Lone Mesa State Park hunting opportunity open to 2025 applicants
John LivingstonSouthwest Region Public Information Officer
970-759-9590 / [email protected]
@CPW_SW
Scenic Lone Mesa State Park, nestled in southwest Colorado, offers bear, elk and mule deer hunting during the fall seasons. The 11,760-acre property located 23 miles north of Dolores is open to the public only through a Special Use Permit that allows for limited hunting during big game seasons. The park ranges in elevation from 7,200 feet to a little more than 9,000 feet and provides excellent habitat.
The application for the hunting permit draw for Lone Mesa State Park opened May 27 and will be available through 4 p.m. June 26. The order of submission does not have any bearing on the outcome of permit draw success.
APPLY NOW: 2025 Lone Mesa State Park Hunting Permit Application cpw.info/LoneMesa2025.
“Lone Mesa State Park offers excellent hunting opportunities for elk, deer and bear,” said Park Manager Nolan Tappenden. “Each year, we look forward to opening this incredibly scenic state park during big-game hunting seasons and to share in the experiences had by all the successful applicants selected through the draw.”
The application for the Special Use Permit is now available online. The drawing will be held at 5 p.m. June 27 at the Mancos State Park Visitor Center located at 42545 Road N. in Mancos. For those unable to attend the draw, a virtual viewing option will be made available via Zoom. It is recommended that virtual attendees register for the webinar in advance.
Successful applicants will be notified, and unsuccessful hunters will be placed on a waiting list in the order of their draw number.
Per regulation #710, a valid hunting license for Game Management Unit 711 is required in addition to drawing a limited Lone Mesa permit for access. The only exception is for the second and third rifle seasons, where hunters can buy an over the counter antlered elk license if they’re successful in drawing a limited second or third rifle Lone Mesa permit. Hunters must have both a valid license and permit to hunt in Lone Mesa. Other than second or third antlered elk season applications, you must currently hold a license outlined in regulation #710 to apply.
For more information on the number of available permits as well as links to harvest statistics, go to the Lone Mesa State Park page. Questions regarding the application process and the draw may be directed to Lone Mesa and Mancos State Park at 970-533-7065 or by emailing [email protected].
CPW offices can provide additional information on season structures and licensing. The Lone Mesa and Mancos State Park offices can be reached at 970-533-7065, and the CPW Durango area office can be reached at 970-247-0855.
More details on the 2025 big-game hunting season can be found in the 2025 CPW Big Game Brochure.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) is an enterprise agency, relying primarily on license sales, state parks fees and registration fees to support its operations, including: 43 state parks and more than 350 wildlife areas covering approximately 900,000 acres, management of fishing and hunting, wildlife watching, camping, motorized and non-motorized trails, boating and outdoor education. CPW's work contributes approximately $6 billion in total economic impact annually throughout Colorado.
DISCLAIMER: The Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) website maintains press releases containing historical information that may no longer be accurate. Press releases are dated, which should be noted to determine whether the information provided is current. Please review our current regulations and brochures for up-to-date information.