Creek · Denver Metro
Bear Creek above Evergreen
Seasonal notes
Bear Creek above Evergreen Lake is a classic Front Range freestone creek tucked into a steep canyon on US-74 between Morrison and Evergreen. The creek holds a mix of stocked rainbows and a self-sustaining wild brown population that surprises anglers expecting only planted fish. Early season (April–May) runoff can push the creek blown and chocolate-brown, but it clears quickly — usually fishable within a day or two of a flush. Caddis are the marquee hatch here, with heavy late-April to June flights of Brachycentrus that send fish to the surface. Hoppers work the grassy margins in August. Access is almost entirely roadside pull-offs along CO-74, and pressure is light on weekdays because most anglers drive past to reach the South Platte tailwaters.
What’s hatching
MidgeIn seasonWinterIn season — no live conditions to judge it by
Best: midday
Confidence is graded from live National Weather Service conditions and gage flow as of Nov 1, 8:32 AM MST. Time of day is left to you — check the “Best” line above.
What changed this week
- Emergency Closure posted Oct 31
- Emergency Closure posted Oct 30
Current conditions
Discharge
10cfs
Gage height
4.24ft
Water temp
—
much below normal for Nov 1 (42 yrs of record)
Last reading Nov 1, 8:00 AM MST. Source: U.S. Geological Survey gage 06710385.
Weather
Air temp
48°F
Wind
3mph
Precip
13%
1017 mb → · Mostly Cloudy
Latest Stocking
No stocking recorded this season.
Special regulations
Standard Colorado fishing regulations apply above Evergreen Lake — no Gold Medal or catch-and-release restrictions. The creek is stocked with rainbow trout by CPW, typically in spring and early fall. Fishing within Evergreen Lake city park boundaries requires a separate park permit; the canyon section above is public via BLM and National Forest parcels.
Quick ref: Front Range freestone above Evergreen Lake; stocked rainbow + wild brown
Location
Nearby waters
Nearby fly shops
Get Bear Creek above Evergreen conditions every Thursday
Flow, the go/no-go call, CPW stocking and closure notices for Bear Creek above Evergreen — one email, Thursday morning. Sign up and we'll send this week's report right now.