Fishing · State Forest State Park
Kelly Lake
A stunning backcountry basin in State Forest State Park — flies-and-lures cutthroat, and the water that once gave up a state-record golden trout.
Toggle USGS Topo / Terrain / Satellite / Street (top-right) · red = special-regulation water, confirm current rules · waters © CPW Colorado Fishing Atlas
Kelly Lake sits in one of the prettiest basins in Colorado State Forest State Park, above 10,800 feet in the high country west of Cameron Pass. It is a true backcountry destination — roughly a 14-mile round-trip hike with about 2,300 feet of gain, sharing much of its route with the Clear Lake trail. Three first-come backcountry campsites at the lake make an overnight possible.
The fishing is special: quality cutthroat trout, by artificial flies and lures only, with a two-trout limit. Kelly has a place in Colorado angling history, too — the state-record golden trout, 3.75 pounds and 22-and-a-half inches, came out of this lake back in 1979. Bring a State Parks pass, since the lake is inside the state park.
The Water
Elevation
10,809 ft
Regulations
Flies & lures only · 2-trout limit
Fish
Cutthroat trout
Access
~14 mi round-trip hike
Good to Know
- Special regulation: artificial flies and lures only, with a two-trout limit — confirm the current rules before you go.
- A long backcountry hike (about 14 miles round-trip, ~2,300 ft of gain), inside Colorado State Forest State Park — a State Parks pass is required.
- Three first-come backcountry campsites sit at the lake, with the only fire rings where backcountry fires are allowed here.
- Kelly Lake gave up the Colorado state-record golden trout in 1979 — 3.75 pounds.
What’s Biting & What’s Stocked
The current stocking, the species, ice conditions, and the full Northwest Larimer fishing atlas — refreshed weekly — live in the app.
Coming soon — Larimer Wilds Fishing: offline maps, live GPS, and what’s stocked for every water up here, right in your pocket.
Built by Many Hands — Give a Little Back
Love this guide? Wear it. Every hat, tee, and cozy layer in our Red Feather Lakes collection helps us keep mapping the water and keeping this guide free — mountain apparel designed right here in the high country.
Shop the Collection →This fishery doesn’t sustain itself. Every trout is stocked and every acre stewarded by the public agencies we lean on for this guide — if you love these waters, please pitch in for them too:
- Colorado Parks & Wildlife — the stocking, the fishery & the Colorado Fishing Atlas Donate →
- Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forest (USFS) — the public land & lakes themselves Support →
- OpenStreetMap contributors — the Street basemap Donate →
- Google & USGS — location, ratings & topographic maps
Fishing details compiled by the Red Feather Lakes Travel Guide from the sources above. Photography by us — more of our own water images coming as we fish them.