If you’re looking for a quick getaway near the Denver metro area, check out Barr Lake State Park, located near Brighton. The park includes boating, fishing, a nature trail and Nature Center, and wildlife viewing stations. And while boating and fishing aren’t in season right now, there are lots of other things to do […]
All this year, conservation and wildlife organizations across the US have been celebrating Year of the Bird, a campaign to bring awareness to the importance of birds and to celebrate the centennial of the passage of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Here in our state, Colorado Parks & Wildlife (CPW) is participating in Year of […]
Farrington “Ferry” Carpenter was a Harvard- and Princeton- educated rancher whose autobiography, Confessions of a Maverick, is one of the most frequently checked out items in our library collection. Today, his Routt County ranch, still a working cattle operation, has been preserved as a nature center. Originally from Evanston, Illinois, Carpenter (1886-1980) spent time in […]
The Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area (AHRA), located just outside of Salida, is a popular spot for kayaking and whitewater rafting. In fact, according to Colorado Parks & Wildlife, the Arkansas River is the “most commercially rafted river in the United States.” The park also offers camping, fishing, hiking, biking, and wildlife watching and features event […]
“Leaf peeping season” has arrived. Where are the best places to go to view Colorado’s colorful aspens? For suggestions on Colorado’s most colorful state parks, visit Colorado Parks & Wildlife’s Fall Colors page. Here you can find suggestions not only for where to go, but how – whether you prefer a car trip, camping, hiking, […]
Hiking, camping, hunting and fishing, and snow sports are some of Coloradans’ favorite recreational pastimes. Sometimes, however, unforeseen situations can lead you off the beaten path. Every outdoors enthusiast should familiarize themselves with basic survival skills in case of emergency. Even the most experienced mountaineers can become lost in a blinding snowstorm, or become separated […]
Colorado Parks and Wildlife issues a Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) every five years. The current plan, issued in 2014, covers Colorado recreation planning, funding, and grants for 2014-2018. According to the Colorado Parks & Wildlife website, Every five years, each state updates their SCORP plan to remain eligible for stateside LWCF dollars, which […]
It’s officially fall, which can be a great time to head outdoors. It’s still warm enough to hike, and in the high country the fall colors are on brilliant display. Wildlife are also making their preparations for winter. Sights and Sounds of Autumn is a publication from the Colorado Division of Wildlife that explores characteristics […]
This summer the Colorado State Library and Colorado Parks & Wildlife have teamed up to offer Check Out Colorado State Parks. Under this program, Colorado libraries offer — for checkout just like a book — backpacks containing a parks pass vehicle hangtag, a set of binoculars, various guidebooks, and other cool stuff. It’s a great […]
Colorado Parks and Wildlife has a new app called NatureFinder, which you can download to your smartphone or tablet and take with you as you explore State Parks. The app shows you where you can find and view plants and wildlife in the park, or you can use it to record locations of wildlife, plant […]
Wildflower season has arrived in Colorado’s high country, and with this year’s added moisture, you can expect a good show. The Colorado Tourism Office has put together a list of suggested wildflower hikes, from the metro area to the Western Slope. Many Colorado State Parks also offer great places to view wildflowers, particularly those in […]
School’s out, and the weather is finally warming up. Time to go fishing! Fishing can be enjoyed by people of all ages and is a great way to introduce city kids to the outdoors. On their website Colorado Parks and Wildlife offers a map app, 101(+) Places to Take a Kid Fishing. This fun, animated […]
The Colorado Avalanche Information Center has just released a new app for Apple and Android. The app presents avalanche danger levels by area and by elevation. As Colorado experiences a dangerous avalanche season, this information is essential for skiers and others visiting the backcountry during the winter months. To download the app, click here for […]
If you enjoy camping, our state offers some terrific options from the mountains to the plains. Right now is an especially good time to head up to the mountains, as the wildflowers are in bloom. The Colorado Tourism Office has recently put together a list of “10 Amazing Colorado Campsites.” Colorado Parks and Wildlife also has a […]
Planning on doing some fishing this summer? If so, Colorado State University just made it easier to identify the fish you catch. They have created the eField Guide to Western Fishes — Colorado and Wyoming. You can use the e-field guide on your phone or tablet as they are caught, or search on your computer to […]
Wherever you are in Colorado, there is a State Wildlife Area (SWA) near you. Colorado Parks & Wildlife’s website offers a handy map of all SWAs in Colorado. Each dot on the map shows the location of one SWA; just click on the dot, and you will get information on that specific SWA, including individual SWA […]
This week’s snow and below-freezing weather can make the outdoors treacherous, whether for driving, walking, or during recreation. The Colorado Division of Parks & Wildlife has published some handy ice safety tips, copied below. (Click for their full press release.) “Never go onto the ice alone. Having someone with you means your partner can call or send […]
For seventy-five years, the Colorado Division of Wildlife (now Colorado Parks & Wildlife) has published Colorado Outdoors, a bi-monthly magazine focusing on Colorado’s wildlife and outdoor recreation. Each year, the magazine publishes a special photography issue, which features the best in wildlife photography around the state. Many of the images are stunning; others, just plain […]
Colorado contains nearly 3 million acres of State Trust Lands, which are federal lands that were endowed to Colorado upon its statehood in 1876. Under a Public Access Program, certain state trust lands are open to the public for recreation. The Colorado Division of Parks and Wildlife has just released a new booklet on these […]
Colorado’s newest State Park opened to the public on May 21. Staunton State Park in Jefferson County offers hiking trails, terrific scenery, and a waterfall. Frances Hornbook Staunton donated 1,720 acres of her land to Colorado State Parks in 1986. Over the years, parcels were added to make up the current 3,828-acre Staunton State Park, […]
Bear-human interactions have been in the news lately, as they often are this time of year, as bears go on a feeding frenzy before settling down to hibernate for the winter. I’ve written previously about the Colorado Division of Parks and Wildlife’s publication Living with Bears, but CP&W has recently produced some new publications on […]