From Colorado Springs north to the Wyoming state line, a chain of foothills and mountains called the Front Range rises to form the easternmost slopes of the Colorado Rockies. Today around three million people live in the Front Range metropolitan area, but for about a century, nearby lands to the west have been preserved. Hundreds of miles of unspoiled rivers and streams flow through huge tracts of national forests, wilderness areas, and other sanctuaries and parks. The waters there offer ideal habitat for trout – and wonderful opportunities for the fly angler. Wild and remote as they seem, most Front Range fly-fishing destinations lie less than a 90-minute drive from the nearest city.

      A few thousand square miles of land extend from Front Range cities to the Continental Divide. During your fishing trips in the region, you'll experience an amazing variety of contrasting terrain and conditions. Depending on your destination, you might fish in waters located anywhere between 5,000 and 11,000 feet above sea level. Aspen and evergreen may grow along the banks of one stream; cactus and cottonwood along another. Some waters rush through steep mountain canyons; others meander through flat, grassy meadows of the high prairie. . .