Halfmoon creek is a creek in san isabel national forest, mount massive wilderness, co. Mark is throwing a green amys ant and i have a red one on. Texas creek is an excellent fishing selection for beginner to intermediate anglers looking for an epic getaway with simply breathtaking scenery the surrounding areas are simply remarkable and taylor reservoir in all her beauty is visible from the lower reaches of the creek. Mar 10, 2019 halfmoon creek, colorado near leadville.
Fairplay is known as the trout capital of colorado. Spent sometime up in the halfmoon creek area of colorado yesterday. Colorado mountain clubs fly fishing section colorado. Two hirsute fishing guides came down from the upper lake with a. However now, fishing in lakes and fly fishing has become a tourist attraction too. Turquoise lake, hayden meadows, crystal lakes, busk creek, halfmoon creek and the east fork of the arkansas are just a few of the many nearby waters this area has to offer. Protrails notch mountain trail, half moon fall creek. Halfmoon creek fishing reports recently shared catches and fishing spots. This old saying applies perfectly to my morning on july 12, 2016. Local memorial day weekend fishing report grab your poles and catch something to add to on your memorial day bbq. Being around 10,000ft of elevation, this is a great spot to park it and acclimate if youre looking to hit the nearby 14ers. Elbert halfmoon creek trail june 08 colorado, united states, north america. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. Please click on the link for maps of the halfmoon creek campgrounds.
Badger creek flows yearround through a mountain valley. Trouts fly fishing arkansas river leadville to buena vista. Ive wanted to visit this area for quite awhile and was finally able too. River and whitewater information for halfmoon creek below diversion ditch united states colorado. I wouldve liked to check it out put there is a newer gate up along the road so i had to settle for this. The direct and official information for halfmoon east campground in leadville, colorado. This beautiful creek hosts rainbows, browns, brook trout, and cutthroats, making it a venue to catch the colorado grand slam. Badger creek below ute trail anglers covey fly shop and.
I fell into a rut of fishing the same colorado rivers repeatedly at the same time of the year, and i yearned to try something. Halfmoon creek drains 61 km2 of rugged, mountainous terrain of the sawatch range. Trail run on july 5, 2008 report and photos by monica i. Fishermen will find a variety of fish including cutthroat trout and others here. Grape creek, colorado fishing report whacking fatties. The creek is very gradient where the trip starts, with about a one mile moderate hike following the creek up to a high alpine meadow. Upstream from day use parking lot across from west halfmoon campground. Winding through cool mountain canyons, high grassy meadows, and long, bouldered runs, the arkansas river offers a variety of abundant biomass which provides the t. A section of the halfmoon creek in lake county, colorado. Both patterns seemed to work equally well as we were on fish almost immediately. Central colorado more than 100 miles of the arkansas river and her tributaries flow through the heart of chaffee county, gracing both salida and buena vista with her beauty and worldrenowned whitewater, flyfishing, scenery and river festivals.
The trail is primarily used for hiking and fishing and is best used from june until september. The halfmoon creek hbn basin is in the southern rocky mountains physiographic province fenneman, 1946 in central colorado figure 2. Central colorado more than 100 miles of the arkansas river and her tributaries flow through the heart of chaffee county, gracing both salida and buena vista with her beauty and worldrenowned whitewater, fly fishing, scenery and river festivals. Colorado trail segment 10, located near mount massive wilderness area, colorado is a 10.
South park river public fishing access tetermichigan creek state wildlife area located about 5miles north of jefferson off cr 37, jefferson lake has no boating access. This trip is a unique combination of hiking and fishing in a truly a special place to fish. Half moon creek is dispersed camping off the road once you get into national forest just south west out of leadville, co. Fishing conditions on the arkansas river upper basin in.
Chalk creek runs through the chalk creek valley about ten miles south of buena vista and joins the arkansas river at the town of nathrop, colorado. This creek is the natural drainage for the valley between mt elbert and mt massive which are the two highest peaks in the rocky mountains. Twin lakes reservoirs have a combined surface area of 2700 acres. A former coworker at air products mentioned halfmoon creek to me several years ago, and this small tributary of the arkansas river was listed on the dwr surface water table, so i decided to explore it. They found a nice flat island where the creek split around it, about a. South park fishing map colorado vacation directory. Turn right on colorado 300 at the leadville national fish hatchery sign. I had my first experience with altitude sickness before i ever hit the trail and craig didnt have the time and strength to wade through waist deep snow without snowshoes. The pagosa springs area has some of the best flyfishing in southern colorado for every level of fly fisherman from high mountain. Map showing study area in halfmoon creek basin and photograph of the landscape of the basin. Halfmoon creek 07122016 dave wellers fly fishing blog. Just lost in the trees with a creek to listen to as you fall asleep. Fishing halfmoon creek, co on 4282020 will be best from 12.
General locations and descriptive summaries are included. Extensive meadows, interspersed with patches of forest, cover the valleys upland. In the summer, you can rent a boat, bring your own or simply enjoy the. The colorado trail passes through lost creek wilderness. The fish dont mind the tubers, but it does hurt the experience a bit and bothers me. There are many pockets and stretches of fishable water all the way up the heavily wooded canyon, but fewer anglers are found upstream from the historic ghost town of st. Remember to adjust these times based on barometric pressure, and weather changes. Jul 12, 2016 i fell into a rut of fishing the same colorado rivers repeatedly at the same time of the year, and i yearned to try something different.
Fishing times for halfmoon creek near leadville, colorado. Interactive gps topo map key gps coordinates datum wgs84. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from march until october. Colorado trail segment 10 mount massive wilderness area.
It is wide, deep, and the area is substantially forested. They offer good fishing for brown, rainbow, and cutthroat trout with trophy lake trout potential. Half moon creek leadville, colorado tips to prepare for. Mount elbert 14,433 is the highest point in the state of colorado and the high. Here is where the creek levels out and the fishing begins. Before you fish boulder mountain be sure to check the current utah fishing guidebook for the latest information on fish possession limits, seasons, fishing methods and the use of boats. Come fish for brooke and brown trout in one of the high mountain. Fishing colorado, fly fishing tennessee creek duration. It is very susceptible to spring runoff and quickly muddies after heavy rain storms. Jul 27, 2019 half moon creek is dispersed camping off the road once you get into national forest just south west out of leadville, co. In the summer, you can rent a boat, bring your own or simply enjoy the gentle lapping of the waves from the sandy shore.
Request a few more visitor guides, or complete the form below to receive your guides by mail. Jul 20, 2017 did a little fishing with mark on halfmoon creek today. Colorado fly fishing guides, leadville, arkansas river. We started around 10am and fished from just below our campsite upstream until the rain started. Leadville on half moon creek leadville, colorado free. Whether youre fly fishing or otherwise your chances of getting a bite here are good. Arkansas river leadville to buena vista trouts fly fishing. Though its flows are mostly diverted to forebay and twin lakes, and. We stayed off to the north of halfmoon creek road, not too far from the creek, and maybe less than a mile from the mt.
The usfs permits we have allow us to offer big game hunts in three separate colorado game management units, units 45, 48 and 49. Halfmoon creek guided flyfishing in central colorado. Aside from fishing the arkansas river, there are countless lakes and small streams that offer anglers a variety of places to spend a day. Jun 02, 2008 2nd time is a charm last year craig and i went to colorado to hike up mt. Chalk creek anglers covey fly shop and guide service.
Grape creek southwest of canon city, colorado, is one of my favorite backcountry creeks, offering over 30 miles to explore in a rugged canyon where the wild brownies and bows are plentiful. Turquoise lake, hayden meadows, crystal lakes, busk creek, halfmoon creek and the east fork of the. Mount massive and mount elbert are both 1520 minutes down the road. This entire segment of trail passes through the holy cross wilderness, mountain biking. And happily, with only a few public access points the entire length, boot marks are scarce. Grape creek, colorado fishing report, rainbow trout fly fishing forecast, fishing season updates, fly shop and fishing guides, and flyfishing weather. Fishing is accessible along most of jefferson creek. Gmu 48 is bounded on north by the continental divide. Ice fishing is available in the winter and spring, no need to wait for the. Rocky mountain national park at the edge of rocky mountain national park, grand lake is the deepest natural lake in colorado, dipping to 265 feet. Winter provides some of the best fishing of the year and a few powder runs on vail mountain followed by a couple hours of sight fishing is a popular activity. It is officially described as the area bounded on north by the eagle river from east lake creek to dowd junction then i70 from dowd junction to the eagle rivertenmile creek divide. Notch mountain trail, half moon fall creek trailhead, summit county eagle county clear creek county, colorado. An angler on gore creek has the chance to land all four species of trout found in colorado.
Fed by high mountain runoff, the lake is clear and pristine. Though its flows are mostly diverted to forebay and twin lakes, and hence, rarely impact the quantity or quality of water in the arkansas river, halfmoon creek is of interest as a tributary fishery to the arkansas river and, because it has a usgs flow gauge on it, as a representative upper basin tributary for purposes of comparison. Summer offerings include one hour to all day horseback riding in colorado, wagon rides, stagecoach rides, along with two day to one week long wilderness pack trips. North halfmoon creek fishing near leadville, colorado. The character, however, remains one of parks, forests and streams rather than tundra and alpine lakes. Halfmoon creek trail near leadville colorado duration. Badger creek below ute trail anglers covey fly shop. Heres the local fishing report brought to you by tim hill with colorado fly fishing guides, located in downtown leadville. As a natural watershed for the mighty sawatch range on the west and the majestic mosquito range on the east, the upper arkansas valley houses the headwaters of the arkansas river. We left beuna vista a little after 9am to head to the halfmoon creek trailhead.
Fishermen will find a variety of fish including cutthroat trout and brown trout here. Halfmoon creek guided flyfishing in central colorado with. Though its flows are mostly diverted to forebay and twin lakes, and hence, rarely impact the quantity or quality of water in the arkansas river, halfmoon creek is of interest as a tributary fishery to the arkansas river and, because it has a usgs flow gauge on it, as a representative upper basin tributary for. The ground was rough, but the camping was so peaceful. View from notch mountain of mount of the holy cross and the holy cross ridge. Mount zirkel was one of five colorado wilderness areas designated by the historic 1964 wilderness act. Fishing is an activity that people have been doing since time immemorial. During a recent trip to the creek, three of the four fish needed for a colorado grand slam brown trout. Halfmoon creek fishing near leadville, colorado hookandbullet. Halfmoon creek flyfish colorado guided flyfishing in central. Ice fishing in vail beaver creek colorado mountain activities. With the best fishing outfitters in vail beaver creek, you can go on guided lake, fly or ice fishing excursions and lean from the best fishing outfitter. Did a little fishing with mark on halfmoon creek today. High mountain creeks colorado fly fishing guides, leadville.
Gore creek fishing report colorado fishing conditions. It is also one of the few primarily springfed streams in the region. The trail is primarily used for hiking and fishing and is best used from. The fishing on gore creek is good every month of the year. Such was the case with halfmoon creek, south of leadville and somewhat west. Get info on rapids, camps, access, and anything else you want to know about this section of the river. Overall its a great fishery that is often overlooked and thats why it made our list in this post of colorados best kept fly fishing secrets. Clicking on the image below will open a full size map in a new window. Fishing chalk creek offers a good day of fishing and is an enjoyable. Colorado fly fishing guides, leadville, arkansas river, buena vista, south platte, twin lakes, turquoise lake. Half moon creek leadville, colorado tips to prepare.
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