Anglers in the know have heard of Colorado’s epic annual salmon run. Every autumn, nearly 20,000 kokanee salmon charge up the East and Gunnison rivers to spawn. This is when the state’s best anglers head to the high country of the Southern Rockies, setting up camp along cold mountain streams and casting into waters boiling with vibrant fish.
It’s a fly fisher’s dream, and one you don’t need to go all the way to Alaska to realize. Kokanee salmon — a rare, non-native variety of landlocked sockeye — thrive in several places in the Lower 48. However, few are more accessible than the middle of Colorado. And while other forms of outdoor recreation tend to hog the limelight here (think: world-class rafting, hiking, and mountain biking), the salmon run is one of the best reasons to visit.
Here’s how to time your trip, and how to make the most of an adventure vacation in the Colorado Rockies.
The Run of a Lifetime
Most of Colorado’s salmon begin their lives at the Roaring Judy Fish Hatchery, a sprawling, 783-acre facility on the East River. From there, the fish migrate downstream to Blue Mesa Reservoir, one of the largest lakes in Colorado and a storied adventure epicenter that draws paddlers and windsurfers from across the state.
Here, salmon spend 3 to 4 years in the reservoir’s cool depths, biding their time (and giving the lake anglers a hell of a fight) as they mature to spawning age. Once that happens, the fish begin their epic journey upstream, battling the turbid waters of the East and Gunnison rivers to reach their spawning grounds each fall.
When and Where to Visit
As soon as the leaves begin to turn in late August, the salmon are on the move. The run hits its peak around mid-September and wraps up by the end of October. Fall is prime time for other reasons, too: Colorado’s notorious summer thunderstorms have all but dissipated, the aspens explode into color, and river levels drop low enough to wade.
While both the East and Gunnison rivers offer incredible kokanee salmon fishing, the latter is of particular interest. Awarded Gold Medal status in 2023, the Gunnison is dam-controlled, which keeps its waters cold and nutrient-rich year-round. That makes it a hotbed for rainbow, brown, and cutthroat trout, as well as salmon, chubs, and mountain whitefish.
Word to the wise: Public access abounds, but private land is easy to stumble upon in Gunnison County. Plan a float trip from a public put-in to avoid restrictions, or double-check property lines before you wade.
Adventure Add-ons
Come for the salmon run, stay for the high-octane mountain adventure.
- Catch Cutthroats in Green Lake: Starting conveniently in Crested Butte, the Green Lake Trail carries determined anglers 8.8 miles and 1,800 vertical feet into the Elk Mountains. Your finish line: Green Lake, a wildflower-ringed gem splashing with cutthroat trout.
- Raft the Taylor River: This is river country — and that means endless opportunities for rafting, river surfing, and paddling. Almont’s boutique outfitters can give you a taste of the lifestyle in Taylor Canyon, a hot spot for adrenaline-laced Class III whitewater.
- Mountain Bike Hartman Rocks: Cruise through golden aspen forest and sagebrush desert at Hartman Rocks, a tangle of meticulously maintained mountain bike trails that cater to intermediate riders and hard-charging experts alike.
- Camp on the Rim of the Black Canyon: The Black Canyon of the Gunnison is one of Colorado’s most otherworldly — and least-visited — national parks. The 2,000-foot walls of this impossibly narrow canyon are composed of black granite streaked with pink pegmatite, and the skies above it boast some of the country’s best stargazing.
- Soak in Waunita Hot Springs: Once an 1880s homestead, Waunita Hot Springs Ranch is home to one of the state’s largest hot spring-fed pools. Book a stay and tack on a hike through the lush pine woods of Gunnison National Forest.
This article is sponsored by the Gunnison Crested Butte Tourism Association.
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