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Colorado · Fishing
Fishing around Allenspark means hiking to your water. The five lakes listed here — Copeland, Pipit, Snowbank, Ouzel, and Thunder — all sit inside Rocky Mountain National Park or on the immediate boundary, and none of them are drive-up destinations.
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Fishing around Allenspark means hiking to your water. The five lakes listed here — Copeland, Pipit, Snowbank, Ouzel, and Thunder — all sit inside Rocky Mountain National Park or on the immediate boundary, and none of them are drive-up destinations. Copeland Lake is the closest and most accessible, sitting near the Wild Basin Trailhead just outside the park boundary. The others require progressively longer trail approaches through Wild Basin, with Thunder Lake at the far end of the drainage demanding a full-day round trip. That effort filters out a lot of pressure, and these high-country lakes tend to fish better for it. Expect cold, clear water, short ice-free seasons, and the kind of quiet that makes a small cutthroat feel like a genuine reward. If you are coming from the Front Range for a weekend, pairing a lake like Ouzel or Snowbank with an overnight camp is the most practical way to fish them without rushing. Gear up light, check your Rocky Mountain National Park fishing regulations before you go, and plan your approach around afternoon thunderstorms, which are routine in summer at this elevation.
Yes. All five lakes fall within or directly adjacent to Rocky Mountain National Park, and Colorado state fishing regulations apply inside the park. You need a valid Colorado fishing license regardless of whether you are a resident or visiting from out of state. Pick one up through Colorado Parks and Wildlife before your trip since there are no license vendors in Allenspark itself.
Copeland Lake typically opens up by late May or early June. The higher lakes — Pipit, Snowbank, Ouzel, and Thunder — often hold ice into late June or even early July depending on the snowpack that year. The most reliable fishing window across all five lakes runs from early July through mid-September, after which temperatures drop fast and conditions become unpredictable.
Rocky Mountain National Park Glacier Basin Campground
~14 min drive
A worthwhile stop near CO.
Willow Creek Group
~31 min drive
A worthwhile stop near CO.
Arapaho National Recreation Area
~16 min drive
A worthwhile stop near CO.
Rocky Mountain National Park Moraine Park Campground
~18 min drive
A worthwhile stop near CO.
Ouzel Lake
~2 min drive
A worthwhile stop near CO.
Rocky Mountain National Park Aspenglen Campground
~22 min drive
A worthwhile stop near CO.
Thunder Lake
~2 min drive
A worthwhile stop near CO.
Snowbank Lake
~3 min drive
A worthwhile stop near CO.
Pipit Lake
~5 min drive
A worthwhile stop near CO.
Fourth Lake
~6 min drive
A worthwhile stop near CO.
Lake Powell
~6 min drive
A worthwhile stop near CO.
Solitude Lake
~7 min drive
A worthwhile stop near CO.
Copeland Lake is essentially at the trailhead and requires almost no hiking. Ouzel Lake sits roughly 5 miles in via the Wild Basin Trail with moderate elevation gain, and Thunder Lake is around 6.8 miles one way with significant climbing — a serious day hike or a better fit as an overnight. Pipit and Snowbank involve off-trail travel from the main Wild Basin corridor, so navigation experience helps.
Early morning is consistently the most productive window. The water is coldest overnight and fish tend to be more active near the surface in the first few hours after sunrise. Afternoon thunderstorms build quickly in summer, often by 1 or 2 p.m., so an early start also gets you off exposed terrain before the weather moves in.
A light ultralight or 3-weight fly rod setup works well for these small alpine lakes. Small dry flies, soft hackles, and tiny spinners or spoons are practical choices. Keep your kit minimal since you are carrying everything in on foot. A Colorado fishing regulations pamphlet, a simple first aid kit, and layers for afternoon temperature swings are worth more than extra tackle boxes on these approaches.
