Upper Piney Lake near Vail: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Set in Eagle County, Upper Piney Lake is a Colorado water. The water sits 11,070 feet up. At 6 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. Vail lies 6.2 miles from the water. The nearest city of size is Boulder, 58 miles away. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple. Lost Lake is the better known water round here, 5.3 miles off.

• Where to Fish on Upper Piney Lake

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Records held for Eagle County cover brook trout, brown trout and rainbow trout. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. Take Upper Piney Lake a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put July near 50°F and January near 15°F. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. Look for the thaw near early June; the fishing lifts straight after. Ice clears near early June and comes back about early November in a typical year. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. Time your trip to Upper Piney Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Booth Lake sits 0.9 miles off and takes the overflow. Ask locally about Upper Piney Lake if anything is unclear.