August 8-10, 2025
The Colorado chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers (BHA) 16th annual Rendezvous is scheduled for August 8-10, 2025. We’ll set up camp in the Gunnison National Forest south of the rugged West Elk Wilderness at the Soap Creek Corral Dispersed Camping Area (see related information/links below).
Adjacent to the Dispersed Camping Area is the Soap Creek Campground, which has 21, first-come first-served sites. Sites include a picnic table and fire-ring. The campground has a hand-pump water well and vault toilet. The Rendezvous locale accommodates pull behind campers/trailers.
For additional camping/Rendezvous information, see: USFS/Soap Creek Corral/Coal Mesa Horse Camp; Soap Creek Corral Dispersed Camping.
Directions: From east of the divide, take Highway 50 approximately 27 miles west from Gunnison to Highway 92. Turn north and follow 92 about a mile and a half, across the dam, to Gunnison County Road 721. Take CR 721 approximately 7.5 miles to the Soap Creek Corrals. When you arrive, look for the BHA pop-up tent/shelter: Rendezvous HQ for the weekend.
Schedule:
-Thursday: Head to Rendezvous and get there a day early!
-Friday: Do yer’ thing - hike, ride, fish, or just chill in camp, soaking up the scenery. Join us around the campfire for tall tales and comradery that evening.
-On Saturday afternoon we’ll have a question-and-answer session (starting at 2:30 pm) with a local CPW District or Area Wildlife Manager.
--At 4:30 pm, we’ll start a general membership meeting, where we can exchange ideas, congrats, frustrations, etc.
--The membership meeting will be followed by a group wild game cookout, with Colorado BHA supplying sides (i.e., chips/dip) and you (members), hopefully, sharing some of your hard-earned wild game.
-Sunday: Wet a line one more time, pack-up, say goodbye to old and new friends, and drive safely!
If you plan to attend, please let Colorado BHA co-chair David Lien ([email protected]) and Gunnison Valley Group Assistant Regional Director Chris Parmeter ([email protected]) know a few weeks in advance (if possible). In addition, if you are willing/able to contribute any of the following, also let us know:
- Firewood.
- Extra water jugs to assist with extinguishing campfires.
- We always seem to come up short on propane stoves (Coleman two-burners will do) for group cooking and an extra table or two will likely be useful for meal preparation.
- Again, any wild game you can contribute will be greatly appreciated.
- If anyone happens to have a spare pop-up shelter (Colorado BHA will have at least one set up), one or more of these might come in handy.
We look forward to seeing you in camp!
Colorado BHA (and related) information:
-“Colorado BHA Rendezvous Roundup: San Isabel National Forest (June 21-23, 2024).” Backcountry Hunters & Anglers: 7/22/4.
-Colorado BHA Hosts Its 14th Annual Rendezvous.” Backcountry Hunters & Anglers: 6/16/23.
-Chris Parmeter, Gunnison Valley Assistant Reg. Director. “2023 Colorado Rendezvous (June 9-11, 2023).” Backcountry Hunters & Anglers: 2/1/23
-Colorado Backcountry Hunters & Angler’s 14th Annual Rendezvous (June 9–11, 2023) photos.
-“The best ideas come from around a campfire.” –Land Tawney, former BHA President & CEO[1]
-Take Action on Key BHA Issues: https://www.backcountryhunters.org/take_action#/
-BHA Stewardship: https://www.backcountryhunters.org/stewardship
-Upcoming CO BHA Events: https://www.backcountryhunters.org/co_upcoming_events
-Upcoming BHA Armed Forces Initiative (AFI) Events: https://www.backcountryhunters.org/events_afi
-Are you interested in serving on the Colorado BHA Chapter Leadership Team? Learn more about our volunteer opportunities here.
Founded by Mike Beagle, a former U.S. Army field artillery officer, and formed around an Oregon campfire, in 2004, Backcountry Hunters & Anglers is the voice for our nation’s wild public lands, waters and wildlife.[2] With members spread out across all 50 states and 13 Canadian provinces and territories—including chapters in 49 states, two Canadian provinces and one territory, and Washington, D.C.—BHA brings an authentic, informed, boots-on-the-ground voice to the conservation of public lands. The Colorado BHA chapter was founded by David “Elkheart” Petersen (a former U.S. Marine Corps helicopter pilot) in 2005 (the first official BHA chapter)[3]
[1] Rob Drieslein. “A Q&Q with Backcountry Hunters & Anglers’ Land Tawney.” Outdoor News: 1/12/18, p. 8.
[2] David A. Lien. “Freedom & Fire: A Brief BHA History II.” Backcountry Hunters & Anglers: 2/24/25.
[3] David A. Lien. “Where Hope Lives: A Brief BHA History.” Backcountry Hunters & Anglers: 11/30/20.
About David Lien