Opening of the Collard Ranch State Wildlife Area at the north end of South Park frees hunting, fishing and wildlife-viewing access to some spectacular acres along Tarryall Creek, with tremendous views of South Park and Kenosha Pass. (Colorado Parks and Wildlife drone video)Caption goes here.
Colorado has opened its latest state wildlife area on the spectacular former Collard Ranch along Tarryall Creek, between Kenosha Pass and Fairplay, expanding public access to hunting, fishing and wildlife viewing by 1,800 scenic acres.
Collard Ranch State Wildlife Area officially opened Aug. 29, nearly a year and a half after the state announced it had used Colorado Parks and Wildlife stamp money and Great Outdoors Colorado funding to make the $8.25 million purchase. Western Rivers Conservancy bought the private ranch when it came up for sale in December 2023, holding it while Colorado officials gathered resources to buy the property.
“We have been expanding access to public lands since I took office and I’m excited that Coloradans can now enjoy this great space in Park County including valleys, streams, and abundant wildlife,” Gov. Jared Polis said in a release.
The area at the north end of sprawling South Park is open first-come, first-served to hunters, anglers and people viewing wildlife, though users need a daily or annual state wildlife areas pass that is separate from the Keep Colorado Wild Pass for state parks that is purchased through vehicle registrations. Hunting season begins at Collard Ranch on Oct. 1; hunters are required to wear orange, and all users are encouraged to wear orange or another high visibility color.
There are three parking areas for the new SWA, two along Park County Road 34 and a smaller area where the ranch property touches U.S. 285 on the northwestern boundary. Across the highway is the existing Cline Ranch SWA, extending northwest along Tarryall Creek, a major tributary of the South Platte River.
No camping is allowed at Collard Ranch, which is designed primarily to be day-use areas for hunters and anglers. Wildlife viewers with a SWA pass are allowed to access the areas, but there are no formal hiking trails.
The ranch is considered a hunting-only property from Oct. 1 to Dec. 31, and is closed from that point to through April 30 to protect winter wildlife. Fishing access runs from May 1 to Sept. 30, the state said. No dogs are allowed on the site.
Wildlife officers say they’ve seen elk, deer, pronghorn antelope, bears, moose, mountain lions, beavers, badgers and many river fish on the Collard Ranch property.
