Fall into Responsible Recreation: Give Wildlife Space
DATE: Oct. 15, 2026
DENVER — Colorado’s vibrant fall colors continue to paint the landscapes in a breathtaking spectacle. Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) encourages sportspeople and outdoor enthusiasts to witness this natural wonder while following a few simple rules.
Colorado is home to more than 220,000 acres of public land, 43 world-class state parks, 350 state wildlife areas, 6,000 miles of streams and over 1,300 lakes and reservoirs. Each of these resources offers a unique and diverse experience.
Below are tips and resources for making the most of your fall outdoor adventure while taking action to protect Colorado’s land, water and wildlife.
Know Before You Go
Before heading out, check current trail conditions, closures, weather and local regulations. Conditions can change quickly, and some areas may have temporary restrictions or closures to protect visitors or wildlife.
In the fall, wildlife are more active, looking for food or potential mates. Elk, moose and deer are in their annual rut (mating season) and will attack if they feel threatened. Bears consume as many as 20,000 calories a day. As they build up their fat reserves to prepare for denning, they can stay active for 20-plus hours at a time. Bears may travel farther and take greater risks to eat the calories they need. This can bring them into neighborhoods and onto trails where trash and other human food sources provide an easy meal.
Avoid human-wildlife problems this fall with a few simple steps.
After Halloween, many communities and food banks across Colorado host pumpkin drop-off events for those looking for an alternative to throwing away or composting pumpkins themselves. Several ranches across Colorado also accept direct pumpkin donations for livestock feed. Zoos may even accept donated pumpkins.Leave It As You Find It
Parking in designated areas is critical — undesignated parking can destroy vegetation, ignite wildfires in dry grass or block search-and-rescue vehicles.
- Help keep our trees healthy by not carving into them or pulling down branches.
- Pack it in, pack it out. Whatever you bring into the outdoors, take it out with you.
- Keep dogs leashed and put waste bags in a trash can. Do not hang waste on trees or put waste bags in vault toilets.
Sudden immersion in cold water can cause gasping, inhalation of water and hypothermia, resulting in unconsciousness or swimming failure as muscles become numb.
- Wear a life jacket.
- Never overestimate your swimming ability. All too often, people underestimate the distance to shore or the effects of cold water. As a result, people can drown while attempting to climb back on a boat or get to safety.
- Paddleboards and kayaks are vessels, and life jacket requirements apply.
- Strong winds can raise water levels quickly and without warning.
- “Clean, drain and dry” your watercraft, trailers, boots and waders to prevent aquatic nuisance species from sticking onto your gear. Find a CPW Gear and Watercraft Cleaning Station to decontaminate your gear.
With snow falling in Colorado's mountains this week, remember that it doesn't take much snow to create avalanche hazards. Avalanches can occur whenever snow covers a steep slope, and even small early-season avalanches can carry people into exposed rocks or other obstacles. Before heading into steep, snow-covered terrain, consider the potential consequences of an avalanche. Starting Nov. 1, the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) will post daily backcountry avalanche forecasts on avalanche.state.co.us.
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