Public access to the upper river is unlimited in the White River National Forest from the Difficult Creek Access on Highway 82 to the top of Independence Pass.

The middle river--from Aspen down to Carbondale--is the most popular stretch for wading anglers. Small enough to wade across in places but big enough to hold large trout in its rocky pockets and dark green pools, the river is a perfect match for the fly rod. A few intrepid fishermen float this section by raft, pinballing down the river from rock to rock, but in my opinion, it's too small and rocky to float, and not worth the effort. The river is easily accessed from a number of points, and when it's fishing well, a few hundred yards of river can keep you occupied for several hours.


There are many large whitefish (above) on the Roaring Fork River. Some anglers see them as a nuisance, others see them as the native component of an otherwise exotic fish population. They can save the day when the trout fishing is tough, and when fishing is good, you sometimes can't keep them off your hook.

The Rio Grande Trail is a public walking/biking trail that follows the river and provides 5.5 miles of public access on the north side of the river starting at Wilton Jaffe Park near the Upper Woody Creek Bridge. The river here is a cascading staircase of riffles, pools, and boulder gardens, set in a densely forested canyon. The fishing can be fantastic, and sometimes it seems every rock has a fish behind it. There are heavy caddis and mayfly hatches in the middle river, and the water is often clearer than down below. For the best fishing, walk up the canyon 10 to 20 minutes before you get in the water.

The Frying Pan River adds its volume and nutrients to the Roaring Fork at the town of Basalt, and from Basalt downstream along Two River Road to the Lower Bypass Bridge there is excellent public access (look for the pullouts). I've witnessed some incredible caddis hatches along this stretch, and several times have left the world-famous Frying Pan to find better fishing on this section of the Fork. The wading here can be treacherous, and it's best not to attempt a river crossing except during low flows. Because of the flows from the Frying Pan, this section of water is ice-free all winter long and can produce good midge hatches in the spring and fall.

The lower river--from the confluence of the Crystal River at Carbondale down to the meeting of the Colorado River at Glenwood Springs--is a big, brawling river best suited for float fishing. While the misnamed Crystal River can cloud the lower river for a month or more in the spring, most of the guide trips in the valley occur here, on what some guides call the "bread and butter" stretch.

Unlike the transparent waters of the upper reaches, the water here is a rich green, and the mossy river bottom harbors the most abundant insect life on the river. There are large trout here--browns up to 10 pounds have been taken--and the deeper holes are crammed with Rocky Mountain whitefish. Some people call them trash fish, but when the trouting gets slow, I like to put on a couple of small nymphs, a few extra split-shot, and spend a few hours tussling with the biggest whitefish in the state. Despite misconceptions, these native fish are not a threat to the introduced trout population in this river. In fact, I see whitefish as an indicator of a healthy ecosystem. I've never seen a good whitefish river that isn't also a good trout stream. If you like to keep a few fish for the barbecue, try a fresh whitefish. They taste wonderful cooked over coals, and smoked whitefish is a delicacy the world over.

The lower river is the place to go to catch the beginning of a hatch. Green Drakes generally start on the lower river and move upstream as the season progresses. The Mother's Day Caddis hatch works the same way. The lower valley is at a much different elevation than Basalt or Aspen and is often much warmer than the upper valley. During the fall, winter, and spring this can be important when looking for the first or last hatches of the season, or searching for a February midge hatch.

If you are floating the lower river, you can launch a boat right at Carbondale under the Highway 133 bridge and take out either at the Westbank Bridge Access or at Two Rivers Park on the Colorado River in Glenwood Springs. Novices should not attempt to float this stretch, as the river is swift and rocky, and there are rapids that could easily damage or capsize a drift boat or raft. This river is dangerous and deserves respect. Always wear a life jacket.

If you are on foot, there are public accesses on the lower river, the best of which are the Burry Access at mile marker 9 on Highway 82 and the Aspen Glen Access just downstream and across the river. The access points discussed in this article are only a sample of the dozens of public access points along the entire length of the Roaring Fork. For details on public access, an excellent fishing map and guide for the Roaring Fork and Frying Pan Rivers is available for $8.95 from Shook Book Publishing, P.O. Box 1444, Carbondale, CO, 81623, 1-800-324-6898, or from most local fly shops.