# River Otters in Colorado: Seen Any?



## mr. compassionate (Jan 13, 2006)

Yes, I've seen one below State Bridge on Catamount section


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## John the welder (May 2, 2009)

Saw one yesterday on the Gunnison below Delta


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## Jensjustduckie (Jun 29, 2007)

I've seen one right above Skull rapid on Westwater, technically that's in Utah but on the Colorado.


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## Ture (Apr 12, 2004)

I see otters once in a while. Upper C for sure, probably a few of the other float-trip types of rivers but can't remember, but I see them every year.

Never seen a mountain lion and, to be honest, not really interested in seeing one unless I'm in my raft and a long way from where I plan to camp. They are secretive and generally stay away from people, but they are also stalking ambush hunters who really don't have a problem with hunting for humans when they are hungry and that is just scary.


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## bigwatertoby (Nov 8, 2008)

I have seen otters a lot on the Dolores always upstream of Snag, several sightings on the upper c and one night in the Gunny Gorge we had two otters play for over an hour in the eddy our boats were in. I did jump a lion one evening while fishing Browns just before dusk. The cat was drinking river right just as you exit pinball. The cat gave a horrific scream and needless to say we didn't eddy out for a while.


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## DurangoSteve (Jun 2, 2006)

I've not seen any in Colorado, but have seen many on the Green in Flaming Gorge.


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## LiquidGuy87 (Aug 22, 2006)

Just saw one at the confluence of the Green and Colorado. Cat.


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## ski_kayak365 (Dec 7, 2003)

Once again not in Colorado, but I've seen plenty in Cataract Canyon both on the Green and CO rivers.


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## slavetotheflyrod (Sep 2, 2009)

Coulda swore I saw one in the lower Blue, bottom end of BVR. It was at a distance though so i'm not quite 100% positive.

I've been seeing a lot of mink (I think they're mink) around the lower blue, upper rado, anyone else see the cute little black weasels?


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## bigwatertoby (Nov 8, 2008)

Pine Martin are the weasel type animal, close relative to the mink. Mean little critters keep distance.


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## slavetotheflyrod (Sep 2, 2009)

I've seen pine Martens before, and they're kind of golden brown, I'll second what you said about their attitude, they're mean little bastiges. The one's I've been seeing are solid black, and about the same size and shape as a Pine Marten. They're cute little critters.


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## caseybailey (Mar 11, 2008)

Idiot here again...a little bit of help needed from our wildlife biologists. What is an easy way to tell the difference between a river otter, beaver, muskrat and any other swimming creature while they are swimming? (other than kill it...


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## bigwatertoby (Nov 8, 2008)

Huh? Have to keep my eye out on the blue and see if I can spot one. Might just be the motivation I need to get out as soon as the ice off occurs....not to mention big rainbows!!


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## cayo 2 (Apr 20, 2007)

Don't think I' ve seen otters in Co. but there are muskrats right by Union and So.Platte town run,seen em' in Cherry Creek too.A huge beaver got all aggressive at my T-Canyon, like 10 years ago, surfing some riffles on Cherry right by Monaco.He would surface and slap his tail down real hard ,actually made contact with my boat.

Beavers are way bigger than the other twtters are longer than muskrats.Muskrats have bare flat tails ,like a skinny beaver tail.

Saw some critter that was either a mink or a fisher on Mesa Canyon,looked like a big heavily furred cat but with more of a snout and pink nose,kind of a cinnamon color.
Bears by Lefthand takeout.


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## richp (Feb 27, 2005)

Hi,

I've regularly seen a pair near Little Hole on Westwater. Every now and then I've seen one around Big Horn camp.

And then there was that amazing morning when four swam right past the ramp at the ranger station, and then cut across the river around where the parking lot starts.

Rich Phillips


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## merritrd (Feb 1, 2010)

I have also seen them in Ruby Horse thief. 

I also have seen them up in Yellowstone NP munching on trout.


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## DaveM (Jul 20, 2008)

*otter, muskrat and Beaver*

I'm no wildlife biologist but I once saw an otter in the S. Platte at the Englewood Golf Course (about .5 mile north of Union). I believe they were once relocated in Bear Creek above Morrison and I guess he was lost or exploring. He was swimming like a weasel runs - with a big bow in his back. The head would come up out of the water the back would arch and tail would follow as the head submerged again. Muskrats swim with their backs exposed and theirs tails at surface of the water moving back and forth. Beavers swim with only their heads exposed and will occasionally splash when they dive.


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## mulex (May 13, 2008)

One on the Eagle above Wolcott scared the crap outta me whilst wade fishing. He floated under my line and flipped over about 8 feet from me. Seen one by Hot Sulfer too.


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## teleski1 (Nov 8, 2004)

Ive seen otters in the Fraser in Tabernash and there were many in Windng River in the park.


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## Stiff N' Wett (Feb 18, 2010)

Jumped out the boat on the Gunny Gorge almost landed on one, scared the piss out me!


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## leo_amore (May 30, 2006)

Saw some critter that was either a mink or a fisher on Mesa Canyon,looked like a big heavily furred cat but with more of a snout and pink nose,kind of a cinnamon color.
Bears by Lefthand takeout.[/QUOTE]

I am not wildlife expert either but I have not heard of Fisher Cats in CO, lost a cat in NH growing up and that was the assumed culprit. 
I have seen a couple of them there. Larger and darker than a Pine Martin and where the Pine Martin seems curious about how to eat you, a Fisher Cat just wants to do it. I have a friend that works for the DOW, I'll ask her if they are here. In the meantime I will keep my eyes out on the Upper C for Otters, another critter I haven't seen since I was a kid. Cool.


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## CO_Patrick (Feb 22, 2008)

*I saw an otter last year between Applesauce and Gore Rapid.*


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## CO14 (Nov 12, 2003)

Last summer we saw about 6-8 otters playing in a eddy across from the anticline on Ruby-Horsethief. It was really cool as I had never seen a river otter in the wild before and had always wanted to.


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## kennyv (Jan 4, 2009)

I've seen otters a bunch in westwater, typically in the spring months. Also saw one on the moab daily stretch once. Stuff 'em with pepper jack and deep fry 'em for great otter poppers!


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## hkbeliever (Nov 6, 2008)

I have seen them almost on every westwater run around the hole at little D. Glenwood Canyon just down from Grizzly creek a few times as well just after run off on river left.


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## dski (Apr 5, 2009)

I've seen otters on the Gunny Gorge below the rapids but before Pleasure Park


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## Phil U. (Feb 7, 2009)

I was sure I saw one with a fish in his mouth scrambling up the river right bank at the entrance to Number 4 on the Numbers in January. I've since talked to a couple people who've told me that there are no Otters in the Ark. ???


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## routter (Mar 10, 2004)

Yampa in the 'Boat has 'em.


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## cayo 2 (Apr 20, 2007)

Leo,Minor point,a fisher is different from a fisher cat. The latter are from Asia.I am not sure if fishers are in Co. or not,saw a picture on the net of the critter in question,a mink I believe.


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## cayo 2 (Apr 20, 2007)

my bad ,i guess they are the same thing ,it's the fishing cat that is Asian.


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## caught_the_bug (Jan 7, 2009)

saw one on westwater a couple weeks ago


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## OleMissBoater (May 22, 2007)

Saw on on the green (gates of lodore) last fall. Swam between my raft and the raft behind me. Would have missed the bugger if Pat wouldn't have gotten my attention!


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## hullflyer (Aug 22, 2004)

I have seen otters on the Piedra, but not lately.


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## debus (Jan 31, 2007)

a large family lives in the gunnison gorge, see many babies with parents every year!
you know when the otters are arround because the fishing turns off. 
seems so funny that the DOW would stock river otters and a new fangeled strain of rainbow trout (both multi-million dollar projects) into the same river. Rainbows are not native either. Are we fixing the ecosystem or just toying with it???????


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## B-Ride (Sep 16, 2007)

Gunnison Gorge.


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## Jensjustduckie (Jun 29, 2007)

Apparently in CO Springs.

Zoo's river otter still on the loose in Springs - The Denver Post


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## TakemetotheRiver (Oct 4, 2007)

I've seen several around Little D on Westwater and they are MUCH bigger than any beaver I've ever seen- an easy 5 feet from nose to tip of the tail. Beautiful, but almost scary at that size.


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## pete_stephenson1 (Jan 13, 2009)

Just saw your post and saw that one escaped from the Cheyenne Mtn zoo yesterday. RUN LITTLE BUDDY, RUN!


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## Sombeech (Mar 14, 2008)

We spotted a few on Westwater last weekend. One of them were captured on film.

Please ignore my big blue wetsuit butt in the frame.  The otter is on the left of the frames.

The full trip report and video here:
Trip Report Westwater 3/28/10


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## craporadon (Feb 27, 2006)

Awesome picture Some Beech. That's how u know its an otter, they're Huge. Like Black Lab size.


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## cayo 2 (Apr 20, 2007)

OK otters may be longer 1300 mm but beavers wiegh a lot more, up to a hundred lbs. with many over 50 lbs.,says otters are 14 kg,or 31 lbs.The ones I saw in Mexico were way smaller.Why am i arguing about otters? It's awesome that people are seeing so many!Saw 3 coyotes in a riparian area of Cherry two days ago,ran right by me like 15 feet away,pretty cool.


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## kazak4x4 (May 25, 2009)

TakemetotheRiver said:


> I've seen several around Little D on Westwater and they are MUCH bigger than any beaver I've ever seen- an easy 5 feet from nose to tip of the tail. Beautiful, but almost scary at that size.


We spotted an otter around Little Hole, then we captured one right before Last Chance rapid.


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## SueCherry (Aug 21, 2006)

*River Otter on Colorado River in Utah*

I saw this river otter below Big Drop III in Sept 2007. One of my favorite moments on the river was watching this guy role in the sand slide into the river only to swim back for more sand bathing.


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## bigwatertoby (Nov 8, 2008)

Another Otter sighting.


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## wheretheriverflows (Mar 4, 2010)

Saw quite a few river otters on the Dolores in Slickrock last year in May...quite a healthy population down there, despite the lack of free-flowing water...


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## John the welder (May 2, 2009)

Saw three at the same time, south of Delta on the Uncompahgre river.


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## riodaze (Aug 29, 2010)

I saw a pair on the Dolores in early June a few miles south of Gateway. I watched them swim and apparently "play" for about an hour. They were much bigger than I would have guessed. Sorry no pictures.


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## BCJ (Mar 3, 2008)

Saw two in Westwater early morning last fall. Above Little D.


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## troutbend (Aug 1, 2010)

On the Big Thompson below Lake Estes, we get one or two river otters a year. They pass through our property, chattering and chasing each other. We are glad they move on because we don't want them eating all the fish here.


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## SimpleMan (Dec 17, 2009)

Me, ignorant new rafter, kept seeing these little weasel looking things on the Poudre this summer. They didn't move like muskrats, though similar size. Way too small for a river otter, but otter-like right? Turns out they are a family of minks that must have escaped and taken up residence on the Poudre! Cool.


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## troutbend (Aug 1, 2010)

*Big Thompson River Mink*

We sometimes have minks here on the Big Thompson - dark brown fur, weasel-looking - there was a family a couple of years ago, but haven't seen any this year. They spend time on the river bank, but also in the woodpile and rocks.


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## melissawd (Apr 20, 2005)

Lots of otters, beaver and what I think are muskrats in Flaming. Saw a ma and pa(?) otter feeding the kids. Ma & Pa would work the eddy line, bring up a nice trout and hand it off to one of the kids, who would loll on their back in the eddy with the trout on their belly. very cool. The water is so clear there I could see how fast ma and pa could swim after trout. Too stunned to grab the camera. Also saw one huge one mawing a huge trout on a rock in the C section in Swallow canyon on the way to Lodore. Then I saw something swimming on the surface near dusk, seemed too big to be a muskrat, too small to be an otter and definetly not a beaver. I don't know what it was. It was in the b section of Flaming. Any ideas?


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## Colorado Ice (Jul 7, 2009)

*River Otter's In Colorado*

Saw 2 in the water in the Ruby Horsethief section below Black Rocks. Mid May 2010

Bob


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## troutbend (Aug 1, 2010)

River Otters in Colorado: one of our fishing guides saw an otter with a fish in its mouth, and we see one or two on occasion chasing each other and chattering their way downstream. Location: Big Thompson 6 miles downstream from Olympus dam.


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## GearDog (Jun 3, 2009)

*Minks maybe?*

Was solo boating Bridges (Poudre) about 2 weeks ago and saw a furry 'minkie' looking creature in the water about 100 yards above the take-out wave, river right. Initially it was swimming in the water, like an otter would be, then it made it to the bank, ran part way up then under some downed branches and logs. It was about the size of a very large house-cat, dark smooth looking fur, and swam super fast. Not sure what it was but it was kinda cool.

Lenny.


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## John the welder (May 2, 2009)

Otters are much larger than a house cat. Were up to 5 south of Delta on the Unc. Mostly eating crayfish.


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## stribtw (Mar 19, 2009)

i saws 3 a few weeks ago near takeout beach on the moab daily section of the colorado.


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## Jahraus (Jan 20, 2012)

*Otter*

Saw three otters this morning in the Dolores River ten miles north of Dolores. I do have a pic.


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## BrownTrout (Jul 1, 2004)

Poudre!


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## Aquaholict (Mar 3, 2008)

*Three Otters playing and laughing (literially)*

Just below Echo park, before hittin whilpool. 04/2009


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## kennyv (Jan 4, 2009)

I saw 3 otters on the Colorado, on the Daily in Utah. They were swimming between Sandy Beach and the Trash Compactor playhole. They seem to be making a comeback on the Colorado. Hope this helps.


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## BCJ (Mar 3, 2008)

Have seen them in Westwater near Little Hole early mornings.


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## coloriverdude (Jun 23, 2009)

It sounds like they are doing pretty good in the Colorado River basin. I was in my my lake kayak on Shadow Mountain Res.in July, and had 3 Otters spend about 5 minutes "spy-hopping" and checking me out. I had my 2, 4 month old pups with me....so they may have been thinking snack-time!


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## steven (Apr 2, 2004)

they are active on the san miguel and upper dolores...


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## turtle83 (Mar 17, 2009)

saw 3 river otters on the North Platte in April last spring. They had made a slide on a snowbank and were otter launching off it into the river. We watched them playing for quite some time it was awesome, so awesome that we decided to join in the fun and made a 60ft kayak snowslide into the river down stream. For the records I also saw a mountain lion running on rocks along side the river exitting gore canyon in 2006!


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## kelly (Dec 13, 2003)

*Otters*

Seen at least one every season on the Piedra (lower box) for the last 5 years, saw a pair on the San Juan swimming thru the now playpark (pagosa springs) mabey 6 yrs ago, nothing like ID where i've seen multiple families almost every day on the Secesh, EF south fork (goat creek) and SF of the Salmon...If in doubt follow them, they defn know the line.......


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## SummitSurfer (Jun 23, 2010)

One just this past summer chewed up a lady at Black Rock #9 on RH! Made the newspaper in GJ!


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## cayo 2 (Apr 20, 2007)

Hey Aquaholict,are you sure that's not a plesiosaurus ,looks alot like the Loch Ness monster photos.


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