The Twin Spruce Ponds are now open to the public for fishing, reports Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

The eight ponds are located on Colorado Highway 145 at mile marker 17, about seven miles northeast of Dolores. They are open dawn to dusk, and there is no fee.

CPW negotiated a four-year lease with the Tibbits family to provide public access to the private ponds, said CPW wildlife manager Matt Thorpe.

“We’re very excited to get it up and running,” he said. “It’s a great opportunity for folks, especially for kids and those that don’t get around well.”

The ponds were stocked with 6,000 rainbow trout, and will be resupplied every year. A fishing license is required. Colorado fishing regulations and catch limits apply.

There is an ample parking lot, and users are advised to not park on the red-signed road.

The ponds border a residential neighborhood. Please be respectful of nearby residents and private property. There is no access to the Dolores River.

Anglers are free to explore the various ponds using the dikes and paths between them. Access to the ponds is from the designated parking area only.

It’s rumored there are some larger trout lurking in the ponds, which are leftover from an old gravel mine operation. The ponds are filled from the nearby Dolores River.

Boating on the ponds is prohibited except for float tubes or craft propelled by hand.

There is no camping or fires allowed. Also prohibited are alcohol, glass, hunting, and discharge of firearms or bows. Dogs must be leashed.

“It’s a neat opportunity, especially since there is not much public access for fishing in that area,” Thorpe said.