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Colorado lakes and reservoirs

Trappers Lake Fishing

A 323-acre Colorado lake in Garfield County at 9,632 feet.

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Photo of Sylvan Lake: 23countries, CC BY-SA 4.0

Garfield County

A quick portrait of Trappers Lake

Measured from the CPW water layer, Trappers Lake is a lake of some 323 acres in Garfield County. Expect thin air: this water sits near 9,632 feet. The surrounding property is Flat Tops Wilderness Area, per CPW. Carbonate is the nearest Census place to the shore, near 18 miles off. Fisheries staff of the CPW Northwest Region oversee it.

The CPW species field names brook trout and native cutthroat trout. Craft permitted, per CPW: Non-motorized. Atlas notes: medium to reach, medium pressure. On ice: ice fishing listed as no.

323acres
9,632feet elevation
0boat ramps
2species listed

CPW Fishing Atlas 2025 layers (waterbody outline, Boatable Waters, fishing locations), Census places, retrieved October 25, 2026.

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Species

What anglers catch at Trappers Lake

Listed fish for Trappers Lake, each linked where Colorado has a species page.

CPW Boatable Waters species field, CPW state records and stocking report, retrieved October 25, 2026.

Access

Ramp access for Trappers Lake

For Trappers Lake, the ramp layer is empty; nearby ramps are listed.

Mapped access at Trappers Lake

Boat ramps in reach of Trappers Lake

  • Yamcolo Boat RampYamcolo Reservoir, 10 miles northeast

CPW boat ramp and Fishing Atlas fishing location layers, retrieved October 25, 2026.

Limits

Limits a warden checks at Trappers Lake

SpeciesBag and possessionSeason
Trout, arctic char, grayling, salmon and whitefish (not kokanee)Daily bag 4, possession 8, in aggregateOpen all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise
Brook trout 8 inches or less (bonus)Daily bag 10, possession 10Open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise
Kokanee salmonDaily bag 10, possession 10Open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise
Walleye, saugeye and saugerDaily bag 5, possession 5, in aggregateOpen all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise
Largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bassDaily bag 5, possession 5, in aggregateOpen all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise
Smallmouth bassNo bag or possession limitOpen all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise
White bass, striped bass and wiperDaily bag 10, possession 10, in aggregateOpen all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise
Channel, flathead and blue catfishDaily bag 10, possession 10, in aggregateOpen all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise
White and black crappieDaily bag 20, possession 20, in aggregateOpen all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise
Bluegill and other sunfishDaily bag 20, possession 20, in aggregateOpen all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise
Yellow perchNo bag or possession limitOpen all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise
Tiger muskieDaily bag 1, possession 1; at least 36 inches longOpen all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise
Northern pike and bullheadNo bag or possession limitOpen all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise

For the statewide limits chart, Trappers Lake counts as west of the Continental Divide water. Unless listed in the brochure special regulations, Trappers Lake follows the statewide chart.

Local fishing rules at Trappers Lake

Water as printedRuleBrochure
Trappers LakeArtificial flies and lures only. Bag, possession and max. size for cutthroat is 2, 11 inches long. Cutthroat over 11 inches long must be returned to water immediately. No bag or possession limit for brook trout. Fishing prohibited in inlets and upstream for 0.5 miles. Fishing prohibited within 100 ft. of either side ofp. 38

Special regulations as printed in the 2026 Colorado Fishing brochure (CPW, season March 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027), pp. 11 to 39, checked against CPW Chapter W-1 (as approved 13 November 2025); retrieved October 2026.

Statewide bag and possession chart, 2026 Colorado Fishing brochure (CPW, season March 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027), p. 10, retrieved October 25, 2026.

Compare

Nearby water compared with Trappers Lake

LakeDistanceAcresElevation ftBoat rampsOn the trout report
Trappers Lake3239,6320
Lake Of The Woods2 miles northwest169,0150
Smith Lake Upper7 miles northeast710,4980
Bear Lake, Garfield County9 miles northeast559,7410yes
Vaughn Lake10 miles north349,3940
Yamcolo Reservoir10 miles northeast1849,5011yes

CPW Fishing Atlas, ramp layer and stocking report, retrieved October 25, 2026.

Nearby

Within a short drive of Trappers Lake

Further reservoirs a short haul from Trappers Lake

  • Lake Of The Woods2 miles northwest
  • Smith Lake Upper7 miles northeast
  • Bear Lake, Garfield County9 miles northeast
  • Vaughn Lake10 miles north
  • Yamcolo Reservoir10 miles northeast

Tackle counters on the way to Trappers Lake

  • Stagecoach Marinamarina, Oak Creek, 29 miles

Fishing outfitters by Trappers Lake

  • Alpine Anglingfishing guide, Carbondale, (970) 963-9245
  • Alpine Angling/Adventure Travel,Incfishing guide, Carbondale
  • Elevated Angling, LLCfishing guide, Carbondale
  • Into The Wild Kayak Fishing Adventures LLCfishing guide, Carbondale
  • Scotts High Country Anglers LLCfishing guide, Parachute
  • Crystal Fly Shop & Decorfly fishing guide, Carbondale, (970) 963-5741
  • Harcourt Fly Fishing 3G LLCfly fishing guide, New Castle, (970) 404-1339

Where to stay for a Trappers Lake trip

  • Gypsum29 miles
  • Glenwood Springs31 miles
  • Eagle32 miles

Which county pages list Trappers Lake

  • Garfield Countyseat: Glenwood Springs
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In photos

A camera tour of the water by Trappers Lake

Garfield County, Colorado
Garfield County 31 mi
Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0
Colorado River, Colorado
Colorado River 22 mi
Photo: Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0
White River, Colorado
White River 24 mi
Photo: BLMUtah, Public domain
Stagecoach Reservoir, Colorado
Stagecoach Reservoir 28 mi
Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0
Answers

Straight answers about Trappers Lake

Which CPW region covers Trappers Lake?

The outline falls in Garfield County, CPW Northwest Region, about 18 miles from Carbonate.

How many acres does the CPW outline give Trappers Lake?

Around 323 acres of water, at about 9,632 feet.

Does Trappers Lake have a CPW-mapped boat ramp?

None on file; see the nearby list.

Which fish does CPW list at Trappers Lake?

Fish on the list: brook trout and native cutthroat trout.

Are there extra rules at Trappers Lake?

Trout, arctic char, grayling, salmon and whitefish (not kokanee): Daily bag 4, possession 8, in aggregate. It has its own brochure entry too, printed above.

Is a second-rod stamp needed at Trappers Lake?

Colorado sells no separate trout stamp; a CPW fishing license covers trout ($44.87 for adult residents, $124.01 for nonresidents), and anglers 16 and older need one.

Are catchable trout released into Trappers Lake?

No catchable trout listing exists for it.

Is there a fly shop near Trappers Lake?

Drive about 29 miles to Stagecoach Marina.

Is Trappers Lake fished through the ice?

CPW shows ice fishing listed as no; carry picks and test thickness.

Circle a weekend for Trappers Lake

Check the bag before a fish goes on the stringer.