Colorado 4x4 Trails to Fishing Locations

[Slopeside]

COVID seems to have seriously increased interest in fishing and many rivers have been crowded recently. I was thinking that finding access which requires a true 4x4 would maybe alleviate that but there's no helpful info on trailsoffroad.com or in the FunTreks book I've found.

I'm based in Denver and the last few weeks I've fished S. Platte, S. Boulder Creek, and Clear Creek. While I'm not asking for your secret honey hole, any insight on a reasonable day-trip with some vague recommendations would be welcome! Specifically looking for river access to fly fish but would be interested to hear about lakes too.

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[Jabarsetti]

COVID seems to have seriously increased interest in fishing and many rivers have been crowded recently. I was thinking that finding access which requires a true 4x4 would maybe alleviate that but there's no helpful info on trailsoffroad.com or in the FunTreks book I've found.

I'm based in Denver and the last few weeks I've fished S. Platte, S. Boulder Creek, and Clear Creek. While I'm not asking for your secret honey hole, any insight on a reasonable day-trip with some vague recommendations would be welcome!

I recently made the trip up Balanced Rock OHV trail for this purpose. it's not necessarily a difficult trail, towards the end it has a switchback that has some deep ruts that most vehicles (non high clearance) would have a hard time and it ends at Palmer lake #2. the lake is beautiful and I believe it is only accessible by this trail or hiking up from Palmer lake, CO, I heard about it through the Bearded Bastards FB page and wanted to check it out you can also find the trail on AllTrails. It was cold/raining/windy so we opted out of fishing for the day. However, the App FishBrain shows it as a pretty good area to fish.

 

[Slopeside]

Thanks @Jabarsetti - I got most the way to Chinns Lake on Saturday before the snow/rain caught me with just the bikini top on. I would say it's just the last 200 yards before the lower reservoir that's snowed in still but accessible by foot.

 

[D60]

My ex-wife had great luck in Grizzly Lake years ago. The Collegiate Peaks area, turn right at base of Iron Chest trail.

 

[kelvinator]

Speaking of the Collegiate Peaks, Lake Ann and Cholhesy Lake require a 4x4 to get to them. These are west of Clear Creek Reservoir. I fished Clear Creek just before it flows into the reservoir the Friday before Memorial Day - nobody else around but me and a buddy. I haven't seen crowds on this creek or the Arkansas, even on a Saturday.

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