Right Now

Vallecito This Week

Conditions, the bite, what's on and who's open: the whole week at the lake on one printable sheet.

Right Now

Week of September 7 at Vallecito Lake

Built September 9, 2026 ·
80° / 57° hi / lo 24% of full pool Stage 1 fire (community) AQI 13 Good

Last readings as of September 9, 2026 — the tiles above the page and the linked dashboards carry the live values.

7-day forecast

Wed
83°
56°
1%
Thu
82°
54°
0%
Fri
80°
53°
16%
Sat
78°
54°
21%
Sun
75°
55°
47%
Mon
74°
54°
36%
Tue
74°
54°
35%

Highs in the 74–83° range, overnight lows 53–56°. A few afternoon showers or storms mid-week, otherwise mostly dry.

Full interactive forecast — hourly, models & radar

The lake

The lake is about 24% of full pool (31,220 acre-feet, 7618 ft), down about 12 inches this week — the usual summer irrigation drawdown.

Inflow to the lake is running about 50 cfs, with about 155 cfs released at the dam.

The public boat ramp is open (season runs May 1–Nov 1).

Lake storage across the year — median since 1941 with this year's path marked. Full lake history

The likely players this week

The species most worth targeting around September — Streamers for browns; cover water for pike:

Brown trout illustration — USFWS, public domain

Brown trout

Prime late September through November as browns turn aggressive before the fall spawn — streamers near structure.

Rainbow trout illustration — USFWS, public domain

Rainbow trout

The most reliable catch — troll, bait-fish from shore, or cast spinners; best around ice-out and again in fall.

Northern pike illustration — USFWS, public domain

Northern pike

The trophy — work the weedy north end with big spoons, spinnerbaits, and swimbaits; CPW encourages harvest.

A PRID day-use permit and a Colorado license are required — permit details. For this week's actual bite, see the weekly report or ask at the marina.

This week's events

A quiet week at the lake — a good time for an early-morning paddle before the wind, or the free Tour of Carvings. See the calendar

Trail picks

  • The Lake Trails / “Walk Path” · flat, lakeshore
    Signed flat segments along CR 501/CR 501A with benches and fishing spots — the closest thing to a lakeshore promenade. Great for families and a sunset stroll.
  • Vallecito Creek #529 — to the first bridge · ~3 mi round trip
    THE classic local hike from Vallecito Campground: 0.6 mi flat, then switchbacks above the creek to the first footbridge — the standard turnaround. Busy in summer.
  • Lake Eileen #899 · 2.1 mi one-way · ~1,150 ft
    The one locals under-mention — steep-for-its-length through aspen to a lily-pad lake and a ridge overlook of the reservoir. Wilderness rules apply.

Vallecito Creek #529: the “Middle Bridge” (~5.5 mi up) washed out completely in the October 2025 flood — plan around it.

Afternoon thunderstorms build most July–August days — start early and watch the sky, on the water and on the trail.

Full trail guide

On the water

The public boat ramp is open (season runs May 1–Nov 1).

The Vallecito Marina has boat, pontoon, kayak and SUP rentals plus slips and fuel — book ahead in summer.

Permits: a PRID day-use permit (from $6/day) plus a Colorado license — details. Clean, drain & dry — launch guide.

Eat this week

= GoVallecito partner. Hours change seasonally — the business directory has the full list and links.

Tonight's sky

Sunrise 6:47 AM · Sunset 7:27 PM · Moon: Waning crescent (6% lit).

Sunrise 6:47 AM · Sunset 7:27 PM · Moon: Waning crescent (6% lit).

Vallecito sits under some of Colorado's darkest skies. More sky & solunar

Before you head up

  • Stage 1 fire restrictions in the lake community — the surrounding San Juan National Forest remains Stage none. Community stage effective Friday, July 24, 2026 (12:01 a.m.). Fire status & details
  • Air quality is Good (AQI 13). Regional EPA monitor (Southern Ute reporting area, ~30 mi) · AirNow.
  • Cell service is spotty around the lake — download maps and directions before you come. First-visit tips
  • Emergency & lake contacts — 911, clinics, ranger, marina. Contacts
Front desk? Hit print — the sheet condenses to a single page (conditions, 7-day, lake, events, and tonight's sky) for guests. Refreshed with every update, so a fresh copy is always a click away. Questions or a correction? contact us.

Auto-assembled from our live feed, the fishing and trails guides, the events calendar, and the business directory — the same sources the weekly Lake Report email uses. Conditions move fast up here; the linked pages carry the current numbers. How we verify