National Wildlife Refuge · Colorado · FWS Region 6

Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge Hunting & Fishing Guide 2026–27

Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge is located in Jefferson County, Colorado, with about 5,203 acres of land owned in fee by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. For the 2026–2027 season the refuge has 2 mapped hunt units: 1 open with special regulations and 1 closed, covering about 3,127 huntable acres.

1 with special regs1 closedPermit required
View hunt map Directions Official website ↗
2hunt units
3.1Khuntable acres
5.2KFWS-owned acres
1game categories

Rocky Flats NWR hunt unit map

Hunt units are colored by 2026–2027 status. Toggle layers for FWS-owned land, the approved refuge boundary and private easements. Use satellite imagery to scout marshes, timber edges and access points.

Loading interactive map…
OpenSpecial regulationsClosedFWS-owned landWPA (public)Refuge boundaryEasement (private) Tip: switch to Satellite or USGS Topo in the layer menu · click the map for GPS coordinates
Take it into the field: KML (Google Earth / onX) GPX waypoints GeoJSON

Hunting at Rocky Flats NWR

  • Big Game
  • Waterfowl
  • Wild Turkey
  • Upland Birds
  • Migratory Birds
  • Small Game
  • Feral & Exotic
  • Fishing

Permitted hunting categories are big game, subject to state seasons and refuge-specific rules. A refuge permit is required for at least some activities, in addition to your state license.

Big GameWhite-tailed and mule deer, elk, pronghorn, moose, bear and other large mammals

Categories are those listed by USFWS for this station; exact species, seasons and bag limits follow Colorado regulations plus refuge-specific rules.

Hunt units (2)

Acreage by status
Special regulations: 3,127 (60%)Closed: 2,076 (40%)3.1Khuntable acres
  • Special regulations3,127 ac 60%
  • Closed2,076 ac 40%
Units by size (acres)
Elk Unit
3,127 ac
Closed Unit
2,076 ac
UnitStatusAcresPermitDetails
Elk Unit
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 3,127 Required
Closed Unit
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 2,076 Required

Rocky Flats NWR by the numbers

With about 3,127 huntable acres, Rocky Flats NWR ranks #6 of 7 refuges and stations with mapped hunting land in Colorado and #298 of 420 nationwide. Roughly 60% of the acreage inside its mapped hunt units is open to hunting in some form.

The largest huntable unit is Elk Unit (3,127 acres, special regulations). Every huntable unit requires a refuge permit.

1 unit totaling 2,076 acres is closed to hunting (Closed Unit). Closed areas often serve as sanctuaries — learn their boundaries before you set up nearby.

Besides 5,203 acres of federally owned land, the station administers conservation easements on about 28 acres of private land. Easement land protects habitat but is not open to public hunting.

When to hunt Rocky Flats NWR

Typical U.S. season windows for the game categories offered here. Colorado sets the exact dates, and refuges often open fewer days than the statewide season — use this to plan scouting, then confirm the 2026–2027 dates in the state regulations and the refuge hunt brochure.

Typical season windows — Big Game
AugSepOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJun
🦌 Big Game
Archery deerFirearm deer

Permits & licenses

Refuge permit

Required

You'll also need

  • A valid Colorado hunting license and any required tags or stamps — Colorado Parks and Wildlife
  • Hunter education certification where your state requires it
  • The current refuge hunt brochure / regulations (often must be signed and carried)

Fishing at Rocky Flats NWR

USFWS does not list fishing opportunities for Rocky Flats NWR.

How to get to Rocky Flats NWR

Navigate

Destination: Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge (FWS reference point)

Google Maps Apple Maps Waze
Decimal
39.87691, -105.20399
DMS
39°52′36.9″N 105°12′14.4″W

Download for GPS / onX / Google Earth:KMLGPX

Nearest towns

  • Denver, CO15 mi NW of town
  • Fort Collins, CO50 mi S of town
  • Colorado Springs, CO75 mi N of town
  • Walden, CO82 mi SE of town

Closest airports

  • DEN Denver Intl28 mi
  • COS Colorado Springs78 mi

Straight-line distances. Driving routes are longer; many refuge roads are gravel and may close seasonally.

The navigation point is the station reference location published by USFWS — often the headquarters or main entrance. For a specific hunt unit, open its page or click it on the map for coordinates and parking planning.

Sunrise, sunset & shooting hours

Today at Rocky Flats NWR

Legal light*–
Sunrise–
Sunset–

*½ hour before sunrise — the standard federal shooting-hour start for migratory game birds. Times in Denver local time.

Full season calculator →

2026–2027 season sun table

DateShooting lightSunriseSunsetDaylight
Tue, Sep 1, 20265:57 AM6:27 AM7:34 PM13h 07m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:10 AM6:40 AM7:11 PM12h 31m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:25 AM6:55 AM6:45 PM11h 50m
Thu, Oct 15, 20266:39 AM7:09 AM6:23 PM11h 13m
Sun, Nov 1, 20265:58 AM6:28 AM5:00 PM10h 32m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:15 AM6:45 AM4:46 PM10h 01m
Tue, Dec 1, 20266:32 AM7:02 AM4:37 PM9h 35m
Tue, Dec 15, 20266:44 AM7:14 AM4:36 PM9h 22m
Fri, Jan 1, 20276:52 AM7:22 AM4:45 PM9h 23m
Fri, Jan 15, 20276:50 AM7:20 AM4:58 PM9h 38m
Mon, Feb 1, 20276:39 AM7:09 AM5:18 PM10h 08m

Computed for 39.877, -105.204 (MDT / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.

7-day hunting weather

Loading National Weather Service forecast…

Forecast from the National Weather Service. Wind direction matters — plan your approach downwind of where game beds.

Guides for hunting Rocky Flats NWR

Deer Hunting on National Wildlife Refuges: Quota Hunts, Archery Units and Stand Rules

How refuge deer hunts work — lotteries and quota permits, archery-only and muzzleloader units, tree-stand rules…

Refuge Hunting Permits: Types, Lotteries & How to Apply

Signed brochures, quota permits, special use permits and where to get them — online, kiosk, mail or visitor center.

How to Read a Refuge Hunt Brochure (and Not Miss the Rule That Matters)

What's inside a National Wildlife Refuge hunt brochure, where to find it, how it relates to 50 CFR Part 32 and state…

Hunting Safety on Public Land: Cold Water, Tree Stands, Crowds and Weather

The safety habits that matter most on refuges and WPAs — firearm rules, blaze orange, tree-stand harnesses, cold-water…

Rocky Flats NWR FAQ

Is hunting allowed at Rocky Flats NWR?

Yes. Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge offers hunting in 1 unit (3,127 acres) during 2026–2027 for big game. Seasons follow state regulations plus refuge-specific rules in 50 CFR Part 32.

Do I need a permit to hunt Rocky Flats NWR?

Yes — Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge requires a refuge permit for some or all hunting. You also need the appropriate state hunting license and, for waterfowl, a Federal Duck Stamp.

Where is Rocky Flats NWR located?

Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge is in Jefferson County, Colorado, about 15 miles NW of Denver, CO (straight-line). GPS: 39.87691, -105.20399.

What are legal shooting hours at Rocky Flats NWR?

Migratory game bird shooting hours are generally one-half hour before sunrise to sunset; big game and other seasons follow state rules. See the sunrise/sunset table on this page and confirm in the refuge hunt brochure.

Nearby refuges & public land

Two Ponds NWR

Jefferson County, CO · 5.8 mi SE

1 closed
No hunting listed

Rocky Mountain Arsenal NWR

Adams County, CO · 21 mi E

1 closed
🎣

Arapaho NWR

Jackson County, CO · 77 mi NW

2 special3 closed
🦌🦆🐦🕊️🐇🎣

15.4K huntable acres

Leadville NFH

Lake County, CO · 80 mi SW

1 open
🦌🦆🐦🕊️🐇🎣

3.1K huntable acres

Hutton Lake NWR

Albany County, WY · 94 mi N

2 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🐇

1.7K huntable acres

Wyoming Toad Conservation Area

Albany County, WY · 95 mi N

1 closed
No hunting listed

All refuges in Colorado →

Data: USFWS National Hunt Units 2026–2027, Hunting & Fishing Opportunities, Realty Boundaries & Tracts. Page updated October 28, 2026.