Outdoor Jobs in Colorado

32 listings are live on WildWork as of October 29, 2026. 21 state their pay and 10 include housing.

The median posted rate is $19.25/hr across 18 current listings that state pay in that unit, with posted rates from $15.16/hr to $26.42/hr. These are advertised rates; tips, overtime and room and board are extra where the listing says so.

31% of current listings say the employer provides housing, free or at a charge, and 16% include meals. Each listing shows whether housing is included and what it costs when the employer says.

Colorado law requires a guide to be 18 or older and hold a valid first aid or first aid instructor’s card from the American Red Cross, or equivalent training approved by the director (C.R.S. 12-145-106). Working as a guide without meeting that rule is a civil infraction. Fishing outfitters register with the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) Office of Outfitters, and a fishing outfitter needs that DORA number before it can apply for a Colorado Parks and Wildlife river outfitter license.

The Forest Service Rocky Mountain Region’s 2027 Phase 1 window runs August 24 to September 22, 2026, on USAJOBS. It is filling GS-10 and below engine, hotshot, helitack, handcrew, aviation, dispatch, prevention and fuels jobs under Direct Hire Authority. Primary selections run October 27 to November 20, with more selections through December 11, 2026. Tours of duty range from permanent seasonal (13/13) to permanent full time (26/0).

Elk archery runs September 2 to 30 and elk muzzleloader runs September 12 to 20 in 2026. The four rifle seasons follow: October 14 to 18, October 24 to November 1, November 7 to 15, and November 18 to 22. The first rifle season is limited to deer, elk and bear hunting, and the other three put elk, bear and deer hunters in the field at the same time. Individual hunt codes can set other dates.

HUD’s fiscal 2026 fair market rent for Chaffee County, home to Salida and Buena Vista, is $1,117 a month for a one-bedroom and $1,466 for a two-bedroom. Those figures rose from $994 and $1,304 in fiscal 2025. An efficiency is $1,110. Compare those rents with what a job pays, and ask each employer what staff housing, if any, costs.