Rainbow Lake near Buena Vista: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  This water sits in Chaffee County, Colorado. The water sits 9,236 feet up. It covers about 17 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. You are 7.7 miles from Buena Vista. Then Salida, 24 miles, and Leadville, 30 miles. Others worth noting: Cottonwood Lake (2.2 miles), Kroenke Lake at 5.2 miles, Ptarmigan Lake (6.6 miles), Alpine Lake at 7 miles and Bear Lake (7.1 miles). The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Rainbow Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. The arms fish better than the open middle whenever the water is up. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. Open biodiversity records for Chaffee County list brown trout, rainbow trout, black-spotted cutthroat trout, brook trout and california golden trout. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. Rainbow Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 52°F and January near 14°F. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near late May. Averages place the thaw at late May and the freeze at early November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. At Rainbow Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. The closest car park is half a mile away, so pack accordingly. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. For a change of water, Cottonwood Lake is 2.2 miles distant. Rules at Rainbow Lake are worth checking on the day.