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SWA · CPW-managed ground
Hunt Gypsum Ponds State Wildlife Area: units, rules and dates
State wildlife area in Eagle County; 90 acres.
Photo: Melissa Johnson (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Gypsum Ponds State Wildlife Area
Inside the Gypsum Ponds SWA listing
90 acres is the figure the CPW SWA page gives for Gypsum Ponds SWA. Rank by area: 199th of the 224 state wildlife areas we cover. It is one of 2 state wildlife areas inside Eagle County. It falls in CPW Area 8, Northwest Region, where the Eagle district wildlife manager patrols. For Gypsum Ponds SWA, the page gives 970-947-2920 at the Area CPW Office, Glenwood Springs office. CPW printed waterfowl under hunting for Gypsum Ponds SWA in the 2026 brochure. Fishing line in the brochure: cold-water stream, cold-water lake. Recreation entry: wildlife viewing. No camping icon appears on the Gypsum Ponds SWA page.
Species the agency lists here: Waterfowl.
Activity icons: Hunting, Fishing, Nature Viewing.
From the agency page, 2026 Recreation Lands brochure, p. 14 (Colorado Parks and Wildlife); retrieved 2026-11-04, checked November 5, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Gypsum Ponds State Wildlife Area
Access rules on Gypsum Ponds SWA
Like every SWA, Gypsum Ponds SWA asks people 16 and older for a Colorado hunting or fishing license or the wildlife area pass. Off-road driving is out, and so is camping outside authorized sites. The stand rule is portable equipment only, placed no earlier than 30 days before the season. No shooting a firearm or bow in parking, camping or picnic areas.
Property restrictions for Gypsum Ponds SWA:
- Open for public access sunrise to sunset; no time restrictions for hunters and anglers.
- Parking and public access allowed through designated areas as posted only.
- Launching and take out of vessels prohibited.
- Dogs prohibited March 15 to July 15. When allowed, 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.
From the agency source, CPW SWA finder; checked November 5, 2026.
Where Gypsum Ponds SWA is and how to get in
Printed directions: I-70 to Gypsum exit, take S side frontage road of I-70 E to parking area. SWA on N side of Eagle River only.
Mapped centre: 39.6518, -106.9352.
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)); checked November 5, 2026.
Unit map facts for Gypsum Ponds SWA
Check the license against the unit; Gypsum Ponds SWA falls in 2 GMUs: GMU 35, GMU 44.
Bull elk hunters in GMU 35 and GMU 44 must count points before shooting. The lion season closes when group 3 and 7 reaches its limit.
| GMU | Covers | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| GMU 35 | Eagle | elk antler point rule, lion group 3 |
| GMU 44 | Eagle | elk antler point rule, lion group 7 |
There is no property-level harvest figure for Gypsum Ponds SWA; GMU 35 topped the 2024 unit tables with 442 deer.
| GMU | Game | Animals taken | Hunters | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GMU 35 | Elk | 168 | 1,008 | 17% |
| GMU 35 | Deer | 442 | 1,013 | 44% |
| GMU 35 | Black bear | 5 | – | – |
| GMU 44 | Elk | 163 | 1,203 | 14% |
| GMU 44 | Deer | 170 | 299 | 57% |
| GMU 44 | Black bear | 29 | – | – |
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.
Gypsum Ponds SWA: which hunts are open when
Only small game or birds are listed for Gypsum Ponds SWA.
| Bird or animal | Season | Zone | First day | Last day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ducks and coots | Season | Eastern zone | Oct 3, 2026 | Jan 15, 2027 |
Season rows from the 2026 Small Game and Waterfowl brochure; property rules still apply; checked November 5, 2026.
Other public ground within reach of Gypsum Ponds SWA
Head 6 miles southwest and you reach Old Man's Gulch STL. Around it on the map: 2 SWAs, 1 trust land parcel and 1 BLM field office. Within 25 miles but not open to hunters: Eagle River State Wildlife Area (Fishing leases) (CPW lists no hunting), Brush Creek State Wildlife Area (no hunting) and Frying Pan River State Wildlife Area (Fishing Lease) (CPW lists no hunting).
| Nearby | Type | Acres | County | Miles | Heading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Old Man's Gulch STL | State trust land | 692 | Eagle | 6 miles | southwest |
| BLM Colorado River Valley Field Office | BLM field office | 567,000 | Garfield | 12 miles | northeast |
| Sylvan Lake State Park | State park | 1,532 | Eagle | 15 miles | southeast |
| Basalt SWA | SWA | 2,577 | Eagle | 19 miles | south |
| White River National Forest | National forest | 2,289,637 | Eagle | 20 miles | southeast |
| Williams Hill SWA | SWA | 487 | Pitkin | 23 miles | south |
Point: CPW Managed Properties (public access only) layer, CPWAdminData (1 polygon) (point inside polygon (centroid falls outside)). Straight-line distances. Closed places from lands.json closed rows. Statewide public land map.
Stores, processors and towns for Gypsum Ponds SWA
From the Gypsum Ponds SWA point, Eagle sits 6 miles away. Glenwood Springs, 23 miles out, is larger, with 10,311 people in 2024. For licenses in person, the Glenwood Springs CPW office is 28 miles off.
| Place | County | Population | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eagle | Eagle | 7,349 | 6 miles | east |
| Glenwood Springs | Garfield | 10,311 | 23 miles | west |
| Carbondale | Garfield | 6,758 | 23 miles | southwest |
| Minturn | Eagle | 955 | 31 miles | east |
| New Castle | Garfield | 4,894 | 32 miles | west |
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.
Gypsum Ponds SWA sunrise, sunset and shooting times
The CPW brochures print Denver sunrise and sunset tables with town offsets; the times for Gypsum Ponds SWA here are worked out with the NOAA solar formula for its own location.
| Date | Opener | Sunrise | Sunset | Elk window | Duck window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2, 2026 | Archery opener | 6:35 a.m. | 7:39 p.m. | 6:05 a.m. to 8:09 p.m. | 6:05 a.m. to 7:39 p.m. |
| Sep 12, 2026 | Muzzleloader opens | 6:44 a.m. | 7:23 p.m. | 6:14 a.m. to 7:53 p.m. | 6:14 a.m. to 7:23 p.m. |
| Oct 3, 2026 | Duck season opens | 7:03 a.m. | 6:48 p.m. | 6:33 a.m. to 7:18 p.m. | 6:33 a.m. to 6:48 p.m. |
| Oct 24, 2026 | Second rifle opens | 7:25 a.m. | 6:17 p.m. | 6:55 a.m. to 6:47 p.m. | 6:55 a.m. to 6:17 p.m. |
| Nov 23, 2026 | Lion season opens | 7:00 a.m. | 4:47 p.m. | 6:30 a.m. to 5:17 p.m. | 6:30 a.m. to 4:47 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:24 a.m. | 4:46 p.m. | 6:54 a.m. to 5:16 p.m. | 6:54 a.m. to 4:46 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.
Classes and banquets near Gypsum Ponds State Wildlife Area
Near this ground as of November 4, 2026: 1 listing ahead, starting with RMEF Castle Peak Chapter Banquet.
| Date | Event | Miles off | Where | Sign up | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 13, 2027 | RMEF Castle Peak Chapter Banquet · RMEF banquet in Eagle | 6 | Eagle, Eagle County | Buy tickets | Source |
What the region around Gypsum Ponds SWA looks like
Gypsum Ponds State Wildlife Area hunters: public range plus clubs
For a no-dues line, Gypsum Ponds State Wildlife Area hunters head 20 miles to Basalt State Wildlife Area Shooting 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.
Gypsum Ponds SWA FAQ from the agency sources
Does Gypsum Ponds SWA keep set hours or dates?
The restrictions say: Open for public access sunrise to sunset; no time restrictions for hunters and anglers.
Which GMU numbers does Gypsum Ponds SWA fall in?
The ground lies in GMU 35 and GMU 44, and a big game license must be valid for the unit.
Do elk point rules or CWD testing apply on Gypsum Ponds SWA?
Elk point rules: GMU 35 and GMU 44. These GMUs are not on the 2026 mandatory elk CWD list.
Which animals does the agency list for Gypsum Ponds SWA?
On record: waterfowl. Seasons and licenses still decide what is open.
Whom should I phone with questions about Gypsum Ponds SWA?
Area CPW Office in Glenwood Springs, 970-947-2920.
Where should I stay when hunting Gypsum Ponds SWA?
Eagle is your nearest base, 6 miles off.
Can I set out bait, salt or grain on Gypsum Ponds SWA?
No bait for big game, turkey, small game or birds; normal agricultural salt and mineral blocks are the only exception for big game.
What must I wear on Gypsum Ponds SWA during rifle season?
At least 500 square inches of solid orange or pink above the waist and a hat; archers hunting during rifle seasons wear it too.
Is there an authorized camp area on Gypsum Ponds SWA?
Look for a campground nearby; none is listed here.
When must I stop shooting on Gypsum Ponds SWA each evening?
6:11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. for big game on November 7, 2026 (Eagle County, NOAA solar formula). See the table above for other dates.
Which pass must I carry on Gypsum Ponds SWA?
No separate permit in most cases: a hunting or fishing license (or SWA Pass) for everyone 16+, unless the restrictions here say otherwise.
Where can I read the source for Gypsum Ponds SWA?
Read the official source before each trip.
What counties does Gypsum Ponds SWA reach into?
Inside Eagle County.
What size is Gypsum Ponds SWA on the agency count?
The CPW SWA page lists 90 acres.
One last look at Gypsum Ponds SWA
Snow and mud close roads in Colorado without much notice; check access to Gypsum Ponds SWA before the drive.
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: USFWS Mountain Prairie (CC BY 2.0); Yellowstone National Park (Public domain); USFWS/Southeast (Public domain).