High in the Arapahoe National Forest, we found something unexpected – Colorado Cutthroats close to Denver. Cutthroat trout are the only species native to the Rocky Mountains and we wanted to see if we could find them within 60 miles of the mile high city.
Wildflowers, beautiful views, and peaceful sounds abound.
Colorado's Native Trout
The Cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii) is named for a distinctive red-orange slash below the jaw and is the only species of trout native to the Rocky Mountains. Colorado is home to three subspecies of cutthroat trout. Sadly, they have all suffered from human activities and can only be found in a fraction of their former range. Colorado River Cutthroat (Oncorhynchus clarkii pleuriticus) are native to the Green River and Colorado River watersheds west of the continental divide. Rio Grande Cutthroat (Oncorhynchus clarkii virginalis) are native to southern Colorado and New Mexico. The Greenback Cutthroat (Oncorhynchus clarkii stomias) was native to the Arkansas and South Platte River watersheds on the eastern side of the continental divide. Thought to be extinct by the 1930’s, the Greenback cutthroat is now listed as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Greenbacks became the Colorado State Fish in 1996 and renewed efforts to restore this beautiful fish make for an amazing story that is best left for a future article.
Finding Cutthroat Trout
The secret to finding cutthroat trout near Denver is all about getting to the correct elevation. Due to its close proximity to the Denver metro area, many of the waters along I-70 and US-6 become a popular fishing destination. I have fished a canyon section above Golden (~5,700 feet) many times by following US Hwy 6, with this lower section contains lots of pocket water and a population of wild brown trout with some rainbows mixed in. Fish are mostly on the smaller side and are heavily pressured. Clear Creek Canyon has incredible scenery, but there always seems to be traffic racing by and dozens of other anglers already in every pullout.
Catching Colorado Cutthroats
Above about 7,500 feet the number of competing anglers thins out significantly. Once we drove past 8,500 feet roadside access to streams becomes more limited, making for some exploratory hikes. On one particular outing we tried several pocket water sections above 9,200 feet and located and caught handfuls of smaller non-native brook trout. The brookies were aggressive and eager to attack a well-presented stimulator or chubby. This made for some fun fishing, but rumors of cutthroat trout higher in the watershed forced us to move on. When we explored fishing above 9,800 feet, we finally found cutthroat trout.
Colorado cutthroat trout love simple, buggy patterns—especially dries and small nymphs that match the high‑country hatches. Parachute Adams, caddis patterns, and stimulators seemed to do the dry work well, while droppers like hare’s ear and pheasant tails work great too. During this discovery outing the weather cooperated quite nicely, and hiking around to find good flows and fishy water made for a great time.
