Editor’s note: This list was last updated on Aug. 10, 2026. Check back for more updates.
It is officially “Know Before You Go” season.
We’re literally in off-the-charts territory for historic challenges to your recreational plans across Colorado. Region after region reports average temperatures higher than anything in their records, and stream flows lower than anything their river gauges have seen.
As fires rage and drought withers all types of water activity, the list of recreational closures across Colorado is growing daily, alongside the July heat. A well-planned trip can ease the stress and disappointment of closures and, we can hope, the workloads of local rescue teams.
To put this year’s scorching days in perspective, Denver Water is citing readings from three metro-area thermometers it tracks, with an average daily high temperature of 67 degrees for the first six months of 2026. That compares with an average in recent decades of 62 degrees.
In July, whole new swaths of popular Western rivers were cut off from fishing. High water temperatures and low flows restrict fish movement and hiding places, and stresses their recovery ability in catch-and-release angling. Colorado reported more simultaneous fishing closures in place this summer than anytime since 2002, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
“These fish need relief from the high temperatures they are experiencing,” CPW aquatic biologist Estevan Vigil said.
The Colorado Sun has compiled a starter guide with the latest on rivers, fishing, fires and more.
Fires raging against recreation plans
The majority of the state is under fire restrictions. And those restrictions expanded quickly this summer as many communities and regions spanning hundreds of thousands of acres imposed red flag warnings and Stage 2 prohibitions that pretty much banned any and all outdoor flames.
CPW has urged extreme caution as drought continues to fuel critical fire danger across the state.
Some shooting ranges operated by CPW and local groups are closed or under fire restrictions, like the Basalt State Wildlife Area Shooting Range near Basalt, the Cameo Shooting and Education Complex near Palisade and the Park County Shooting Range near Como. CPW also highlighted areas east of I-25 specifically, saying despite the region having more moisture than other areas of the state, and, relatedly, lower fire risk, conditions can change quickly during warm and dry weather.
This is especially likely in higher-elevation areas that have not received any moisture. If you’re planning to recreate east of the Continental Divide, check current conditions and restrictions before heading out, as they will vary location to location.
Violating Stage 2 fire restrictions by lighting a campfire is a class 2 misdemeanor, CPW said, and violators face an immediate citation, a mandatory court appearance, steep fines and potential jail time. Fire starters can also be held financially liable for all fire suppression costs and property damage if the campfire sparks a wildfire.
The Colorado Sun tracks major wildfires in the state, and fire-related closures are updated on each fire’s incident page on InciWeb, an interagency incident information management system. Here are some of the closures around Colorado:
Aspen Acres fire
The Aspen Acres fire southwest of Pueblo has led to sweeping closures in the San Carlos Ranger District, Pike-San Isabel National Forest, and Cimarron and Comanche national grasslands.
Elk fire
The Elk fire, located northwest of Lake City, has closed trails, campgrounds and roads on public lands within Gunnison and Hinsdale counties and the Uncompahgre National Forest. Federal agencies reduced their closure areas slightly in late July.
Gold Mountain fire
The Gold Mountain fire has led to ongoing closures of public lands, including trailheads, fishing sites, campgrounds and local rivers and creeks. The expansive closures have included the Cimarron State Wildlife Area, portions of Gunnison, Montrose and Hinsdale counties, and areas around Silver Jack Reservoir and Owl Creek Pass.
Willow fire
The Willow fire has closed access to Turquoise Lake Area, Leadville Fish Hatchery and Halfmoon Road, although other trails and campsites in the area are open. Some federal land, roads and trails are closed on the Leadville Ranger District, Pike-San Isabel National Forest, and the Cimarron and Comanche national grasslands.
Boat ramps, campgrounds shut down
Lack of snowpack runoff is hitting many Colorado rivers and reservoirs hard.
The city of Steamboat Springs closed the Yampa River to commercial outfitters and asked recreational users — tubers, paddleboarders, kayakers and anglers — to stay out of the river to protect aquatic life. The 118-year average flow of the Yampa River through downtown Steamboat Springs in June was 1,085 cfs. This marks the earliest June closure since 2012.
Denver Water previously drained Antero Reservoir to send the water downstream to other reservoirs and avoid water loss by evaporation at the shallow South Park lake. Many of Colorado’s streams are experiencing high water temperatures, above 71 degrees, in part because of the low water levels.
Here’s a list of rivers, reservoirs and more with closures, according to this CPW resource, which is updated with new announcements. Check for details about specific sites.
(“Voluntary” is CPW parlance for self-policing, asking anglers to do the right thing on their own. If conditions worsen, they will move to “mandatory” closures, meaning consequences for violations. A fish salvage notice changes or lifts fishing limits, often when a reservoir is about to dry up or be drained. Boat ramp access may also change.)
- Arkansas River below Pueblo Dam — voluntary fishing closure
- Animas River — voluntary fishing closure
- Barr Lake State Park — mandatory low water closure
- Boyd Lake State Park — mandatory low water closure
- Clear Creek — voluntary fishing closure
- Clear Creek Reservoir — mandatory low water closure
- Cochetopa Creek — voluntary fishing closure
- Colorado River near Rifle — voluntary fishing closure
- Colorado River in Grand County — voluntary fishing closure
- Conejos River — voluntary fishing closure
- Crawford State Park — mandatory low water closure
- Crystal River — voluntary fishing closure
- Dolores River — voluntary fishing closure
- Douglas Reservoir State Wildlife Area — voluntary fish salvage
- Eagle River — voluntary fishing closure
- Echo Canyon Reservoir State Wildlife Area — temporarily closed boating access
- Elk River — voluntary fishing closure
- Fraser River — voluntary fishing closure
- Gunnison River at Pleasure Park — voluntary fishing closure
- Gunnison River upstream from Blue Mesa Reservoir — voluntary fishing closure
- Jackson Lake State Park — mandatory low water closure
- John Martin Reservoir State Park — mandatory low water closure
- Lake Fork of the Gunnison River — voluntary fishing closure
- Mancos State Park — mandatory low water closure
- Middle Fork of the South Platte River — voluntary fishing closure
- Mountain Home Reservoir State Wildlife Area — voluntary fish salvage
- Nee Noshe Reservoir — voluntary fish salvage
- Paonia State Park — mandatory low water closure
- Rifle Gap State Park — mandatory low water closure
- Rio Grande River — voluntary fishing closure
- South Fork of the Rio Grande River — voluntary fishing closure
- Roaring Fork River — voluntary fishing closure
- San Juan River — voluntary fishing closure
- South Fork of the South Platte River — voluntary fishing closure
- South Platte River — voluntary fishing closure
- South Platte River in the Dream Stream section — voluntary fishing closure
- Spinney Mountain State Park — low water warning
- Sylvan Lake State Park — mandatory low water closure
- Timnath Reservoir — voluntary fish salvage
- Tomichi Creek — voluntary fishing closure
- Two Buttes Reservoir — mandatory low water closure
- Vega State Park — mandatory low water closure
- Wahatoya State Wildlife Area — mandatory fishing closure
- Wertz Pond near Karney State Wildlife Area — mandatory low water closure
- White River in parts of Rio Blanco County— voluntary fishing closure
- Yampa River below Stagecoach Reservoir — mandatory fishing closure
- Yampa River State Park — low water warning
- Yampa River at Chuck Lewis State Wildlife Area — voluntary fishing closure
- Yampa River at Sarvis Creek State Wildlife Area — voluntary fishing closure