3 Most Frequently Asked Questions Heading into the 2026 Season

As we get closer to summer at Budge’s Wilderness Lodge, the phone calls and emails are definitely picking up. And not surprisingly, most of those conversations seem to revolve around the same handful of questions.

With Colorado’s unusually low snowpack this winter, there’s been plenty of discussion around what the upcoming fishing season might look like. So we thought we’d take a minute to answer the three questions we’re hearing most often heading into the 2026 season.

1. “Will you open early because of the low snowpack?”

Short answer: Nope.

Our opening day remains June 28, just as planned.

To be clear, our crew will be able to access the lodge earlier than normal this year. In a heavy-snow year, even in late June, we will have to use heavy equipment to clear snow drifts so that vehicles can safely access the road and begin preparing for the season. This year, access should come much sooner.

That said, we’re planning to use that extra time wisely. Early access allows us to tackle a few additional projects and renovations around the lodge and camps before guests arrive. There’s always a long list of improvements we’d love to make, and this spring may give us a little breathing room to get ahead on some of them.

By the time guests arrive at the end of June, we’ll be fully settled in and ready for another summer in the wilderness.

2. “Do you still have availability this summer?”

Yes… But availability is changing almost daily.

Exact availability will depend on your group size and the guided activities you want. At this time, our biggest limiting factor is the horseback activities - saddles are fully booked on many days this summer. Contact us ASAP if you’re interested in a guided fishing trip on horseback - tell us your group size, and we will send you the most current remaining dates.

Because they don’t require horses, guided fishing on foot and unguided cabin stays have the most current availability. As always, the best way to get the latest information is simply to reach out directly.

Call or text us at 970-536-1341 or email howdy@budgeslodge.com for the latest availability.

Whether you’re looking for a guided fishing experience or just hoping to spend a few days unplugged in the Colorado backcountry, we’d love to help you plan an adventure this season.

3. “Will the low snowpack affect fishing in Colorado this year?”

Absolutely. Fishing conditions across Colorado will almost certainly look different this season.

For starters, we likely won’t see the big runoff events that many rivers typically experience during June and early July. On many lower-elevation mainstem rivers — places like the Eagle, the Colorado, and the Arkansas — that means anglers will enjoy long windows of fishable conditions during what would normally be peak runoff season.

In a typical year, those rivers can become high, muddy, and difficult to fish for weeks at a time. This year, there’s a good chance they remain clearer and more accessible throughout the early summer.

Of course, there’s another side to that equation.

If the summer brings warm and dry conditions, some lower-elevation rivers could face challenges, including warm water temperatures or potential afternoon fishing closures. At this point, though, it’s simply too early to know exactly how conditions will develop. Summer rain and a healthy monsoon season could still go a long way toward improving conditions as the year progresses.

One thing we do feel fortunate about is our location near the headwaters.

Here at Budge’s, we tend to avoid the dramatic water swings that many of those mainstem rivers experience. Our higher-elevation streams and smaller watersheds generally stay more stable throughout the season. We don’t typically see the extreme runoff conditions in early summer, and we’re also less vulnerable to some of the warm-water issues that can develop farther downstream later in the year.

If low flows and warm temperatures do become a concern across parts of Colorado this summer, it may turn out to be an especially good year to focus on headwaters streams and higher-elevation fisheries — exactly the kind of water we’re fortunate to fish here at Budge’s Wilderness Lodge. Our team will keep a close eye on water temperatures and conditions and make adjustments to our daily fishing plans as necessary.

We’re looking forward to another season in the high country and can’t wait to welcome guests back to the lodge soon. If you have questions about trips, conditions, or availability, don’t hesitate to reach out.