Features

  • Restroom
  • Picnic Area
  • Fishing Access

Trailhead Description

Sawhill Ponds Wildlife Preserve is made up of 18 individual ponds with many surrounding trails and bench areas. The Sawhill Ponds Wildlife Preserve is owned by Colorado Parks & Wildlife (CPW) and managed by the Open Space and Mountain Parks Department.

Hours

The trailhead is open from 5 am to 11 pm daily.

Restrooms

Facilities are available.

Picnic Facilities

Several picnic tables are available adjacent to the main parking lot, along with benches. There is a covered picnic pavilion. No drinking water is available.

Transportation

The trailhead is east of the Boulder city limits on the west side of 75th Street, 0.6 mile north of Valmont Road.

Parking

Sawhill Ponds has 27 standard parking spaces and one ADA space.

Area Info

Fishing

All Colorado Parks & Wildlife (CPW) fishing regulations apply, including special catch size limits posted on-site. Visit the Fishing webpage for more information about fishing opportunities and regulations. Sawhill Ponds is exempt from the new CPW regulation requiring a fishing or hunting license to access State Wildlife Areas - a license is not needed to access Sawhill Ponds. If planning to fish, a valid CPW fishing license is required for anglers 16 and older.
A float tube is allowed for the purposes of fishing at Sawhill Ponds. A float tube, also known as a belly boat or kick boat, is a device which suspends a single occupant in the water from the seat down and is not propelled by oars, paddles or motors. No kayaks, carry-on boats, watercraft, inner tubes, or wading and swimming are permitted.

Fishing line and trash can kill wildlife. Please pick up all plastic trash you find! Discarded fishing line is especially dangerous to wildlife. Animals may eat or become entangled in litter, causing them to drown or starve to death.

Accessibility

This area is identified as being mobility-friendly. See the Visitors Experiencing Disabilities Page for trail details.

Bike Regulations

No bicycles are allowed in this area.

Dog Regulations

Sawhill Ponds Dog Regulations Map

Learn about bringing your dog to OSMP. Dogs must be on a hand-held leash at all times. Dog excrement removal is required by law. A dog station is available to aid in the collection of dog excrement.

Ice on ponds and lakes

You can help to keep you and your pets safe by keeping them off OSMP's icy lakes. Many times, pets that fall into icy waters will be able to get out or self-rescue without assistance.

If it happens to you while visiting OSMP and your pet is unable to get out of the water, stay off the ice! Call 911 and Boulder Fire-Rescue will respond and rescue your pet!

Also, all dogs must be on a hand-held leash at all times in this area, which helps keep them safe.

Horse Regulations

Allowed on most trails. Off-trail riding is discouraged to protect rare plants and wildlife habitat. Learn more about riding your horse on OSMP.

Wildlife

Sawhill Ponds is the home to many different kinds of waterfowl, fish, birds of prey, amphibians and reptiles. During spring and fall, the ponds provide a stop-over for migrating ducks.

Connecting Trails