Colorado River Cutthroat Species Distribution

The Colorado River Cutthroat historically occupied most cool water habitats of the Colorado River watersheds in Colorado, southern Wyoming, eastern Utah, extreme northwestern New Mexico and northeastern Arizona. Currently, however, Colorado River Cutthroat trout occupy approximately 16 percent of its historic range, primarily in isolated, small headwater streams. About eight to nine percent of the occupied historic range is classified as "Conservation Populations." The Colorado River Cutthroat has been called one of the most spectacular of the cutthroat trout and one of the most beautiful fish in North America.