Tomichi Creek is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data
The National Map
accessed March 18, 2011

tributary A tributary, or affluent, is a stream or river that flows into a larger stream or main stem (or parent) river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean. Tributaries and the main stem river drain the surrounding drai ...

of the

Gunnison River The Gunnison River is located in western Colorado, United States and is one of the largest tributaries of the Colorado River. Description The river flows east to west and has a drainage area of according to the USGS. The drainage basin of ...

in Gunnison County,

Colorado Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the wes ...

, United States.

Description

Tomichi Creek originates north and west of

Monarch Pass Monarch Pass (elevation ) is a high mountain pass in central Colorado, in the Rocky Mountains of the western United States. Location and basic details The pass is located on the Continental Divide at the southern end of the Sawatch Range along ...

and flows to the southwest along the base of

Monarch Mountain Monarch Mountain is one of the principal summits of the Pacific Ranges subdivision of the Coast Mountains in southern British Columbia. It stands just east of a pass between the Klinaklini River and the south branch of the Atnarko River, which ...

. Congress Creek drains into Tomichi west of Old Monarch Pass where it flows south toward Sargents. Agate Creek flows into Tomichi just north of Sargents where Marshall Creek flows from Marshall Pass. Just below Sargents, Long Branch Creek, flowing out of

Baldy Lake Baldy Lake is a lake in the east-central part of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan in Narrow Hills Provincial Park. It is situated in the Cub Hills and the boreal forest ecozone of Canada. Baldy Lake is accessed from a secondary road ...

from the south, enters Tomichi Creek which takes a westward course where Needle Creek Reservoir drains into Tomichi east of Doyleville. Hot Springs Reservoir drains down Wanita Canyon flowing into Tomichi Creek just west of Doyleville. The Tomichi Valley is a semi-wide valley allowing Tomichi Creek to

meander A meander is one of a series of regular sinuous curves in the channel of a river or other watercourse. It is produced as a watercourse erodes the sediments of an outer, concave bank ( cut bank) and deposits sediments on an inner, convex ba ...

and split into several waterways creating an excellent livestock range and being largely private ranch lands. At Parlin, Quartz Creek flows from Pitkin and

Ohio Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...

into Tomichi Creek. Tomichi continues its westward journey, slightly northwest, where the Cochetopa Creek drains into Tomichi at State Highway 114 (SH 114) from the south at the intersection of U.S. Route 50 (US 50) and continues west to Gunnison, where it enters the Gunnison River. A map can be viewed at the BLM Colorado websit
here

Public access

Tomichi Creek State Wildlife Area

Tomichi Creek State Wildlife Area is a gated public access with parking located at the east end of the runway at Gunnison-Crested Butte Regional Airport. This area provides fishing on private lands without required permission. Access to hiking W Mountain is also provided.

Sargents

Tomichi flows through private property with a one-mile stretch of public access just off US 50 below Sargents at the narrow part of the canyon. Snowblind Campground, upstream nearly two miles toward Whitepine, offers another public access to Tomichi Creek. There are certain sections of Marshall Pass Road that takes off from US 50 at Sargents which offers public fishing areas and access to Needle Creek Reservoir and Razor Creek takes off from US 50 near Doyleville onto County Road 46. There are several picnic areas with parking on the Cochetopa Creek along State Hwy 114 around mile mark 12 and 5 miles upstream. Beyond that signs designate state stocked waters and requires permission to fish. In late summer the creek yields rainbow and brown trout.

Coleman easement

Near the summit of SH 114 a sign reads ''National Forest Access - Old Agency'', turning south on this gravel road accesses Cochetopa Creek and the middle of the Colorado Division of Wildlife's Coleman Easement, approximately of Cochetopa Creek, of Los Pinos Creek and of lower Archuleta Creek are open to the public, yet are private lands which should be respected. These streams have produced wild trout for the avid angler. Located below Dome Lakes, Coleman Easement is accessible by automobile and other vehicles and designated as Wild Trout water by the Colorado Division of Wildlife. Rainbow trout up to are angled by small stream tactics using dry flies. Spinners and heavy nymphs may work during high water but are troubled by the streambed vegetation. Stocked rainbows found in the private stretches require permission to fish.Ron Baird, ''Fishing Colorado, 2nd: An Angler's Complete Guide...'' Google Books

References

External links

{{authority control Rivers of Colorado Rivers of Gunnison County, Colorado Tributaries of the Colorado River in Colorado Wildlife management areas of Colorado