Oldman River

Angling the Oldman River

Cutthroat Canyon

The Oldman River sneaks out of the front range and burrows stealthily through the foothills. So cleverly angled is "The Gap" that is is visible only from within. From there, the reclusive river follows a long, deep canyon to its premature demise in the Oldman River Reservoir.

Most of the river is bordered by private ranch lands and is difficult to access. Some landowners will grant permission to those who ask first.

The easiest and most attractive public access is at The Gap itself. Park on the roadside and descend the steep bank to the water. A second useful access point is the Oldman River Provincial Recreation Area on the east side of the Highway 22 bridge. The dead-end road along the east side of the river also affords access to those willing to walk a bit.

Upstream of the The Gap, the Oldman can be reached via the deeply rutted tracks that lead east from the unpaved Secondary Highway 40, locally better-known as the Forestry Trunk Road.