Tag Archives: Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge

Photo gallery: Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge

A bald eagle rests on a dead tree stump near the entrance to the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge.  See more photos in the slideshow below.
A bald eagle rests on a dead tree stump near the entrance to the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge. See more photos in the slideshow below.

Public access to the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge has increased greatly now that they allow visitors to drive their own vehicles through the facility.  We have taken advantage of it over the past couple of weeks and have enjoyed some extraordinary photo opportunities.

A wide variety of birds are available for viewing but the hawks and eagles draw the most attention.  These are readily seen throughout the refuge although the trees right near the entrance seem to be a very popular spot with them.  We were able to get extraordinarily close to one bald eagle that didn’t seem to mind visitors at all.

Deer and of course prairie dogs abound at the arsenal and are easily spotted.  Also routinely seen are coyotes but seeing them requires a keen eye as they blend in with the grass.

Up until this past week the refuge’s bison herd largely had remained out of sight.  Most were in areas not accessible to the public and the few that were mostly stayed hidden.  This week though the herd moved into the main area and on our recent visit we found them right on the road.

Below are some of the photos we have taken in recent weeks.

On the net:

Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge opens to self-guided tours by car

A golden eagle flies over Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge with the snow-capped Rockies in the background.  Image taken in March 2011. (ThorntonWeather.com)
A golden eagle flies over Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge with the snow-capped Rockies in the background. Image taken in March 2011. (ThorntonWeather.com)

There was a time activity at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal was centered on our nation’s defense as a location responsible for manufacturing chemical and conventional weapons.  Now a National Wildlife Refuge, the site is one of the hidden gems of the Colorado Front Range when it comes to wildlife viewing.

From World War II into the early 1980s the United States Army was the primary resident of the area.  Its use of deep injection wells to dispose of hazardous waste was responsible for earthquakes in the metro area for decades.

As the Cold War wound down, the government began to clean the site up.  It was an expensive project but one that saw the contaminated site transform into one that must be seen.

Encompassing more than 15,000 acres, Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge is home to a wide variety of native animals, birds and reptiles.  Deer, hawks, eagles and even buffalo are seen daily at the site in the heart of Denver.

A new visitor’s center opened at the refuge last year and now visitors can drive their own vehicles along nine miles of roads through the interior.  In the past touring the facility required riding on a bus operated by the facility.

If you have never been, the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge is a ‘must see’ for everyone.

On the net: