CPW updates rules for James M. John and Lake Dorothey wildlife areas

Colorado Parks & Wildlife has updated Chapter W-9 rules for James M. John and Lake Dorothey state wildlife areas, putting two Las Animas County public lands back in focus for hunters, anglers and families headed south of Trinidad. The changes matter because the two properties sit in the same Fishers Peak landscape, where access rules, seasonal closures and hunt reservations can decide whether a trip works at all.

CPW’s map shows James M. John State Wildlife Area, Lake Dorothey State Wildlife Area and Fishers Peak State Park together on the same public-land patchwork. Fishers Peak is Colorado’s 42nd state park, a 19,200-acre acquisition CPW completed in 2020 south of Trinidad, adjacent to Interstate 25 and stretching to the New Mexico border. The map’s elevation range, from the mid-6,000s to about 9,400 feet, is part of what makes the area useful for wildlife habitat and why conditions can change fast from one trail or season to the next.

Lake Dorothey stands out for people planning specific activities. A CPW proposal describes it as a 4,800-acre leased property between Raton, New Mexico, and CPW that provides public access for hunting, fishing, wildlife viewing and other recreation. Another local description identifies it as owned by the City of Raton and managed by CPW, which makes the property a good example of how these lands can depend on lease arrangements rather than simple state ownership.

CPW has also proposed allowing additional methods of take for big game at Lake Dorothey, along with limited hiking, biking and equestrian use on certain trails with seasonal closures. That makes Lake Dorothey the place to check first if your plan includes hunting or mixed-use recreation. James M. John belongs in the same planning category, because CPW’s W-9 update specifically changes rules for both wildlife areas, and users should not assume one property follows the other’s access rules.

The reservation details are where many trips go wrong. On CPW Division properties where reservations are available or required, reservations can be made by phone or online. For small-game and waterfowl hunting, reservations cannot be made more than 14 days in advance and must be made before noon the day before the hunt date. Anyone heading out for a hunt needs to clear those deadlines before leaving Las Animas County.

The broader landscape also matters. Lake Dorothey and James M. John are described as the nearest undeveloped public land to Raton, and Lake Dorothey reopened after the Schwachheim Fire burned nearly 1,600 acres and started April 12. In a county where recreation, access and wildfire recovery all overlap, the CPW rule update is the kind of detail that can save a wasted drive.