centroid); checked November 5, 2026.
GMUs and unit rules on Coal Creek Ranch SWA (Access Easement)
Big game licenses here are sold by unit, and Coal Creek Ranch SWA (Access Easement) touches 1 GMU: GMU 23.
Elk antler point restrictions apply in GMU 23. Mandatory free CWD testing applies to listed rifle elk hunt codes in GMU 23. For lions, the units fall in harvest-limit group 2.
CPW publishes harvest by GMU, not by property. In 2024, GMU 23 led these units with 423 elk taken.
| GMU | Game | Animals taken | Hunters | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GMU 23 | Elk | 423 | 1,870 | 23% |
| GMU 23 | Deer | 150 | 565 | 26% |
| GMU 23 | Pronghorn | 2 | 7 | 21% |
| GMU 23 | Black bear | 19 | – | – |
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.
Coal Creek Ranch SWA (Access Easement) season calendar by GMU
The units of Coal Creek Ranch SWA (Access Easement) carry 19 big game seasons this year. You can buy an OTC license for elk here; other rows are limited. We dropped 19 rows valid only on private land or enrolled ranches. The table follows the species list for Coal Creek Ranch SWA (Access Easement), which removes 13 rows.
| Species | Season | Sex | Kind | From | To | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elk | Archery | either sex | Limited draw | Sep 2, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | 23 |
| Elk | Muzzleloader | cow | Limited draw | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | 23 |
| Elk | Muzzleloader | either sex | Limited draw | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | 23 |
| Elk | Rifle | bull | Limited draw | Oct 14, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | 23 |
| Elk | Rifle | cow | Limited draw | Oct 14, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | 23 |
| Elk | Rifle | cow | Limited draw | Oct 24, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | 23 |
| Elk | Second rifle | bull | OTC | Oct 24, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | 23 |
| Elk | Rifle | cow | Limited draw | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 15, 2026 | 23 |
| Elk | Third rifle | bull | OTC | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 15, 2026 | 23 |
| Elk | Rifle | bull | Limited draw | Nov 18, 2026 | Nov 22, 2026 | 23 |
| Elk | Rifle | cow | Limited draw | Nov 18, 2026 | Nov 22, 2026 | 23 |
| Deer | Archery | either sex | Limited draw | Sep 2, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | 23 |
| Deer | Muzzleloader | buck | Limited draw | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | 23 |
| Deer | Muzzleloader | doe | Limited draw | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | 23 |
| Deer | Rifle | buck | Limited draw | Oct 24, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | 23 |
| Deer | Rifle | doe | Limited draw | Oct 24, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | 23 |
| Deer | Rifle | buck | Limited draw | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 15, 2026 | 23 |
| Deer | Rifle | doe | Limited draw | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 15, 2026 | 23 |
| Deer | Rifle | buck | Limited draw | Nov 18, 2026 | Nov 22, 2026 | 23 |
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.
Mapped neighbours of Coal Creek Ranch SWA (Access Easement)
Jensen SWA sits 4 miles northwest of the Coal Creek Ranch SWA (Access Easement) point. Nearby public places include 4 SWAs and 2 trust land parcels.
| Nearby | Type | Acres | County | Miles | Heading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jensen SWA | SWA | 5,955 | Rio Blanco | 4 miles | northwest |
| Meeker Pasture SWA | SWA | 48 | Rio Blanco | 9 miles | southwest |
| Oak Ridge SWA | SWA | 13,663 | Rio Blanco | 10 miles | south |
| Monument Butte STL | State trust land | 653 | Moffat | 11 miles | north |
| Iles Grove STL | State trust land | 2,079 | Moffat | 14 miles | north |
| Collins Mountain Ranch SWA (Access Easement) | SWA | 2,421 | Rio Blanco | 15 miles | southwest |
Point: CPW Managed Properties (public access only) layer, CPWAdminData (1 polygon) (polygon centroid). Straight-line distances. Closed places from lands.json closed rows. Statewide public land map.
Coal Creek Ranch SWA (Access Easement): nearby towns, shops and the CPW office
Measured in a straight line, Meeker is 10 miles from Coal Creek Ranch SWA (Access Easement). For a full-size grocery run, Craig (8,903 people) is the pick. You can reach the Meeker CPW office in about 14 miles of straight line.
| Town | County | 2024 population | Away | Which way |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meeker | Rio Blanco | 2,390 | 10 miles | southwest |
| Craig | Moffat | 8,903 | 29 miles | north |
| Maybell | Moffat | – | 33 miles | northwest |
| New Castle | Garfield | 4,894 | 39 miles | south |
| Silt | Garfield | 3,727 | 40 miles | south |
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.
Coal Creek Ranch SWA (Access Easement) sunrise, sunset and shooting times
Big game light near Coal Creek Ranch SWA (Access Easement) starts 30 minutes before sunrise and ends 30 minutes after sunset; turkeys, small game and ducks end at sunset.
| Day | Marker | Sun up | Sun down | Elk and deer | Turkey and ducks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 15, 2026 | Pronghorn bow opener | 6:24 a.m. | 8:12 p.m. | 5:54 a.m. to 8:42 p.m. | 5:54 a.m. to 8:12 p.m. |
| Sep 2, 2026 | Archery opener | 6:41 a.m. | 7:45 p.m. | 6:11 a.m. to 8:15 p.m. | 6:11 a.m. to 7:45 p.m. |
| Sep 12, 2026 | Muzzleloader opens | 6:50 a.m. | 7:29 p.m. | 6:20 a.m. to 7:59 p.m. | 6:20 a.m. to 7:29 p.m. |
| Oct 3, 2026 | Duck season opens | 7:10 a.m. | 6:54 p.m. | 6:40 a.m. to 7:24 p.m. | 6:40 a.m. to 6:54 p.m. |
| Oct 24, 2026 | Second rifle opens | 7:32 a.m. | 6:22 p.m. | 7:02 a.m. to 6:52 p.m. | 7:02 a.m. to 6:22 p.m. |
| Nov 23, 2026 | Lion season opens | 7:07 a.m. | 4:53 p.m. | 6:37 a.m. to 5:23 p.m. | 6:37 a.m. to 4:53 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:31 a.m. | 4:51 p.m. | 7:01 a.m. to 5:21 p.m. | 7:01 a.m. to 4:51 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.
Landscape and game around Coal Creek Ranch SWA (Access Easement)
Public and private ranges before Coal Creek Ranch State Wildlife Area (Access Easement)
Hayden Shooting Range (per the CPW page) is 36 miles from Coal Creek Ranch State Wildlife Area (Access Easement). Beside it sit the closest club ranges inside 30 miles.
From the CPW Shooting Range Finder, ranges’ own pages and directory listings, checked November 5, 2026.
Hunting Coal Creek Ranch SWA (Access Easement): common questions
Is elk on Coal Creek Ranch SWA (Access Easement) draw only?
Yes, for part of the elk calendar: 2 rows, including second rifle (OTC). Leftover licenses went on sale August 4.
Which special elk rules cover Coal Creek Ranch SWA (Access Easement)?
Free mandatory CWD tests apply to some rifle elk codes in GMU 23. GMU 23 carry the elk antler point restriction.
Where should I stay when hunting Coal Creek Ranch SWA (Access Easement)?
Meeker is your nearest base, 10 miles off.
Where do I report trouble on Coal Creek Ranch SWA (Access Easement)?
Area 6 CPW Office in Meeker, 970-878-6090; CPW offices close on state holidays.
Must I wear blaze orange or pink on Coal Creek Ranch SWA (Access Easement)?
Yes for firearm big game: 500 square inches of fluorescent orange or pink on the upper body and a matching head covering. Camo orange does not count.
Can I set out bait, salt or grain on Coal Creek Ranch SWA (Access Easement)?
No bait for big game, turkey, small game or birds; normal agricultural salt and mineral blocks are the only exception for big game.
When does big game light begin and end on Coal Creek Ranch SWA (Access Easement)?
Big game 6:18 a.m. to 5:35 p.m. on November 7, 2026 at the Rio Blanco County centre; turkey, small game and ducks stop at sunset.
Where do hunters sleep when they hunt Coal Creek Ranch SWA (Access Easement)?
Off the property: no camping icon shows on the CPW page.
Which agency page should I check for Coal Creek Ranch SWA (Access Easement)?
The Colorado Parks and Wildlife page has the current rules.
What does it take to hunt Coal Creek Ranch SWA (Access Easement) legally?
The SWA rule applies: 16 and older need a Colorado hunting or fishing license, or the wildlife area pass.
What acreage does the record give for Coal Creek Ranch SWA (Access Easement)?
All told it takes in 1,122 acres.
What counties does Coal Creek Ranch SWA (Access Easement) reach into?
Inside Rio Blanco County.
What hunt code unit applies to Coal Creek Ranch SWA (Access Easement)?
It overlaps GMU 23.
Does Coal Creek Ranch SWA (Access Easement) keep set hours or dates?
The restrictions say: Open May 1 to November 30 while fishing only.
What game can be hunted on Coal Creek Ranch SWA (Access Easement)?
The agency lists deer and elk.
Wrap-up for Coal Creek Ranch SWA (Access Easement)
Property rules, closures and reservation needs on Coal Creek Ranch SWA (Access Easement) can change mid-season; posted signs and the agency page have the last word.
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: ShenandoahNPS (Public domain); YellowstoneNPS (Public domain); NPS Photo (Public domain).