Routt National Forest Catchments
ROUTT NATIONAL FOREST CATCHMENTS - RECOMMENDED SURVEY DATES:
1st Visit: generally late May to June 30.
2nd Visit: generally July 1 to August 1.
Survey dates are approximate and vary with elevation & annual snowpack. Click on a catchment to see survey dates.
Lone Pine Creek
- 1st Visit: Adopted
- 2nd Visit: Adopted
Survey dates: Both visits completed between June 9 - July 25
Survey difficulty level: Easy
Total survey time: 3.5 hours
Accessibility: All vehicles
Hiking time from Access Point: 1 minute
Nearest town: Walden
Key features: Catchment is a collection of ponds and a stream. Willows and forest scattered throughout.
Big Creek Lakes-North
- 1st Visit: Available
- 2nd Visit: Available
Survey dates: Both visits completed between June 16 - August 1
Survey difficulty level: Difficult - camping recommended due to travel time
Total survey time: 3.5 hours
Accessibility: All vehicles
Hiking time from Access Point: 1 minute
Nearest town: Walden
Key features: Catchments is a complex of ponds, streams and wetlands separated by forest. Willows can be thick in spots.
Big Creek Lakes-South
- 1st Visit: Available
- 2nd Visit: Available
Survey dates: Both visits completed between June 9 - July 25
Survey difficulty level: Difficult
Total survey time: 4 hours
Accessibility: All vehicles
Hiking time from Access Point: 5 minutes
Nearest town: Walden
Key features: Catchment is a complex of ponds and wetlands in a matrix of willows. Waders recommended.
Summit Lake-South
- 1st Visit: Available
- 2nd Visit: Available
Survey dates: Both visits completed between June 16 - August 5
Survey difficulty level: Easy
Total survey time: 3.5 hours
Accessibility: All vehicles
Hiking time from Access Point: 1 minute
Nearest town: Steamboat Springs
Key features: Catchment is a collection of ponds and wetlands with sparse trees throughout. Willows likely only thick in a couple areas.
Muddy Creek
- 1st Visit: Available
- 2nd Visit: Available
Survey dates: Both visits completed between June 16 - August 1
Survey difficulty level: Moderate
Total survey time: 3.5 hours
Accessibility: All Vehicles
Hiking time from Access Point: 1 minute
Nearest town: Steamboat Springs
Key features: Catchment has 2 main streams. There are also 2 ponds and 2 wetland areas near streams.
Carter Creek
- 1st Visit: Available
- 2nd Visit: Available
Survey dates: Both visits completed between June 16 - August 1
Survey difficulty level: Moderate
Total survey time: 4 hours
Accessibility: All Vehicles
Hiking time from Access Point: 1 minute
Nearest town: Kremmling
Key features: Stream with willows runs through western side of catchment. Rest of catchment is mainly open wetlands that can be seasonally dry.
Morrison Creek
- 1st Visit: Available
- 2nd Visit: Available
Survey dates: Both visits completed between June 16 - August 5
Survey difficulty level: Moderate
Total survey time: 3.5 hours
Accessibility: All Vehicles
Hiking time from Access Point: 45 minutes
Nearest town: Kremmling
Key features: Catchment is a collection of wetlands and braided streams within conifer forest.
Gore Creek
- 1st Visit: Available
- 2nd Visit: Available
Survey dates: Both visits completed between June 16 - August 1
Survey difficulty level: Moderate
Total survey time: 3.5 hours
Accessibility: All Vehicles
Hiking time from Access Point: 1 minute
Nearest town: Kremmling
Key features: Collection of braided streams and small ponds interspersed among willows.
Grouse Mountain
- 1st Visit: Available
- 2nd Visit: Available
Survey dates: Both visits completed between June 9 - July 25
Survey difficulty level: Difficult - camping recommended due to travel time
Total survey time: 4 hours
Accessibility: High Clearance
Hiking time from Access Point: 70 minutes
Nearest town: Steamboat Springs
Key features: Catchment is a collection of streams that primarily have heavy willow cover.
Bear's Ears
- 1st Visit: Available
- 2nd Visit: Available
Survey dates: Both visits completed between June 9 - July 25
Survey difficulty level: Difficult - camping recommended due to travel time
Total survey time: 3.5 hours
Accessibility: High Clearance
Hiking time from Access Point: 60 minutes
Nearest town: Craig
Key features: Catchments has 2 main ponds and a few smaller ponds as well as a stream. Willows likely dense along stream.
First Creek
- 1st Visit: Available
- 2nd Visit: Available
Survey dates: Both visits completed between June 9 - July 25
Survey difficulty level: Moderate
Total survey time: 3.5 hours
Accessibility: All Vehicles
Hiking time from Access Point: 30 minutes
Nearest town: Steamboat Springs
Key features: Catchment is a heavily vegetated (willows) stream with multiple oxbows and side pools.
Summit Lake-North
- 1st Visit: Available
- 2nd Visit: Available
Survey dates: Both visits completed between June 16 - August 5
Survey difficulty level: Easy
Total survey time: 3 hours
Accessibility: All Vehicles
Hiking time from Access Point: 1 minute
Nearest town: Steamboat Springs
Key features: Catchment is a collection of streams and wetlands.
Beaver Creek
- 1st Visit: Available
- 2nd Visit: Available
Survey dates: Both visits completed between June 9 - July 25
Survey difficulty level: Moderate
Total survey time: 3.5 hours
Accessibility: All Vehicles
Hiking time from Access Point: 70 minutes
Nearest town: Hamilton
Key features: Catchment is a collection of small ponds and wetlands separated by forest. Thick willows in areas.
Allen Basin
- 1st Visit: Available
- 2nd Visit: Available
Survey dates: Both visits completed between June 9 - July 25
Survey difficulty level: Easy
Total survey time: 3.5 hours
Accessibility: All Vehicles
Hiking time from Access Point: 25 minutes
Nearest town: Yampa
Key features: Catchment is a collection of ponds. Willows around ponds and forest scattered throughout.
Mandall Lakes
- 1st Visit: Available
- 2nd Visit: Available
Survey dates: Both visits completed between June 16 - August 5
Survey difficulty level: Moderate
Total survey time: 3 hours
Accessibility: All Vehicles
Hiking time from Access Point: 1.5 hours
Nearest town: Yampa
Key features: Catchment is a mix of a meandering stream bordered by willows and permanent ponds.
