Location: Trinchera Ranch is located near the town of Ft. Garland.

Acres: 170,700

CPW Maps:
Trinchera North map
Trinchera South map 

Area Maps: USGS Quads: Costilla County USGS 1:50,000 : sheets 1 & 2

National Forest: None

BLM: Alamosa

Species Available: Elk, Deer

Terrain and Access: Elevations vary from 8,000 ft. near the headquarters to 14,037 at the top of Blanca Peak. This ranch is one of the largest in the program and offers high mountain habitats from sagebrush flats, pinyon/juniper range land and cottonwood stream bottoms. Upper elevations have heavy timber with pure and mixed aspen/conifer. Main system of ranch roads provide adequate access to main portions of the ranch. Roads can become difficult with snow or rain. Hunters need minimum 4-wheel drive with 4 chains. Plenty of country to walk on this ranch.

Average Success Rates: Please see Participating Ranches.

Check the Ranching for Wildlife main page for season dates.

There are no antler-point restrictions for any of the ranches. No over-the-counter licenses are offered on these properties. Ranching for Wildlife licenses are open to Colorado residents only. Licenses are only for the season and ranch on the license. For more information on season dates and application deadlines, see the Big Game Hunting Brochure.

Ranch rules from previous seasons are provided for a general perspective.  Ranch rules are negotiated annually and some rule changes may take affect this year.

TRINCHERA RANCH
Ranch Hunting Rules

1. Maps showing ranch boundaries and access points will be sent to successful applicants.
2. Hunters must check in at designated gates before hunting. Hunters are not allowed to walk into the ranch from public roads. In order to assure that we do not over harvest any segment of herds on the ranch and yet provide maximum hunting opportunities there are daily hunter numbers and season harvest limits at each gate. If weather conditions cause closure of some gates then hunter number limits and season harvest limits will be revised. When a harvest limit is reached the gate will be closed.

   GateLocation

   Blanca Headquarters .25 miles west of Ft. Garland on Hwy 160

   Gomer .8 miles east of milepost 267 on Hwy 160

   Placer Creek .6 miles east of milepost 271 on Hwy 160

   Indian Creek Turn south at milepost 260 on Hwy 160 onto the

   paved road, left on Beekman Road, then on Indian

   Creek Road to gate.

   Trinchera Headquarters Turn south at milepost 260 on Hwy 160 onto the

   paved road to ranch headquarters.

3. Hunters must check out the same gate they enter. The number of hunters allowed in any gate is limited to assure proper harvest.
4. During both hunting seasons, gates will be open from 5:30 am to 6:00 pm or until all hunters are off the Ranch that day. Hunters will be allowed to hunt during legal hunting hours each day.
5. No overnight use of the ranch is permitted.
6. No fires are allowed.
7. All vehicles, including ATVs, must stay on established roads.
8. The maximum vehicle speed on all ranch roads is 15 mph.
9. A maximum of one non-hunter per vehicle will be allowed to accompany the licensed hunter(s).
10. Hunting of black bear, mountain lion, coyotes or small game is not allowed.
11. Fishing is not permitted.
12. Livestock concentration areas within the ranch are closed to hunting. Also, areas around ranch residences are closed. Most of these areas are marked on the map, but some may only be posted.
13. The Division of Wildlife may ask your cooperation and assistance in collecting a tooth and reproductive tract from the animal you harvest as an aid in evaluating the season and herd status. Instructions for making such collections will be handed out as you enter the property. Any help you can give us in this effort would be appreciated.
14. Horses are permitted. Overnight boarding of horses is not permitted on ranch property.
15. The area around North Fork of Trinchera Creek is the site of a bighorn sheep transplant. (noted on the map as road closed). No vehicular or horseback use is allowed in this area. If you see sheep in this or any other area of the ranch, please leave them alone. Sheep are easily stressed by human activity but may not obviously display such stress.
16. At the completion of your hunt you will be asked to fill out a questionnaire by Ranch personnel at the gate where you are leaving.

General Information:

Motels are located in Ft Garland and Alamosa.

Ranch will assist with retrieval of game as possible.

USGS Quads: Blanca, Blanca Peak, El Valle Creek, Ft. Garland, Ft. Garland SW, La Veta Pass, Little Sheep Mountain, McCarty Park, Mosca Pass, Ojito Peak, Red Wing, Russell, San Luis, Taylor Ranch, Trinchera Peak, Trinchera Ranch, Twin Peaks.