--- title: "Native Revival: CPW Boots the Invaders, Rolls Out the Red Carpet for Cutthroat Comeback" description: Colorado Parks and Wildlife is restoring native cutthroat trout by removing non-natives and reintroducing pure strains to alpine waters. Here's how—and why it matters. image: https://risebeyondflyfishing.com/hubfs/Trout%20Close%20Ups/17.png --- [Skip to content](https://risebeyondflyfishing.com/blog/colorado-cutthroat-trout-reintroduction-cpw-efforts#main-content) This is a search field with an auto-suggest feature attached. - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. 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[Conservation](https://risebeyondflyfishing.com/blog/tag/conservation), - [Greenback Cutthroat](https://risebeyondflyfishing.com/blog/tag/greenback-cutthroat) # Native Revival: CPW Boots the Invaders, Rolls Out the Red Carpet for Cutthroat Comeback - July 24, 2025 ![Tymothe Meskel](https://risebeyondflyfishing.com/hubfs/Untitled%20design%20(33).png) [Tymothe Meskel](https://risebeyondflyfishing.com/blog/author/tymothe-meskel) In a move that’s equal parts **conservation science** and old-school justice, **Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW)** is taking bold action to restore what’s been lost: the native **cutthroat trout** that once ruled Colorado’s high-alpine streams. For over a century, non-native species—**brook trout**, **brown trout**, and **rainbows**—have been crashing the party in fragile headwater ecosystems where they never belonged. They’ve outcompeted, interbred, and all but erased Colorado’s native cutthroat populations. Now, CPW is flipping the script. ![17](https://risebeyondflyfishing.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Trout%20Close%20Ups/17.png?width=800&height=800&name=17.png)   ### The Plan: Clear the Waters, Bring Home the Natives CPW is currently reintroducing the **greenback cutthroat trout**—a species once thought extinct—back into its historical range in places like the **Collegiate Peaks Wilderness**. But first, they’ve got to remove the aquatic squatters. Using a naturally derived compound called **rotenone**, CPW biologists temporarily eliminate **non-native trout** from targeted alpine lakes and streams. This gives the **native cutthroat** a clean slate—no competition, no hybridization, no interference. Once the water is cleared and safe, **pure-strain greenbacks**—meticulously bred in CPW hatcheries—are stocked back into the ecosystem. These aren’t your average hatchery fish either. CPW’s greenbacks are **genetically verified descendants** of the last remaining wild population found in Bear Creek near Colorado Springs. ### Why It Matters: More Than Just a Fish Tale Restoring native cutthroat is about more than nostalgia or a pretty fish photo—it’s about **biodiversity, ecosystem resilience**, and honoring Colorado’s natural history. Each lineage of cutthroat trout—the **greenback**, **Colorado River**, **Rio Grande**, and **Colorado River headwaters** strains—evolved in distinct drainages over thousands of years. That local adaptation matters. Healthy populations of native trout support aquatic insects, riparian plants, birds, and even bears. And from a human perspective, they offer something the stocked pond never will: a chance to experience **true wild Colorado**. ### What It Means for Anglers Yes, some streams will be temporarily closed. Yes, that alpine lake you were planning to fish might be part of a recovery zone. But don’t pout. This is part of the long game. Soon, those same waters will be home to **wild, native cutthroat trout**—fish that are smarter, scrappier, and far more rewarding to catch. You’re not just fishing; you’re connecting with something ancient, rare, and deeply Colorado. So tip your hat to CPW, leave the pitchforks at home, and maybe—just maybe—tie on a barbless dry and chase some history.   Blog Post ## Related Articles [![](https://risebeyondflyfishing.com/hubfs/2025%20Spring%20River%20Report%20Banners%20Cards/South%20Platte%20River%20Fly%20Fishing%20Report%20Dream%20Stream.png)](https://risebeyondflyfishing.com/blog/fly-fishing-dream-stream-south-platte-river) [South Platte River](https://risebeyondflyfishing.com/blog/tag/south-platte-river), [Guides](https://risebeyondflyfishing.com/blog/tag/guides), [Dream Stream](https://risebeyondflyfishing.com/blog/tag/dream-stream), [Fly Fishing Near Denver](https://risebeyondflyfishing.com/blog/tag/fly-fishing-near-denver) ### [How to Navigate Summer Crowds at the Dream Stream Without Losing Your Mind](https://risebeyondflyfishing.com/blog/fly-fishing-dream-stream-south-platte-river) July 28, 2025 The Dream Stream is many things: iconic, scenic, technical, and rewarding. But in July? 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