Vallecito This Week

Right Now

Week of August 3 at Vallecito Lake

Built August 6, 2026 ·

86° / 60° hi / lo 41% of full pool Stage 1 fire (community) AQI 59 Moderate

Last readings as of August 6, 2026 — the tiles above the page and the linked dashboards carry the live values.

7-day forecast

Thu

90°

60°

Fri

90°

61°

Sat

87°

60°

18%

Sun

88°

60°

25%

Mon

86°

60°

48%

Tue

85°

57°

58%

Wed

82°

57°

69%

Highs in the 82–90° range, overnight lows 57–61°. Typical summer-monsoon pattern — afternoon showers and thunderstorms most days, so plan mornings for the water and the trail.

Full interactive forecast — hourly, models & radar

The lake

The lake is about 41% of full pool (53,024 acre-feet, 7634 ft), down about 46 inches this week — the usual summer irrigation drawdown.

Inflow to the lake is running about 63 cfs, with about 559 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 August — Low-light walleye; keep trolling kokanee:

Kokanee salmon

Troll June–August with small dodgers or squids and fish early, before the wind comes up around 2 p.m.

Smallmouth bass

Holds on rocky structure and around docks — June–July are the shallow months; work tubes, jigs, and crankbaits.

Walleye

A low-light fish — work 10–40 ft at dawn, dusk, or on overcast days; tough to target from shore.

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

Vallecito Lake Country Market & La Comida Ranchera
Mon 7–7 · Thu–Sat 7–7 · Sun 7–3 · Tue–Wed closed
Johnnie's Mobile Kitchen
Wed–Sun 8 a.m.–4 p.m. · Mon–Tue closed
Pop-ups around the valley — check their Facebook for truck days.
Weminuche Woodfire Grill
Mon/Wed/Thu 4–9 · Fri–Sat 12–9 · Sun 11–8 · Tue closed (confirm on Facebook)

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

Tonight's sky

Sunrise 6:19 AM · Sunset 8:12 PM · Moon: Last quarter (37% 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. Community stage effective Friday, July 24, 2026 (12:01 a.m.). Fire status & details
Air quality is Moderate (AQI 59). EPA monitor (Southern Ute, ~30 mi): AQI 61 Moderate · 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