Upper Trout Creek – South Park’s Hidden Gem

It’s no secret that Colorado’s South Park basin is one of the premier trout fishing destinations in the United States. A devoted fisherman could spend years exploring the major rivers, creeks and reservoirs, and still only scratch the surface of fishing possibilities in the valley.

When most people think of fishing in South Park, a long list of well-known and extremely productive fisheries come to mind: The South and Middle Forks of the South Platte, Tarryall, Jefferson, and Michigan Creeks, and the Antero and Spinney Reservoirs. For the most part, these fisheries are easily accessible from the valley’s major highways, and, even with the most basic fishing skills, guarantee at least a few decent-sized browns and rainbows. However, easy access plus hungry fish usually equals crowds.

While I’ve never encountered crowds in South Park to rival the mobs of fishermen that descend on Rocky Mountain National Park during the summer months, it is rare to have one of the major fisheries all to yourself. However, if you’re willing to step off the beaten path and put in a little work, there are numerous opportunities to find both hungry fish and solitude.

One of my favorite hidden gems is upper Trout Creek, located in Pike National Forest, at the base of southeast ridge of Mount Silverheels. I had the good fortune to discover this creek because of my work listing and marketing Red Hill Ranch, a 2,080-acre property that borders the National Forest and upper Trout Creek. As you can see in the photos, the scenery is unbelievable – a meandering creek with abundant willows that backs up to the aspen-covered base of a 13,829-foot mountain. There is a healthy beaver population living in upper Trout Creek, and the numerous beaver dams have created deep pools that allow the trout to survive the cold winters. The most exciting aspect of upper Trout Creek is that it supports Greenback Cutthroat trout, a rare and highly sought-after species.

For the general public, there’s no easy way to access upper Trout Creek, unless you have a very high-clearance and super-durable truck. And in my experience, a big truck does not guarantee an easy ride. The forest service road leading to the area is fraught with holes the size of Volkswagens… no exaggeration! But for the devoted fisherman, it is well worth the time and effort to drive as far as you can up the road and hike in the rest of the way.

The current and future owners of Red Hill Ranch, however, have extremely easy access to this relatively unknown fishing spot. From the northwest corner of the ranch, the landowner can simply unlock the gate, walk a few hundred yards and begin reeling in the Greenbacks. Because there are no well-maintained roads to upper Trout Creek, whoever purchases Red Hill Ranch gets the best of both worlds – private use of the deeded acreage for hunting and ranching, and fairly exclusive use of the National Forest for fishing, hiking and horseback riding.

Feel free to get in touch if you’d like more information on upper Trout Creek, Red Hill Ranch, or both. It won’t be long until the snow has melted, and we are back in prime fishing season!

(Thanks to Gary Nichols for the use of a few of his excellent Trout Creek photos)