New Wildlife Drive: Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge

 

 

The Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, located in Commerce City just outside of Denver, has made some noteworthy additions. This past summer they introduced over 30 black-footed ferrets to the refuge, continuing the effort to re-populate the species.

 

Also, within the past month or so they have opened the new Wildlife Drive, a vast stretch of road where visitors can meander through bison habitat, as well as, catch a postcard view of the front range.

 

 

 

Visitors should be advised to drive cautiously as there are a plethora of white-tailed deer often attemping to cross the road. The bison have also been seen on and next to the road. When I saw them they seemed slightly annoyed with the small amount of car traffic near them.

 

 

 (I find that I have mixed feelings about visitors now being able to be so close to them....)

However, the Wildlife Drive definitely opens up the park exposing expansive views and additional opportunities for wildlife viewing.

 

The RMANWR is a quick escape for urban nature lovers. There are "over 330 migratory and regular wildlife" species to behold. So grab your camera and a friend and head on over to the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge. Plus, it's FREE!

Wildlife tips:
Bald eagle sightings are most frequent between January and April. They are typically best viewed in the late afternoon as they come back to the trees to roost. However, it is possible to see them at all hours of the day.

Morning is a great time to see a variety of wildlife awake and on the move.

For more blog posts about the refuge click here.

Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge

When I first visited Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, I wondered why they called it an arsenal. Come to find out that during World War 2 the arsenal was a chemical weapons manufacturing plant for the United States government. Later, the site was used for agricultural chemical development by Shell Chemical Co. In the 1980's, a cleanup of the area was initiated.

 

 Now, Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and used as a wildlife refuge. The refuge boasts as home to bald eagles (seasonal), burrowing owls (seasonal), bison, coyotes, prairie dogs, and many other species of fauna and flora. There is a lake for catch-and-release fishing (fee required) and several trails for hiking. There is a newly built visitor center with a mini museum of the site's history and wildlife. There are also guided naturalist tours and programs. Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge is a close, urban escape into nature.

* I recently found out that the best time to see bald eagles at this site is from Dec. to March. Also, the best time to see burrowing owls is from May to August.

**(Updated: 7/20/16.  Original post was 9/13/11) The arsenal recently introduced 32 black footed ferrets into the refuge. In addition, they have a new outdoor exhibit featuring a resident black footed ferret. However, the little guy was hiding underground while I was visiting. Black footed ferrets are a keystone species and have been endangered. Several States are trying to reintroduce the species in hopes of population growth.

Byers-Evans House Museum; A Peek at Prominent Life in Early Denver

I recently toured the Byers-Evans House Museum. It is located adjacent to the Denver Art Museum, at 13th and Bannock. The large, Italianate style house was built in 1883 by Denver's first newspaper publisher, William Byers of the Rocky Mountain News.

The house was later sold to William Evans in 1889. He was the son of John Evans, the 2nd Territorial Governor of Colorado. His family and descendants would go on to occupy the house for over 90 years. I was fascinated by his daughter, Josephine's room which displayed her hand-carved leather works among other interesting items.

The house is quite large and lovely. The wallpaper that lines the mainroom downstairs and up to the second floor is unique and beautiful. It almost looks like wood sketches. You can tell the family was well educated as there are book cases in almost every room and artifacts from their various travels.

The house has been restored and focuses on an interpretive era from 1912-1924. According to my friendly tour guide (named Angela) over 90% of the furnishings inside belonged to the Evans family.

It was fun and intriguing to peer back in time...to catch a glimpse of what life was like as a wealthy family in early Denver.

(This is the view of the original entrance. The window to the left had a bullet hole in it...apparently someone wasn't too thrilled with the Evan's family at one time....I remember the tour guide saying something about voting issues....and the Tramway....anyway...)

                       (The conservatory)                             (View of one of the parlors)

Hours:
Mon-Sat

Tour times:
10:30am
11:30am
12:30pm
1:30pm
2:30pm
May-August there is an additional tour at
3:30pm

Estes Park; My Home Away From Home.

 

I never get tired of visiting Estes Park. It is the first place I longed to visit when I first moved to Denver ten years ago. And it is the place where I continue to return.

 

 My fascination with Estes (the nickname used by many Coloradoans) began when my parents shared that it was a camping spot they used on their first road trip together back in the 70's. As a child of divorce, I treasure tiny nuggets of my parents lost nostalgia...and therefore believe I was drawn to Rocky Mountain National Park like a lost camper retracing their steps.

Nowadays, I come back month after month simply to be, to rest, to play. It is a familiar stomping ground of which I have grown quite fond of its beauty, wildlife, and amenities.

There are alot of other places in Colorado I still want to explore. But when I need a quick, refreshing, intimate getaway I continue to return to Estes Park.




Helpful Links:
http://estes-park.com/

http://www.nps.gov/romo/index.htm

http://www.rockymtnresorts.com/

Roxborough State Park

Lately, I have been exploring several of Colorado's State Parks. I am still miffed that I have lived in Colorado since 2003 and only just recently set foot inside Roxborough State Park! As a friend of mine stated, "It's like Garden of the Gods but without the crowds." This park sits among giant red sandstone formations with several trails leading in and around these gorgeous rocks. There is also an old cabin and stone house from the late 1800's on the property. The park also features a plethora of gamble oak bushes, wildflowers, and lots of wildlife.

In order to preserve the natural setting of the park there are prohibitions on pets, mountain bikes, and camping....which is a bit of a bummer...but don't let it deter you from visiting this hidden gem in Denver's backyard!

Beso de arte Bistro Latino

(photo from metromix.com)




Enjoy a "kiss" of culinary art at Beso, located in Morrison, Colorado. The ambiance alone is enough to make you forget the stress of the daily grind. Stone-built walls and soothing waterfalls help clear your mind and prepare your palet for some delicious and exquisite food! Whether you want to grab a bite to eat before catching a concert at Redrocks Ampitheatre (literally just around the corner), or you want to share a meal with a date or drinks with friends; this place is so adorable! You just gotta try it! Come on, you know you want to!

Mt. Evans

If you are looking for great scenery of the Rocky Mountains, excellent wildlife viewing, and an enjoyable drive then you must check out the road to Mt. Evans! It's one of those rare, get-away-from-it-all drives where the majesty of nature infuses the soul!

For details check out the Mt. Evans website.

Below are pictures from my recent trip to Mt. Evans.

Flatirons Vista Trailhead

Great views. Great space. Great trails. Great hike. (Great for hiking, biking, or walking your dog).

Oskar Blues

I have been hearing about Oskar Blues for several months now. So, I finally went to check it out. I highly recommend this incredibly tasty place which serves a "cajun, creole and southern-style menu". Oskar Blues is also known for its unique Colorado style canned beer.

There are several venues as you can explore on their website. I enjoyed the ambiance, blues music, and food at the Oskar Blues Grill and Brew in Longmont, CO. I had a delicious dish of shrimp and grits...mmmmm...even better than the one's I've had down South!

So, if you get a hankering for some down home cooking, beer, and blues.....now you know where to go!

Cliff Dwellings; Manitou Springs

I finally got a chance to check out the Cliff Dwellings Museum in Manitou Springs, CO.

Unfortunately, I was under the impression that this was an authentic Anasazi heritage site. However, the Ancestral Puebloans did not live in this exact spot (as far as we know). People merely took a part a section of ruins from the Mesa Verde region and transported them to the Manitou Springs site for tourist purposes. On one hand, if you can't make it to Mesa Verde....it is cool to see what the ancient ruins looked like in person....however, after learning that this region was not an actual Ancestral Puebloan site....I am a bit disgruntled. And after visiting Mesa Verde....this tourist attraction just doesn't compare to the REAL authentic place and sites. But...if it encourages interest in Native American history and the lives of the ancestral Puebloans....then....some good perhaps can come of this site.


For more information check out the Manitou Springs Cliff Dwellings website.

Dinosaur Ridge

I recently visited Dinosaur Ridge, located in Morrison, Colorado. The site is comprised of a visitor center, exhibit hall located off of C-470. Further up from the visitor center is a paved road that you can hike or bike along that has interesting geology and fossils along the road. They say you can "see 80 million years worth of geology in a mile" hike up on the ridge. The very first stegosaurus fossils were found here at Dinosaur Ridge. At one point, Colorado was ocean front property as the Western Interior Seaway covered the middle of present day America. Due to such conditions, various footprints and fossils remain of ancient dinosaurs, plants, and insects. There are signs that interpret the landscape and point out where to look for fossils. This site really opened my eyes to the natural history surrounding us. My favorite stops along the ridge are the dinosaur "track" site and the "bulges" site. You can literally see the REAL footprints of dinosaurs!! And at the bulges site you can see the impact of an actual dinosaur footprint; how it left real bulges in the topography of the landscape. As you meandor along the ridge viewing the sites, follow the path as it meanders through the rock ledge and leads you to where you are literally across the street from the Red Rocks Ampitheatre. This is a 2.75 roundtrip hike for anyone who enjoys geology and natural history. There are $4 dollar per person bus tours of the ridge if you would like a tour guide. So, get out and come walk where the dinosaurs walked!!

Excursion Of The Week: Golden, Colorado

Explore Golden.

Only a stone's throw west of Denver, this outdoorsy western-style town offers alot of action. Nestled along Clear Creek, downtown Golden beckons kayakers and cowboys alike. Golden is also home to the Coors Brewery which offers daily tours and FREE BEER the last time I checked (following the tour).

Here are some other attractions to explore:

Golden History Museum

Bridgewater Grill

Colorado Railroad Museum

White Ranch Park

Excursion of the week: Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument

There are redwood trees in Colorado??

That was my first response when a friend invited me to come along with her to Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument. It turns out there are at least half a dozen PETRIFIED redwood tree stumps in a dusty little town called Florissant, Colorado.

We were told that this area used to be home to a lake many thousands of years ago. Since then, they (read: paleontologists and archaeologists) have found hundreds of fossils of insects, plants, and even a couple of dinosaur fossils.

My friend and I consider ourselves a bit on the geeky side since we actually enjoyed looking at old fossils and tree stumps for a couple of hours. Honestly, this is quite the place for naturalist-minded adventurers. So, if you are into such things as old trees, plant life and digging in the dirt or under rocks--this is the site for you!

Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument offers ranger-guided tours and lectures, several fossil specimen trays to observe, and even a hands-on opportunity to scrape away at your own piece of rock to discover buried fossils.

Excursion of the week: Fort Collins and Horsetooth Reservoir

I recently explored Fort Collins, Colorado. Fort Collins is about 1-1.5 hours north of Denver. I was really impressed with this cute town. It was such a balance and seemed to fit almost any different type of person. For instance, the town seemed simultaneously rural and urban, small and big.


One of the best parts of my visit was the discovery of Horsetooth Reservoir. Here you can camp, boat, swim, scuba dive, and hike. This is one of the bigger reservoirs in north-eastern Colorado. The water was surrounded by tall red rock walls and veered around in a snake-like structure--unlike several of the circular reservoirs I've seen. There is a campground on the south side of the park, along with several camping cabins.

The park is just a few minutes from town so you can always drive into town and grab a beer at one of the local breweries.

Anyway, so if you travel north of Denver, be sure to check out Fort Collins and Horsetooth Reservoir.



More Links:

http://www.co.larimer.co.us/parks/brochure_horsetooth.pdf

http://www.co.larimer.co.us/PARKS/horsetooth.htm

www.newbelgium.com

Excursion of the Week

Perhaps you may have already figured out that one of my favorite places in Colorado is Rocky Mountain National Park. So, for this "Excursion of the Week", I thought I'd share one of my favorite snowshoeing trails in Rocky Mountain National Park:

Bear Lake

This is a popular trail year round--don't be surprised if the parking lot at the trailhead is full!
One of the best things about this spot is that it leads to several lakes (such as Emerald Lake, Nymph Lake, Dream Lake). It is a beautiful area and a relatively easy hike--although if you choose to ascend up further toward Emerald Lake it can be steep in several places. You really can't go wrong with ANY hike in this park! It is absolutely beautiful everywhere you look--like most of the Colorado Rockies!

When you're done snowshoeing or hiking, go check out Moraine Park for elk. You can almost bet on seeing wildlife with each visit--elk, chipmunks, magpie's...If you go in September or October you will be there during the elk mating season...you can hear the elk's bugling and see the male's battling each other of the other's harem--winner takes all! Otherwise, during the rest of the year, the female elk like to hang out over in Moraine Park...while the male's seem to like it over near the start of Fall River Road....

Anyway, here are some links to give you more information about the park itself.

http://www.rocky.mountain.national-park.com/hike.htm


http://www.nps.gov/romo/