As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
COLORADO RIVER DIRECTORY
Fly Fishing Rivers
In Colorado
Compare 35 rivers, from the first shortlist to the smaller waters you want to explore.
Choose Your Colorado Water
I started bringing my fly rod on winter snowboarding trips to Colorado, fishing in the mornings before the resorts opened. I’ve hooked rainbow trout in the South Platte, Gunnison, and Blue rivers, and caught both rainbow and brown trout on the Frying Pan. This guide brings 35 Colorado rivers together, with the reach differences that matter when choosing a trip.
For lakes, seasons, and broader trip planning, read the Colorado fly fishing overview.
The Colorado River Directory
Start with the river profiles, then explore the shorter entries below.
The South Platte River
The South Platte River below Cheesman Reservoir runs through Cheesman Canyon before reaching Deckers. In the canyon, large rainbow trout and demanding tailwater fishing are part of the draw.
Boulders shape the South Platte as it flows through the canyon, and the Gill Trail provides the walking route to the river. Cheesman Canyon also contains designated Gold Medal water.
Below the canyon, the river continues through Deckers, where water from Cheesman Reservoir feeds another stretch of fishing with access points along the river.
The Arkansas River
Salida and Buena Vista make useful bases for exploring the Arkansas River. Wild brown trout are a major draw along this Colorado river, and rainbow trout are present too.
The river changes character as it travels from the high country near Leadville through broad valleys and canyons downstream.
Highways 24 and 50 follow the fishing corridor and provide access to numerous public fishing areas. The Arkansas also has a long reach of Gold Medal trout water.
The Gunnison River
The Gunnison River begins at Almont, where the Taylor and East rivers meet. The upper river flows toward Blue Mesa Reservoir, with brown and rainbow trout present. It includes riffles and deep pools.
Farther downstream, the Gunnison runs through Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, where it is designated Gold Medal water.
Reaching the river on the park's inner-canyon routes involves steep, difficult scrambles. Treat that approach as part of the trip, and choose your section before planning the day's fishing.
The Frying Pan River
The Frying Pan River's Gold Medal water runs from Ruedi Dam downstream to its confluence with the Roaring Fork River. This is a tailwater fishery below Ruedi Dam.
Two Different Fisheries Near Basalt
Frying Pan
Tailwater below Ruedi Reservoir.
Roaring Fork
Freestone river flowing from Independence Pass through Aspen toward Glenwood Springs.
Choose between the dam-fed Frying Pan and the freestone Roaring Fork before planning the rest of the day.
The river holds brown and rainbow trout, and the fishing can be demanding. I would give the presentation as much attention as the fly selection.
The Roaring Fork River
The Roaring Fork River is a freestone trout fishery that begins near Independence Pass and flows through Aspen toward Glenwood Springs.
On the lower river, designated Gold Medal water continues to the meeting of the Roaring Fork and Colorado rivers in Glenwood Springs. Brown and rainbow trout inhabit this lower reach.
Float fishing is a common approach between Basalt and Glenwood Springs, though wading is also an option. West Bank, upstream of Glenwood Springs, is one place with wade-fishing access.
The Colorado River
The Colorado River offers brown and rainbow trout fishing in its upper reaches. For a day on foot, Breeze and Paul Gilbert are access points worth putting on your map.
Upper Colorado: On Foot Or By Boat
Breeze And Paul Gilbert
Access for fishing on foot.
Pumphouse On Foot
Walking routes provide access to wade fishing.
Pumphouse By Boat
Developed launches lead to downstream water with both calmer stretches and rapids.
A boat launch and wading access can share a starting point, but they call for different plans.
Pumphouse is another useful place to plan a visit around, with developed boat launches for floating the upper Colorado. The same area also provides access to wade fishing.
A float downstream of Pumphouse includes both calmer stretches and rapids. Choose a route with the rowing involved in mind, or use the wading access for a day spent concentrating on a shorter piece of river.
The Blue River
The Blue River offers different fishing settings around Breckenridge, Silverthorne, and Green Mountain Reservoir. Around Breckenridge, the upper river holds both brown and rainbow trout.
Three Settings On The Blue
Breckenridge
Upper-river fishing with brown and rainbow trout.
Silverthorne
Tailwater below Dillon Reservoir, with shops beside the river.
Below Green Mountain
Canyon water with a steep approach.
Select the river section first. Fishing in Silverthorne and descending into the lower canyon are different outings.
Below Dillon Reservoir, the Blue runs through Silverthorne beside shops. Trout in this tailwater feed on mysis shrimp.
The canyon below Green Mountain Reservoir involves a steep approach to the river. Consider it a separate outing from the fishing in town, with the descent to the water built into your plans.
The Cache La Poudre River
The Cache La Poudre River starts in Rocky Mountain National Park and runs through Fort Collins, with parts of its course designated Wild and Scenic. Highway 14 follows it through Poudre Canyon.
Its fish include brown and rainbow trout. Where you find pocket water, focus on one pocket at a time as you work along the river.
The Big Thompson River
Lake Estes is a useful dividing point when planning a trip to the Big Thompson River. The water immediately below the lake is a tailwater fishery, and brown and rainbow trout live in the river below it.
From there, the river runs through Big Thompson Canyon toward Loveland. Give the slower canyon water a look as well; the immediate dam outflow is only one section to consider.
The Animas River
The Animas River rises in the mountains near Silverton, then passes through canyons on its way to Durango. By the time it reaches town, it is a freestone river.
In Durango, boulders, deep pools, and riffles give anglers varied water to fish. Brown and rainbow trout live here.
There are fishing access points within Durango itself. That makes the town stretch worth considering for an outing on foot, with the boulders and deeper water in mind when choosing where to wade.
The Taylor River
Below Taylor Park Reservoir, the Taylor runs through Taylor Canyon to Almont, where it meets the East River to form the Gunnison. Midge patterns belong in a starting fly selection for this tailwater. Pick the reach before using a report: the reservoir outlet and the river down at Almont are distinct reference points.
The Rio Grande
The Rio Grande’s Gold Medal trout water runs from the Colorado 149 bridge in South Fork downstream to the Rio Grande Canal diversion near Del Norte. Focus on that reach for a Gold Medal trip; the water upstream toward Creede is outside the designation. Our Rio Grande guide explains the different sections.
The Yampa River
The Yampa runs through downtown Steamboat Springs, with public river access through town. Check Steamboat Springs’ current restrictions before making fishing plans. CPW’s closure list, checked September 20, 2026, included a mandatory full-day closure on the tailwater immediately below Stagecoach Reservoir and voluntary full-day closures on other Yampa reaches.
The Eagle River
The upper Eagle near its headwaters offers pocket-water fishing with dry flies; toward Gypsum, the river becomes larger and wider. Public access along the I-70 corridor is broken up by private parcels. Choose the river section for the kind of water you want to fish, then locate a public entry point.
The Dolores River
The Dolores offers small-stream fishing near Rico above McPhee Reservoir and a separate tailwater below the dam. On the upper river, a dry-dropper rig fits the pocket water and runs. Decide which side of McPhee you want to fish before choosing a base.
The North Platte River
Northgate Canyon is the North Platte’s Gold Medal choice near the Wyoming border. It offers a canyon setting alongside the meadow-stream fishing found elsewhere in North Park. If your route continues across the state line, plan the Wyoming portion separately from the Colorado water.
The San Miguel River
The San Miguel below Telluride is a freestone option for anglers who enjoy working pocket water. A dry fly with a nymph below it is a useful starting approach here, letting you fish the surface and subsurface as you move between pockets and runs.
The Conejos River
The Conejos offers brown and rainbow trout fishing on a tributary of the Rio Grande. Stoneflies and caddis are useful fly families to consider for a trip here. Keep the river section in mind when choosing an access point: a reach below Platoro Reservoir is different from the headwaters above it.
The White River
The White River around Meeker holds brown and rainbow trout. Meeker City Park offers public river fishing, with other access areas along the valley toward Buford. Use those named public reaches to plan a day here, since private ranches also border the river.
The Uncompahgre River
Pa-Co-Chu-Puk, below Ridgway Reservoir in Ridgway State Park, is the Uncompahgre’s tailwater option. Brown and rainbow trout live here, and reservoir releases shape the river below the dam. It is a useful choice for a trip focused on a specific tailwater reach.
Clear Creek
Clear Creek combines the Golden Mile in town with canyon fishing farther upstream. Brown and rainbow trout are present, and the canyon offers pools and runs. Golden suits a town-based outing; choose a specific public canyon access when you want to fish farther upstream.
The Elk River
The upper Elk near Clark puts you in national-forest country, with brown and rainbow trout present in the river. It is a mountain-river option north of Steamboat. Keep the upper public water and private ranch stretches separate when choosing an access point.
The Cimarron River
The Cimarron’s high-country forks offer small-stream dry-fly fishing, while the main river below Silver Jack Reservoir is a separate tailwater choice. Rainbow and cutthroat trout occur in the system. Use current Forest Service alerts when planning the approach.
South Boulder Creek
Walker Ranch gives you a named place to fish South Boulder Creek below Gross Reservoir, with brown and rainbow trout in this part of the stream. The approach involves a hike. Allow time for getting to the creek and returning to the trailhead, as well as fishing.
The East River
The East River meets the Taylor at Almont to form the Gunnison. At Roaring Judy, the reach from the hatchery outlet downstream to the property boundary is closed to fishing from August 15 through October 31. Check CPW’s Roaring Judy information and the current fishing regulations before choosing a reach.
The Fraser River
The Fraser is a meandering river, offering a different setting from Colorado’s steep canyon waters. For a town-based outing, look at the public fishing along the Fraser River Trail near Winter Park and Fraser. The trail is a useful access reference for this winding river.
The Crystal River
The Crystal is an undammed river with brown and rainbow trout. It offers a freestone alternative to the Frying Pan’s reservoir-fed tailwater, so choose it when you want to fish a river without a dam controlling its releases. Keep the two rivers’ flow reports separate.
The Piedra River
The Piedra’s box canyons make it a trout-fishing choice for anglers drawn to canyon country. Between Piedra Road and U.S. 160, the terrain is a major part of the trip. Study your approach and exit before committing to a canyon section.
The Lake Fork Of The Gunnison
The Lake Fork near Lake City is a bank-and-wade option for brown and rainbow trout. Colorado 149 provides a useful route for locating the river’s public access areas. It belongs on the shortlist for a trip built around fishing on foot.
Gore Creek
Gore Creek brings Gold Medal trout water into Vail, making it convenient for a short fishing session during a stay in the village. Focus on the designated lower reach rather than assuming that the entire creek carries the same designation.
The Michigan River
Brown trout and undercut banks are part of the Michigan River’s appeal near Walden. It is an option for anglers who enjoy fishing bank cover and river bends. Plan a legal entry point before heading onto ranch-country water; a road beside the river does not establish public access.
The Florida River
Lemon Reservoir divides the Florida into two different fishing plans. Above the reservoir, the Weminuche Wilderness offers public river fishing reached on foot. Below the dam, arrange permission or a guided lease for private water. Choose the upper river for a backcountry outing and the lower river for arranged access.
Los Pinos River
The Los Pinos, also called the Pine, holds brown and rainbow trout. Below Vallecito Reservoir, much of the river passes through private property and Southern Ute lands. Access arrangements are central to a trip on this lower river, so settle where you can fish before booking the rest of the day.
St. Vrain Creek
The St. Vrain’s upper forks offer small streams and pocket-water fishing. Farther down, the forks come together at Lyons, where the setting changes to town water. The choice is between an upper-creek outing and a public town reach, rather than one uniform river experience.
The Williams Fork River
The Williams Fork is a small mountain stream for much of its upper course, with a trout tailwater below Williams Fork Reservoir near Parshall. Choose the lower reach for the reservoir-outlet fishery. Keep upper-stream and tailwater reports separate when planning your day.
Pack For Your Colorado River Trip
For your Colorado trout trip, organize the flies for your chosen river in a SF slim fly box. If your plans include wading, the Frogg Toggs Canyon II waders are one option to compare; KastKing Skidaway polarized sunglasses are another item for your packing list. Match the rest of your tackle to the river and the fish you plan to target.
KEEP PLANNING
Choose The Reach Before You Go
Use the individual river guide for more detail, then check current access and fishing rules. The broader state overview covers the other parts of your trip.
Colorado Fishing Overview Browse Other StatesSave This Colorado River Guide For Later
Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc, or its affiliates.
As a part of the Amazon Associates Program and other affiliate programs, Into Fly Fishing® may receive a comission if you order products through links on this website.
