Outdoors and wildfire - Eastern Plains
Two Buttes is a State Wildlife Area, not a state park
Two Buttes Reservoir near Baca County is a Colorado State Wildlife Area, which means access depends on a license or pass and conditions can change with the water.
Published June 10, 2026 - Last verified June 12, 2026
Near the line between Baca and Prowers counties, Two Buttes Reservoir sits below the twin buttes the area is named for. People go there to hunt, fish, and watch birds — but it helps to know it is a State Wildlife Area, not a state park.
That difference matters. State Wildlife Areas are managed by Colorado Parks and Wildlife mainly for wildlife and for hunting and fishing access. Everyone 16 or older needs a valid hunting or fishing license, or a State Wildlife Area pass, just to be on the property. The rules about what you can do there are narrower than at a park, and they can change by season.
There is a second thing to keep in mind out here: water levels swing. In dry stretches the reservoir can get very low, which changes the fishing and the boating. Because that status moves with the weather, it is worth checking before you make the drive rather than assuming.
If you are planning a visit, confirm the current access rules, pass requirements, and water conditions on the Colorado Parks and Wildlife page for the Two Buttes Reservoir State Wildlife Area.