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AAA Colorado

Wildlife Viewing

Wildlife Viewing in Colorado
Golden eagle According to a recently released U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service national study, wildlife-watching brought $1.4 billion into Colorado's economy last year. The same study estimated that 2.4 million people each year participate in activities across Colorado such as wildlife photography and backyard bird-watching, a jump of 56 percent since 2001.

So, where are the best places to look for wildlife? That depends on whom you ask.

The Colorado Department of Wildlife offers an online interactive map divided into Colorado Plateau, Mountains, Front Range and Eastern Plains-each area has numbered locations and a pop-up description of the animals which can be found there. The web site, teamed up with the books Wildlife Viewing Guide of Colorado by Mary Taylor Young, and Providing Positive Wildlife Viewing Experiences by Deborah Richie Oberbillig provide nearly 200 documented sites for wildlife watching opportunities. Pair these resources with Colorado's brown and white "binocular" signs on roadsides, and you are guaranteed great opportunities to view Colorado wildlife. http://wildlife.state.co.us/Viewing/

Wildlife Signs

Some of the signs appear:

Georgetown Georgetown - Located off I-70, follow the binocular signs to the wildlife viewing station and enjoy learning from educational exhibits while you watch Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep. Don't miss the Bighorn Sheep Festival in November.

San Juan Skyway - Located in the mountain regions in southern Colorado, elk, foxes, and the occasional black bear are spotted on this driving tour. Great for wintering bald eagles; summer offers excellent birding with nearly 60 percent of Colorado's breeding birds possible at this site.

Cumberland Pass - Located in the mountain region in central Colorado, mule deer, elk, and beaver are common; some waterfowl present. There are opportunities to view fish in ponds or streams and blue grouse in higher elevations. County roads 763 and 765 are not maintained during the winter.

Independence Pass - On one of the state's most spectacular high country passes, you can find mule deer, elk, and black bear as well as a large variety of songbirds and raptors, mountain goats, marmots, and pikas, above tree line to the summit at 12,095 ft. This pass is only open from Memorial Day until winter snows close it in the fall.

Trough Road - Near Kremmling, this site is prime wintertime viewing of mule deer and elk as well as bald and golden eagles, various other raptors, swallows, and waterfowl. This is some of the finest winter range in Colorado for deer and elk.

Flat Tops Scenic Byway - This is an 82 mile drive between Meeker and Yampa on CR 8; half is unpaved but accessible by passenger cars; not maintained in winter but is open for snowmobiles. On this byway you can see bald eagles, songbirds, coyotes, sage grouse, rattlesnakes, red-tailed hawks and golden eagles.

Mount Evans Highway - The highest paved road in the United States begins near a mountain lake and travels through the forest into the land above timberline—the alpine tundra. Summit is over 14,000. Excellent trip for viewing bighorn sheep, mountain goats, and other alpine dwellers such as marmots, pikas, and pipits. Closed in winter.

Wildlife Refuges

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service also offers ideas on wildlife watching in seven national wildlife refuges in Colorado. Wildlife refuges nationally provide for more than 250 threatened or endangered plants and animals. Refuges are special places where the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and its partners restore, protect and manage habitat for America's wildlife.

Among Colorado's national wildlife refuges are:

Rocky Mountain Arsenal - located just 10 miles from downtown Denver it is home to more than 300 species of wildlife including birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and wintering bald eagles. The refuge is also home to 19 bison, including three calves born in May 2007.

Alamosa and Monte Vista - provide migratory habitat for waterfowl, greater sandhill cranes, and whooping cranes in the San Luis Valley. The Refuges are recognized for providing some of the most productive nesting habitat for ducks on the North American Continent. Beginning in the 1980's, a herd of elk began using the refuge. At present, several hundred elk may be seen on the refuge seeking winter food and sanctuary from hunting pressure on nearby public lands.

Arapahoe - manages a diverse wildlife population ranging from moose to an abundance of migratory birds. Birders come from all over to add sage grouse and rosy finches to their bird lists at Arapaho. A six-mile self-guided wildlife auto tour provides opportunities to learn about the refuge, its wildlife and wildlife habitat.

Baca - consists of approximately 92,500 acres of wetlands, sagebrush, and riparian lands located in Saguache and Alamosa Counties, Colorado. Other land features included within the Refuge are sand dunes, forested areas, and several thousand acres of ditch-serviced and irrigated lands.

Browns Park - located on both sides of the Green River, provides excellent habitat for migratory waterfowl. The Refuge also provides protection and restoration of riparian habitat for songbirds. There is an eight-mile long wildlife drive which takes you near a variety of Refuge habitats and provides good opportunities for viewing wildlife.

Two Ponds - located in Arvada, Colorado, was established in 1992 and provides opportunities for environmental education and wildlife observation in an urban setting. Coyote, red fox, muskrat, raccoons, beaver, deer, several species of small mammals, amphibians and a variety of reptiles are observed at Two Ponds. http://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/refuges/co/

However you view them, wildlife in Colorado is a special part of living in Colorado. We encourage you to get out and see all of Colorado's wild beauty.