Credit: Lindsay

Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge is located in Commerce City, CO, about 10 miles NE of Denver. It is maintained by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Entry is free! The refuge is just under 16,000 acres and is home to around 330 different species of animals. Some wildlife you may see include: Bald eagles, pocket gophers, mule deer, prairie dogs, bison, cottontail rabbits, kangaroo rats, painted turtles, chorus frogs, lark bunting, coyotes, burrowing owls, yellow headed blackbirds, black footed ferret, snowy egrets, & many more! All of the photos above were taken at the refuge by me.

There is a wildlife drive and hiking trails. The drive is 11 miles and takes around 45 minutes to an hour. It is self guided, but there is an audio tour that you can listen to during the drive that corresponds with each mile marker. All of the animals are free roaming and it is never advised to approach any wildlife or get out of your vehicle once the drive becomes one way.

The wildlife drive is a great way to see and observe some wildlife in their natural habitat that you may not see on an everyday basis. The visitor center is also great and provides lots of good information on the history of the refuge. I hope this refuge helps educate people on the importance of wildlife conservation. If you’re in the area, I’d highly recommend it.

Have you been? Would you go? Let me know in the comments!