Colorado

Overview

Colorado is the headwaters state of the American West, with major river systems originating high in its mountains. One of the country’s premier trout fishing destinations, Colorado boasts more than 66 million acres of public lands, iconic rivers and three native cutthroat trout subspecies: greenback, Rio Grande and Colorado River, including the blue, green and San Juan lineages. Trout Unlimited’s Priority Waters include the Yampa, Roaring Fork, Gunnison, San Juan, Animas and South Platte rivers, all supporting robust populations of wild trout. With tens of thousands of members and supporters contributing more than 44,000 volunteer hours annually, we are restoring and reconnecting rivers, cleaning up abandoned mines, working with farmers and ranchers to keep more water in streams, advancing water policies and building strong conservation partnerships. Together, these efforts strengthen Colorado’s coldwater fisheries and help address historic drought and growing demands on the Colorado River, the lifeblood of the West.

Fish We're Protecting

Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout

Colorado River Cutthroat Trout

Wild Rainbow Trout

Wild Brown Trout

Greenback Cutthroat Trout

Threats & Opportunities

TU is ramping up the number of projects we have across the entire region to meet the challenges posed by the devastating, historic drought along the entire Colorado River Basin.

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What We're Accomplishing

Building Resilience to Drought and Wildfire

We are restoring watersheds in the Yampa, Fraser, Blue, Gunnison and upper Colorado rivers in partnership with the Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and local partners.

On the Fraser River, we restored 2,500 feet of stream channel to improve trout habitat affected by low flows. In the Yampa headwaters, we are restoring streams that support native Colorado River cutthroat trout. Near Eagle and Vail, fish passage improvements have reconnected 7.5 miles of Elk Creek, with additional restoration planned on Gore Creek.

In the upper Gunnison watershed, we are identifying restoration priorities to reduce wildfire impacts and improve watershed health. We have also restored 4.5 miles of streams in the Tomichi watershed and reconnected eight miles of Tomichi Creek.

Reconnecting the Colorado River at Windy Gap

Following years of TU advocacy, the $33 million Colorado River Headwaters Connectivity Channel project created a natural stream channel around Windy Gap Reservoir. The project reconnects the river, improves aquatic habitat for dozens of miles and creates one mile of publicly accessible Gold Medal trout water.

Restoring Watersheds After Wildfire

Through our partnership with the Arapaho and Roosevelt national forests, we are supporting recovery from the Cameron Peak, East Troublesome and Williams Fork fires. We are distributing $10 million to restore damaged roads, culverts, bridges, streams and wetlands, helping burned watersheds recover while reducing future wildfire risks.

Recovering Native Greenback Cutthroat Trout

In the Cache la Poudre headwaters, we are working with state and federal partners on one of Colorado’s largest native trout restoration efforts. The project aims to reintroduce greenback cutthroat trout to nearly 40 miles of connected streams and multiple lakes, creating a stronghold for Colorado’s state fish. Our long-term recovery efforts have also helped establish naturally reproducing populations in the South Platte River drainage.

Cleaning Up Abandoned Mines

We are restoring streams and wetlands damaged by historic mining while advancing federal policies that make abandoned mine cleanup possible.

At the Steiner Project near Leadville, we restored 2,000 feet of stream channel and created 1,000 feet of wetland habitat, improving aquatic connectivity and biodiversity.

In the Taylor River headwaters, we partnered with the Forest Service to reclaim the Forest Hill Mine, removing tailings from 10.5 acres, planting 2,500 native plants, protecting a quarter-mile of stream and restoring two acres of wetlands.

Partnering With Agriculture to Improve Streamflows

In the San Luis Valley, our Winter Flow and Farms to Fish programs demonstrate how voluntary water conservation can benefit both agriculture and coldwater fisheries.

Through the Winter Flow Program, we delivered 2,529 acre-feet of water from three reservoirs, supporting streamflows across approximately 255 miles and benefiting trout habitat along more than 100 miles in New Mexico.

Our Farms to Fish program helps farmers coordinate stored irrigation water deliveries during critical low-flow periods. In its pilot year, 32 farmers helped deliver more than 2,600 acre-feet of water in August alone, improving streamflows while supporting working agricultural lands.

How You Can Help

Help us care for and recover Colorado’s Priority Waters

VOLUNTEER

Stay up to date about what we’re doing to protect and restore Colorado’s rivers and native trout.

Colorado Conservation Team

Drew Peternell

Colorado State Director
drew.peternell@tu.org

David Nickum

Executive Director, Colorado Trout Unlimited
david.nickum@tu.org

View our Staff Directory at tu.org

Explore the Map

32 miles of new Gold Medal waters

3K supporters at Troutfest

$33M secured for the Colorado River

Priority Waters

Colorado River Basin

Already facing historic drought and overuse, the Colorado is one of America’s iconic waterways and provides drinking water for 40 million people across seven states and 30 Tribal Nations.
Upper Rio Grande Basin

With more than two decades of experience working in the Rio Grande region, TU has formed multiple partnerships to protect and restore the watershed’s most critical landscapes and coldwater ecosystems and recover Rio Grande cutthroat trout. We are reinforcing the stewardship practices that have served the region’s rural communities for untold generations.
Arkansas River Basin

With its headwaters in the Rocky Mountains near Leadville, the Arkansas River stretches nearly 1,500 miles to the Mississippi River. From Leadville to Canon City, the Arkansas River offers nearly 80 miles of public access and boasts robust populations of wild brown trout and rainbows. The Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission declared 102 miles of the river as Gold Medal water, the longest stretch in the state. Boasting a strong brown trout population, the Arkansas River is extremely popular with fly fishermen.
North Platte River Basin

The headwaters of the North Platte begin flowing in North Park near the Colorado-Wyoming border. An underrated fishing area in the state, a 4.5-mile stretch of river near Northgate Canyon holds Gold Medal quality fishing with wild trout.
South Platte River Basin

With some of the best fishing areas of the state—the Dream Stream, Elevenmile Canyon, Cheesman Canyon, Deckers, Waterton Canyon, and other locations—the South Platte offers notable brown and rainbow trout year-round.