It doesn't stay around long, either. Get directions, reviews and information for Chipeta Lake State Wildlife Area in Montrose, CO. You can also find other Parks on MapQuest . The museum has extensive tree-covered grounds on the west side of the road and a native garden on the east side of the road with access to the Uncompaghre River. Be sure to have your camera in hand to capture the special moments. Please be respectful of this historically significant site. Directions: From Delta take Grande Avenu .2 miles, continue onto Crawford Avenue / H road to 1725 Road 1.5 miles. What hotels are near Chipeta Lake State Wildlife Area? Best time of year: Visit year around to see different types of birds in different seasons. Ridgway Reservoir. 1680 Chipeta Rd Montrose, CO 81403 3 Beds 2 Baths 975 sqft (on 1.89 acres) $336,700 Trulia Estimate as of Jul 16, 2023 Est. There are also three reservoirs within the park that offer visitors a variety of water recreation options in the summer. Continue until you hit FR 265. United States Colorado There is a trail that travels completely around Chipeta Lake providing access to both lake and river fishing, wildlife viewing and hiking. Montrose County; Colorado; United States; Additional details. } The museum grounds are held in reverence by todays Utes. Aspen Habitat Stevens Gulch/Mule Park/Buzzard-Muddy Creek Divide, Delta and Gunnison Counties, Managed by: Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison National Forest. Either pay at entrance station or purchase or possess a current Colorado State Parks Pass. A friend recommended Chipeta Lake for the little guy's first fishing trip. Below are 15 things to do in and around Montrose, Colorado. Accessible to all cars, no entrance fee required. If you reach the first bridge on Blue Mesa (Highway 149), you have gone too far! --> Location: The area is about 15 miles southwest of Montrose at the crossing of the East Fork of Dry Creek by Highway 90 on the Uncompahgre Plateau. **********************************************************, GRI, REO Specialist, SFR, CNE, BPOR, ePRO. Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information. East Fork of Dry Creek, Uncompahgre Plateau, Montrose County. The Dallas Creek section includes sagebrush flats, pinyon-juniper-covered hillsides with exposed cliffs and good riparian habitat at the southern end of the park. A parking area is on the northern end of the lake, accessed from Chipeta Road by Old Chipeta Trail. 16891 Chipeta Rd, Montrose, CO 81403 | MLS# 769903 | Redfin The facility sits along a long stretch of river that maintains its flow year-round, even when many other rivers nearly dry up. parseInt("360px") + 'px'); Scan the fields and road sides for hawks. - please visit this website before visiting Waunita, as it provides very important information on the viewing protocol. This road is not paved. Turn right and drive early a mile to end of road where there is a small graveled parking area. Cross the North Fork, and continue toward Crawford. Find Best Western Hotels & Resorts nearby Sponsored. Each of these driving routes have a unique trail name and are composed of several watchable wildlife sites. When you book a hotel or tour that we link to, we may earn a commission. You make us want to visit the area. I love to play tourguide. Specs: 9 campsites, no water, vault toilet, open May to snow closure, Amenities: Fire rings, picnic table, dispersed camping, Address: 2-248 650 Road, Delta, CO 81416 (. Continue until you hit FR 265. For its sheer variety of activity options, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is in a league of its own. Swainson's hawk is possible in aspen-ringed parks, and red-tailed hawk and American kestrel are very common. A banding station is set up here each fall, and it has produced some surprising finds including golden-winged warbler, hooded warbler, and yellow-breasted chat. THE 10 CLOSEST Hotels to Chipeta Lake State Wildlife Area, Montrose Habitat type: The creek provides dense riparian habitat of willows, aspen, and cottonwoods with tall conifers on the margins. Best time of year: Late May through late July is best for most migratory species such as purple martins. While not the biggest lake, Chipeta still sports a varied selection of fish available to catch. Specs: 61 RV sites, 5 tent sites, water, restrooms, open April 1 to October 1, Amenities: Full hookups, 20/30/50 amp service, Wi-Fi, pavilion, laundry, propane, Address: 23449 US Highway 550, Montrose, CO 81403 (. There is a path around the lake which is not large as lakes go. This makes it a nice starter for a young one. Gravel roads, closed in winter, can be treacherous November through early May. Directions: From Delta, take US Highway 50 / Main Street south .7 miles to the park. Road is inaccessible when wet due to heavy clay soils. http://cpw.state.co.us/placestogo/parks/SweitzerLake, http://cpw.state.co.us/swa/Chipeta%20Lake%20SWA, http://www.historycolorado.org/museums/ute-indian-museum-0, http://cpw.state.co.us/placestogo/parks/Ridgway. Ranger-guided boat tours through the breathtaking canyons are big hits as well; theyre relatively inexpensive and last about 90 minutes. 1. /* IE6 does not respect left and right together */ During the holidays, the market features special events, so swing by then if youd like to experience Christmas in the Rocky Mountain State. Chipeta Lake State Wildlife Area Is this your business? Fun Fishing for the Little One. Recent visits - Montrose, CO, US - eBird Birds you might see: Aspen cavity nesters, including western purple martin, violet-green and tree swallows, mountain bluebird, house wren, northern flicker, red-naped sapsucker, downy, and hairy woodpecker. During the rest of the year, a variety of shorebirds, ducks, wading birds, grebes, and gulls can be seen, as well as an occasional loon, pelican, and cormorant. Riverbend RV Park and Cabins, 65120 Old Chipeta Trl, Montrose, CO There are no facilities and the location is not marked, though it is readily recognizable, being at the bottom of the canyon with an ample, though informal, parking area. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. If you need any real estate information for Montrose County, or Delta County, Coloradoplease give me a call. GRI, SFR, REO Specialist, CNE, AHWD, BPOR, e-Pro. Best time of year: Spring migration, though its good year round. Directions: From Montrose take Highway 50 East for 6 miles. To gain access to the entire catalog of FishExplorer.com lakes and rivers, plus many more features and archived reports, Aggregated Master Angler records are available for, use points or credit card to become a Contributing Member. Catches. Follow the turn lane onto Chipeta Road. width: 800px; By the end of September, the reservoir has been drawn down and bird populations are too far out to identify without a scope (and difficult even with one). More information is available on www.gjhikes.com. View with Google Maps. Walking along the western shoreline may cause disturbance to birds. After 4.5 miles of multiple turns across the mesa, Highway 90 enters Shavano Valley. Peregrine falcon and northern goshawk breed here but are less common. .main-inner .fauxcolumn-left-outer { If you choose to go around the lake, you must descend a flight of stairs or drive around to the parking area on the northern side. River access,along theUncompahgre River,is on the east side of the lake for those that want a bit more challenging fishing experince. _width: expression(this.parentNode.offsetWidth - Good place to relax and fish a bit, great for taking the kids. Almost immediately (after about 350 ft.) turn left (east) on Fruitgrowers Road (County Road M); there is a sign for Antelope Hill. CHIPETA LAKE STATE WILDLIFE AREA - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos). Turn left at the light on Confluence Drive and continue to first traffic light. Specs: 45 RV sites, water, restrooms, open year-round, Amenities: 30 full hookup pull-through sites, 8 smaller pull-through sites, 1 tent site, showers, laundry, dump station, propane, mini golf, gift shop, 21 long term sites, Address: 126 Rose Lane, Montrose, CO 81401 (. The snow / ice covered lake is indeed beautiful. They sell fishing gear and refreshments. High clearance is preferable, but 2WD cars can handle the main roads in summer. Directions: From Delta take US Highway 50 West / Main Street 11.8 miles. } Swainson's hawk is possible in aspen-ringed parks, and red-tailed hawk and American kestrel are very common. The best viewing is from the causeway. I love reading about your area! This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. Formerly present was a great blue heron rookery and double-crested cormorant nesting area. Sandhill cranes are often seen in migration, as do Franklins and Bonapartes gulls in the spring. There was one that came close to shore that was easily 5 pounds plus. A friend recommended Chipeta Lake for the little guy's first fishing trip. Chipeta Lake is a pond in Colorado. Do you allow overnight stays in an RV? Turn right where indicated onto Road E. This will take you into the park. Turn right (west) and follow this onto Scenic Mesa (the road becomes Scenic Mesa Road) and along the edge of Smith Fork Canyon, or turn north (right) onto 3500 Road or 3400 Road back to F50 Road. A dirt path leads to the east toward an old metal building before it diverges into a couple of dirt paths leading to several ponds and the riparian area bordering the Gunnison River. Turn right onto 650 Road, go 11.7 miles. Share this checklist with other participants' eBird accounts. Waunita Watchable Wildlife Site, Gunnison County, Location: 19 miles east of Gunnison, mile north from highway 50. Chipeta Lake State Wildlife AreaMontrose, Colorado. } Habitat: Riparian, Wooded/brushy riparian, high desert in the hills. 3. Accessible to all cars, and no entrance fee required. Leave an anonymous comment or Log on to ActiveRain to comment as a member. A natural spring, now found inside a concrete tipi, was used by the Dominguez and Escalante Expedition in 1776. You will cross over the Uncompaghre River bridge before making turn. The Dutch Charlie section is good for pinyon-juniper birds including all of the corvids listed earlier, plumbeous vireos, bluebirds, finches and goldfinches, sparrows (chipping, vesper, Brewers), and bluebirds. (This intersection is about 17 miles north of the intersection of Hwy 133 and Stevens Gulch Rd, where we started, as the crow flies, but much more than that on the odometer.) This is a great spot for families to fish and have a picnic. Turn left where indicated onto Road E. This will take you into the park. All photos and maps may be freely used for non-commercial purposes when accompanied with a caption giving credit to gjhikes.com. Accessibility: The dirt pull offs are mostly flat. A variety of song birds can be found in the shrubs and trees during migration and summer. All access streets are paved. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. There are also descriptions at deltacountyindependent.com, traveladvisor.com, and deltacountyliving.com. Private land adjacent. The lake page you are viewing is showing limited information. Birds you might see: As expected, these wetlands attract a variety of ducks and other wetland-associated birds, such as tree and violet-green swallows, marsh wrens, red-winged blackbirds, McGillivrays, yellow, and Wilsons warblers, and great blue herons. Directions: From Montrose take East Main Street northeast 1.1 miles. Numerous duck species can be seen fall through spring and during winter when lake is not frozen. A dirt trail can be followed around lake, which also provides access to the Uncompahgre River. To the left, you can park at various locations along the reservoir and access hiking trails at the end of the road on the west side of the reservoir. The small ponds may have ducks at any season; the reeds around the edge will produce Common Yellowthroat and Song Sparrow in summer; and the trees around the edge and along [] The park is spread out with many drive-thru sites for large and small RVs alike. Chipeta Lakes SWA - Montrose, Colorado - Fishing Report & Map by Fish The water was quite clear and had moss growing on the bottom. In the fall, when the reservoir has receded and birds cannot be identified without a scope, walking along the exposed shoreline by the dam offers potential sightings. Own or manage this property? (This intersection is about 17 miles north of the intersection of Hwy 133 and Stevens Gulch Rd, where we started, as the crow flies, but much more than that on the odometer.) All paths are gravel or dirt. Also I heard that it is kept well stocked. US-550 Montrose CO 81403. While traveling F50 Road, turn left (south) onto 3675 Rd, which leads to Grandview Mesa Road. Chipeta Lake is an eBird hotspot with over 60 species recorded. MLS# 743995. Chipeta Lake, Old Chipeta Trl, Montrose, CO, Landmark - MapQuest Colorado has a lot to offer and is beautiful. If conditions are very wet, spur roads from the parking area may be slippery, depending on when gravel was last applied. There is not much traffic, but beware of vehicles on the road.