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Perins Peak State Wildlife Area, a guide for Colorado hunters
State wildlife area in La Plata County (7,720 acres).
Photo: daveynin (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Perins Peak State Wildlife Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near Perins Peak State Wildlife Area
- Parking areaParking · 1.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Colorado Trail TrailheadTrailhead · 1.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Colorado Trail TrailheadParking · 1.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Junction Creek TrailheadParking · 2.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Log Chutes TrailheadTrailhead · 2.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Dalla Mountain Park TrailheadTrailhead · 2.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Birket TrailheadTrailhead · 3.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.2 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.
Entry requirements for Perins Peak SWA
The statewide SWA rule covers Perins Peak SWA: visitors 16+ carry a hunting license, a fishing license or the State Wildlife Area Pass. Keep trucks on open roads; pitch a tent only in places CPW allows. A blind or stand must be portable and can be placed at most 30 days before the season. Discharge of firearms or bows is banned in parking, camping and picnic areas.
Site rules from CPW:
- Public access W of La Plata CR 208 prohibited December 1 to April 30, except turkey hunters.
- Public access E of La Plata CR 208 prohibited December 1 to July 31.
- Camping only by licensed hunters during big-game season, plus 3 days before and 3 days after each season.
- Discharging firearms or bows allowed only for hunting.
- Dogs allowed May 1 to September 30 W of CR 208 and August 1 to September 30 E of CR 208 and must be under control and on leash by handler, except service animals or when actively hunting, training for hunting or during licensed field trials.
- Dogs allowed from October 1 to November 30 only if they are service animals, when actively hunting, training for hunting or during licensed field trials.
From the agency source, CPW SWA finder; checked November 5, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Perins Peak State Wildlife Area
What the agency says about Perins Peak SWA
Going by the CPW SWA page, Perins Peak SWA covers 7,720 acres. 224 state wildlife areas appear on this site, and by acres Perins Peak SWA comes 22nd. Within La Plata County there are 4 state wildlife areas on file. For CPW purposes Perins Peak SWA belongs to Area 15 in the Southwest Region, district Durango W. Call 970-247-0855 (Area CPW Office, Durango) about conditions on Perins Peak SWA. In the 2026 brochure the hunting entry reads: deer, elk, bear, rabbit, squirrel, dusky grouse, turkey. The CPW page marks camping as not offered on Perins Peak SWA.
The listed quarry: Deer, Elk, Black bear, Wild turkey, Dusky grouse, Rabbits, Squirrels.
From the agency page, 2026 Recreation Lands brochure, p. 22 (Colorado Parks and Wildlife); retrieved 2026-11-04, checked November 5, 2026.
Open seasons by unit on Perins Peak SWA
In all, 25 public-land season rows apply in these GMUs. OTC options in these units: black bear, elk and wild turkey. Private-land-only and ranch rows (8) are not shown. 2 unit rows for unlisted game are omitted. Note: spring turkey shows 2026 dates until CPW prints 2027.
| Game | Method | Sex | Sale | Opens | Closes | GMUs here |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elk | Archery | bull | Limited draw | Sep 2, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | 74 |
| Elk | Archery | cow | Limited draw | Sep 2, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | 74 |
| Elk | Muzzleloader | bull | Limited draw | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | 74 |
| Elk | Muzzleloader | cow | Limited draw | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | 74 |
| Elk | Rifle | bull | Limited draw | Oct 14, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | 74 |
| Elk | Rifle | cow | Limited draw | Oct 14, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | 74 |
| Elk | Rifle | cow | Limited draw | Oct 24, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | 74 |
| Elk | Second rifle | bull | OTC | Oct 24, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | 74 |
| Elk | Rifle | cow | Limited draw | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 15, 2026 | 74 |
| Elk | Third rifle | bull | OTC | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 15, 2026 | 74 |
| Elk | Rifle | bull | Limited draw | Nov 18, 2026 | Nov 22, 2026 | 74 |
| Deer | Archery | buck | Limited draw | Sep 2, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | 74 |
| Deer | Rifle | buck | Limited, early | Sep 5, 2026 | Sep 13, 2026 | 74 |
| Deer | Muzzleloader | buck | Limited draw | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | 74 |
| Deer | Rifle | buck | Limited draw | Oct 24, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | 74 |
| Deer | Rifle | buck | Limited draw | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 15, 2026 | 74 |
| Deer | Rifle | buck | Limited draw | Nov 18, 2026 | Nov 22, 2026 | 74 |
| Black bear | Archery | either sex | Limited draw | Sep 2, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | 74 |
| Black bear | Archery | either sex | OTC | Sep 2, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | 74 |
| Black bear | Rifle | either sex | Limited draw | Sep 2, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | 74 |
| Black bear | Muzzleloader | either sex | Limited draw | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | 74 |
| Black bear | Muzzleloader | either sex | OTC | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | 74 |
| Black bear | Rifle | either sex | OTC | Oct 14, 2026 | Nov 22, 2026 | 74 |
| Wild turkey | Spring | – | OTC | Apr 11, 2026 | May 31, 2026 | 74 |
| Wild turkey | Fall | – | OTC | Sep 1, 2026 | Oct 4, 2026 | 74 |
Small game, birds and furbearers
| Game | Hunt | Area | Start | End |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dusky grouse | Season | West of I-25 | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 22, 2026 |
| Fox squirrel | Season | Statewide | Oct 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 |
| Cottontail | Season | Statewide | Oct 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 |
| Abert's squirrel | Season | Statewide | Nov 15, 2026 | Jan 15, 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.
Which units cover Perins Peak SWA
The CPW unit layer puts Perins Peak SWA in 1 GMU: GMU 74.
In GMU 74 a legal bull elk must meet the antler point rule. Lion hunters check the quota for group 17 before going out. GMU 74 lie in the lynx recovery area, with extra trapping and lure rules.
Read these as whole-unit numbers: the biggest 2024 total among them was 329 elk in GMU 74.
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.
Finding Perins Peak SWA on the ground
Directions from the 2026 brochure: From Durango, go 4 miles W on Highway 160 to CR 207 (Lightner Creek Road), then turn right and go 2 miles N to CR 208 (Dry Fork Road). Decker Tract: From Durango, go 5 miles W on Highway 160 to Victory Coal Mine Road, turn right and go 0.5 miles on access road (through private property).
Its map point, 37.3122, -107.9311, comes from the boundary layer.
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 (3 polygons) (polygon centroid of the largest part); checked November 5, 2026.
Towns and outfitters within reach of Perins Peak SWA
Count on Durango, about 5 miles out, as the first town for supplies. The nearest CPW office is in Durango, 6 miles away.
| Community | County | Residents | Straight line | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Durango | La Plata | 19,811 | 5 miles | southeast |
| Bayfield | La Plata | 2,923 | 19 miles | east |
| Dolores | Montezuma | 937 | 33 miles | west |
| Cortez | Montezuma | 9,151 | 36 miles | west |
| Silverton | San Juan | 731 | 37 miles | northeast |
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.
Public places a short drive from Perins Peak SWA
The closest other public ground is Bodo SWA, 5 miles to the southeast. Within the six nearest places are 3 SWAs, 2 trust land parcels and 1 national forest. Closed to hunting nearby: Bayfield Lions Club Shooting Range (CPW lists no hunting) and Mancos State Park (no hunting designation).
| Public land | Kind | Acres | County | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bodo SWA | SWA | 2,942 | La Plata | 5 miles | southeast |
| Pastorius Reservoir SWA | SWA | 83 | La Plata | 10 miles | southeast |
| Haviland Lake SWA | SWA | 208 | La Plata | 17 miles | northeast |
| Menefee Peak STL | State trust land | 635 | Montezuma | 17 miles | west |
| San Juan National Forest | National forest | 1,866,191 | Archuleta | 20 miles | northeast |
| Weber Canyon STL | State trust land | 441 | Montezuma | 20 miles | west |
Point: CPW Managed Properties (public access only) layer, CPWAdminData (3 polygons) (polygon centroid of the largest part). Straight-line distances. Closed places from lands.json closed rows. Statewide public land map.
Legal light on Perins Peak SWA, opener by opener
In Perins Peak SWA, the light goose conservation order and furbearer hunting both run to half an hour after sunset.
| Date | Why it matters | Sunrise | Sunset | Big game hours | Bird hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2, 2026 | Archery opener | 6:42 a.m. | 7:41 p.m. | 6:12 a.m. to 8:11 p.m. | 6:12 a.m. to 7:41 p.m. |
| Sep 12, 2026 | Muzzleloader opens | 6:50 a.m. | 7:26 p.m. | 6:20 a.m. to 7:56 p.m. | 6:20 a.m. to 7:26 p.m. |
| Oct 3, 2026 | Duck season opens | 7:07 a.m. | 6:53 p.m. | 6:37 a.m. to 7:23 p.m. | 6:37 a.m. to 6:53 p.m. |
| Oct 24, 2026 | Second rifle opens | 7:27 a.m. | 6:24 p.m. | 6:57 a.m. to 6:54 p.m. | 6:57 a.m. to 6:24 p.m. |
| Nov 23, 2026 | Lion season opens | 6:59 a.m. | 4:58 p.m. | 6:29 a.m. to 5:28 p.m. | 6:29 a.m. to 4:58 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:21 a.m. | 4:57 p.m. | 6:51 a.m. to 5:27 p.m. | 6:51 a.m. to 4:57 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.
A look at the country near Perins Peak SWA
Perins Peak State Wildlife Area hunters: public range plus clubs
For a no-dues line, Perins Peak State Wildlife Area hunters head 14 miles to Bayfield Lions Club 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.
Events close to Perins Peak State Wildlife Area
Types nearby: NWTF banquet. Count: 1 listing ahead.
| Scheduled | Event | How far | Where held | Link | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 27, 2027 | La Plata County Guaholotes Banquet · NWTF banquet in Durango | 5 | Durango, La Plata County | Event details | Source |
Quick answers about Perins Peak SWA
Is it legal to hunt over bait on Perins Peak SWA?
No. It is illegal to hunt big game, turkey, small game or migratory birds over bait in Colorado, whoever placed it.
What blaze orange rule applies on Perins Peak SWA?
With any firearm license for deer, elk, pronghorn, moose or bear: 500 square inches of solid orange or pink above the waist plus an orange or pink hat.
Does the CPW page show camping for Perins Peak SWA?
Camping is not offered here.
What clock times bound legal hunting on Perins Peak SWA?
Half an hour either side of the sun for big game, which on November 7, 2026 means 6:11 a.m. to 5:39 p.m. in La Plata County.
What license or pass gets me onto Perins Peak SWA?
Anyone 16 or older needs a Colorado hunting or fishing license or a State Wildlife Area Pass, plus the license for the game you hunt.
Where do I confirm the rules for Perins Peak SWA?
Check the agency page run by Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
What counties does Perins Peak SWA reach into?
Inside La Plata County.
How much room is there to roam on Perins Peak SWA?
Listed size: 7,720 acres.
Are there date or time limits on Perins Peak SWA?
Public access W of La Plata CR 208 prohibited December 1 to April 30, except turkey hunters.
Which GMUs does Perins Peak SWA overlap?
Units on the CPW layer: GMU 74.
Do I need to draw for elk on Perins Peak SWA?
Buy over the counter for 2 rows (second rifle, OTC is one); the other elk hunts need the April draw.
Which game does Perins Peak SWA hold?
Deer, elk, black bear, wild turkey, dusky grouse, rabbits and squirrels, by the agency list.
What is the closest town with services to Perins Peak SWA?
The closest town with a page here is Durango (5 miles).
CWD and antler rules for Perins Peak SWA?
The point restriction on bull elk covers GMU 74. No mandatory CWD testing GMU here; deer testing is not mandatory in 2026.
Who can answer a question about conditions on Perins Peak SWA?
Phone Area CPW Office in Durango, 970-247-0855.
Perins Peak SWA: the final check
Use this page to plan, then reread the agency page for Perins Peak SWA the week before the trip.
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: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region (Public domain); fishhawk (CC BY 2.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region (Public domain).