That haunting sound in the forest is on par with the changing of the fall colors and the harvest moon. In the mountains, the whistling call of bull elk as they round up mates and fend off competitors marks the fall rut. You’ll see plenty of red, yellow, and orange up in the mountains, but that’s not just the changing fall colors. Combined with the sound of the fall rut, it also means hunters have come to North Park.
The beginning of October in Colorado this year means the start of the 1st Rifle Season. Archery and Blackpowder seasons have already been underway since early September. The fall rut means prime time for bagging your limit of deer, elk, and even moose in Colorado.
Hunting is a time-honored tradition
A lot of people don’t understand why hunting is still a thing. With the availability of meat at the grocery store, it’s no longer as if people are relying on hunting as a main source of protein. Hunting goes back thousands of years in the history of mankind, and though we have come a long way from slings and atltls, hunting is still a way in which humans connect with nature at a visceral level.
It’s a time when men and women, old and young, get together to seek out large game, waterfowl, and even large predators. Hunters combine skill, technology, and community in ways they have since the beginning of humanity. Though the tools of the trade are no longer as crude as they might have been when humans were bringing down mastodons, the idea is still the same. We are harvesting wild animals that will be used and appreciated.
Entire generations of families can trace their best memories back to the times they spent hunting in North Park. It’s one of the easiest areas to access with some of the largest herds in the central Rocky Mountains. North Park has one of the largest elk herds in Colorado, topping out at over 2000 animals! With backdrops such as the Never Summer Mountains, Park Range, and Medicine Bow Mountains, you couldn’t ask for a more scenic place to hunt.
Hunting for Wildlife Conservation
Most hunters have a deep appreciation for wildlife, their habitat, and the preservation of both since they are well-acquainted with the factors that go into maintaining healthy animal herds. By opening up wildlife on public lands to hunting, humans get a chance to take their place in the food chain as apex predators. Predation means that sick, old, or weaker animals can be harvested to ensure maintaining healthy herd populations and in the process lowering the chance of diseases.
If large game populations went unchecked we would see dramatic increases which would lead to outbreaks of diseases such as prion disease, blue tongue, and Chronic Wasting Disease. Hunting disperses large herds, which leads to smaller herd sizes. As we have seen in recent years with population explosions of pronghorn antelope, bigger herds can mean overgrazing, starvation, and even an uptick in Animal vs. Vehicle collision in the wintertime as these ungulates gather on roadways to forage.
Though natural predators do a good job at clearing out contagious diseases among big game, larger herds can also result in a boom in large predator populations such as wolves, coyotes, and mountain lions. The overpopulation of predatory cats and canids can spill over into easier food supplies, such as livestock, which is never a good relationship to foster in an ecosystem.
Each year, hunting permits are issued which coincide with sustainable herd sizes, revenue, and a safe number of hunters out in the wild.
Hunting Helps the Economy
Hunting licenses are a big chunk of the budget for Colorado Parks and Wildlife. CPW is dedicated to the preservation of wildlife and protection of public lands. They perform all sorts of duties not only on public land, but also contributions to the local community. Public land use makes up a large chunk of the North Park economy, not only from CPW, National Forest, and BLM jobs, but also the money they put back into Walden and surrounding towns for rent, food, and local services.
Hunting season is one of the biggest times of year for local businesses too. Not only from the sale of hunting licenses and gear, but also hotel/vacation rentals, meat processing, taxidermy, fuel, food, and especially restaurants in the area. Rodeo weekend in North Park is a distant second to the amount of revenue the hunting season brings into the area. Locals are always appreciative of the boost to the economy North Park gets in the fall.
Where to stay in North Park
On your hunting trip you are going to need a place to stay on your visit to North Park. Walden is one of the easier choices with a central location, hotels, VRBO or AirBnB vacation rentals, and RV spots, you’ll have easy access to public lands, private lands, and even places to dine in Walden.
Hotels in Walden, CO
If you are visiting, you’re going to need somewhere to stay. Here’s a list of hotels in Walden, CO. Also check out our link for more listings.
North Park Inn and Suites: Features upscale rooms, hot tub, and other amenities, at North Park Inn and Suites you’ll feel like you’re at home. Location: 625 Main Street in Walden, CO Call 970.723.4271 or visit www.northparkinnandsuites.com to book your stay today!
Antlers Inn: Visit the historic Antlers Inn, located above the River Rock restaurant at 460 Main Street in Walden. Call: 970.723.8690 or visit Waldenantlersinn.com to book your stay while space is available.
Sleepy Moose Inn: This newly remodeled motel is close to groceries, the library, the Stockman Bar and Grill, and other central Walden locations. Location: 365 Main Street, Walden, CO. Book your stay at sleepymooseinn.com
Chedsey Motel: The Chedsey Motel is one of the longest operating hotels in North Park. Centrally located in Walden with plenty of parking, all within walking distance of shops, amenities, and restaurants. Call: (970) 723-8201 for availability.
Caribou Crossing: Several motel units with easy access to parking from your front door. Caribou Crossing is newly remodeled and taking reservations. Located at 441 Lafever Street Call: 970.501.6076 to book your visit.
Cabins and RV Campgrounds
Here’s some of the places to check out if you are RV camping or glamping:
Granite Corner, Walden, CO: On Walden’s south end just off HWY 14, the Cache la Poudre-North Park Scenic Byway. Here you’ll find full hookups and stunning views of the Medicine Bow mountains and Never Summer Range. Location: 570-580 G Street, Walden, CO 80480 Call 720.480.5439 to save your spot.
22 West: Four tiny home style cabins accommodate visitors with kitchenettes, places to lounge, and stunning views of Red Canyon, Mt. Zirkle, and more. 22 West ranks in the top 10% of AirBnB vacation rentals in the world.
Lake John Resort: The Lake John Resort is your gateway to hunting and fishing in the Colorado mountains. With a general store providing snacks, ice, fishing tackle, bait, and other essentials for your fishing trip, the Lake John Resort also boasts RV camping spots with full hookups all year long.
Old Homestead: Cabins and RV hookups in the shadow of the Never Summer Range and within reach of Rand, Teller City, and Granby, CO. Check out this article to learn more about the Old Homestead under new management. Now open all winter long!
Sentinel Mountain RV and Quick Stop: Just south of Three Way, Several RV units with full hookups and a convenience store makes a great location close to Big Creek Lakes, the North Sand Hills, Lake John, and the headwaters of the North Platte river, at the intersection of HWY 125 and 127.
Pine Springs: On the north end of North Park, not far from King’s Cañon, Cabin Creek, and WyColo, highway 127 winds its way towards the Colorado/Wyoming border where it turns into WY highway 230 to Laramie, WY. Find them online through AirBnB or their listing on Facebook
Powderhorn Campground: Not far from Colorado State Forest State Park, the Powderhorn features a pavilion, RV hookups, rustic and deluxe cabins, and other hunter-friendly accommodations. Cabins are equipped with wood burning stoves and can comfortably sleep anywhere between 2 and 10 visitors. Book your stay online
Colorado State Forest State Park: Whether you want to fish the Michigan Reservoir or wake up with moose grazing near your RV at Bockman Campground, the State Forest State Park offers dozens of RV and tent camping spots as well as Yurts for glamping. The State Forest also has potable water and a dump station for campers.
More to know: Check out this article for more RV camping spots near Walden, CO and this one for yurt glamping in the State Forest State Park.
Enjoy your hunt in North Park!
This hunting season might just be the best experience you’ve had yet. Please keep in mind quickly changing weather conditions, firearms safety, and Leave No Trace camping when hunting in North Park. Keeping yourself safe and clean means everyone gets to continue to enjoy what North Park has to offer for generations to come.
When hunting in Jackson County, book your accommodations early to beat the rush. There’s still a lot of time until the end of season, but space does fill up quickly. Check out some of our local places to eat and warm up with a hot meal, or a beer and a shot. Whether you hit your limit early or are here for the duration, we hope you enjoy your trip to Walden, Gould, Rand, or anywhere else in Jackson County you wind up. Stay safe out there so we can see you again next fall!
