Five Miles of Tarryall Creek Permanently Conserved and Soon Open to the Public

In an exciting win for fish, wildlife and recreationists, Western Rivers Conservancy and Colorado Parks and Wildlife have permanently conserved the 1,860-acre Collard Ranch on Tarryall Creek, just 60 miles southwest of Denver. The ranch includes five miles of "The Tarryall," which is one of the most coveted fly fishing streams in the front range, especially for Denver-area anglers. Using funding from Great Outdoors Colorado’s Centennial Program and the Colorado Habitat Stamp, WRC transferred ownership of the ranch to CPW in March 2024. CPW will now manage the property for its outstanding conservation and recreation values.

“Tarryall Creek is a special area to so many people in Colorado, with easy access for Park County residents and folks living on the Front Range,” said Allen Law, WRC’s Interior West Project Manager. “We are proud to partner with CPW to forever protect this stretch of the creek, especially given its importance to a critical wildlife corridor and its iconic views of Kenosha Pass.”

Collard Ranch includes a prime stretch of Tarryall Creek, a principal tributary to the South Platte River and a popular South Park fly fishing stream. The ranch is part of a major migration corridor for thousands of Rocky Mountain elk, which use the property as their primary route from the high peaks of the Rockies to lower-elevation grasslands during their annual migration into and across South Park. Mule deer and pronghorn frequently move through the area as well.

There are several beaver ponds along the creek on the property, which are rare on Colorado’s valley floors. Beavers, considered a keystone species, add vital habitat complexities to rivers through dam building, which create ponds and wetlands as well as channel structure that improves spawning habitat for fish. Their presence on Collard Ranch adds to the property’s importance.

"A huge thank you to WRC and GOCO for their partnership in acquiring this property and protecting this land in perpetuity," said CPW Area Wildlife Manager Mark Lamb. "Wildlife conservation work would not be successful without cooperation between government agencies, outdoor organizations, private landowners and nonprofits. We are excited to acquire this property and look forward to getting it open for public access in the near future."

After Collard Ranch was listed for sale, WRC jumped at the opportunity to conserve the property and negotiated a purchase agreement with the landowner. WRC bought the property in early December 2023 and held it until funding was in place, allowing it to convey the ranch to CPW. The ranch will now be managed by CPW to preserve its outstanding fish and wildlife habitat and to provide new recreational access.

Under state ownership, Collard Ranch will be open to the public, offering fishing and hunting access along five miles of Tarryall Creek. CPW ownership will also establish more uniform resource management along the creek, given the property’s adjacency to Cline Ranch State Wildlife Area and other conservation lands.

“We developed our Centennial Program to invest in once-in-a-generation opportunities that protect some of our most valuable places and create meaningful access to the great outdoors for Coloradans,” said GOCO Executive Director Jackie Miller. “Western Rivers Conservancy and Colorado Parks and Wildlife have given us exactly that kind of opportunity with the Collard Ranch project, and we are proud to help make it a reality for Colorado with our $6.25 million investment.”