Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge was established in part to protect Bald eagle nesting and winter roosting habitat. Its 15,000 acres of prairie and lakes attract raptors, migrating songbirds, wintering ducks and geese and provides habitat for a variety of mammals including bison, coyotes and deer. - fws.gov
History
Prior to becoming a Refuge, Plains Indians followed large herds of bison and lived off the land. Later, as settlers moved west to start a new life, they began growing crops and grazing cattle. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, the U.S. Army transformed the area into a chemical weapons manufacturing facility called the Rocky Mountain Arsenal to support World War II. As production declined at war's end, a portion of the idle facilities were leased to Shell Chemical Co. for the production of agricultural chemicals. The Arsenal was later used for Cold-War weapons production and demilitarization.
Transition to a National Wildlife Refuge
In the early 1980s, the Army and Shell began an extensive environmental cleanup under the oversight of federal, state, and local regulatory agencies. Soon after, a roost of bald eagles was discovered prompting the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to become involved in managing wildlife at the site. The discovery also led Congress to designate the site as a national wildlife refuge in 1992. In the mid-1990s, a unique public-private partnership formed among the U.S. Army, Shell Oil Co., and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. As cleanup progressed and projects met federal and state regulatory requirements, the Army transferred land to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to establish and expand the Refuge. The Arsenal’s cleanup program was completed in 2010 and the Refuge has reached its final size of 15,000 acres making it one of the largest urban refuge's in the country.
The Refuge provides environmental education and interpretive programs, catch-and-release recreational fee fishing, 10 miles of hiking trails, wildlife viewing opportunities, site tours for the public, a self-guided Wildlife Drive auto tour, and is a sanctuary for more than 330 species of animals, including bison, black-footed ferrets, deer, coyotes, bald eagles and burrowing owls. For more information about the Refuge please call the Visitor Center at 303-289-0930.
Wildlife & Habitat
Mammals
Birds
Amphibians and Reptiles
Plants
Refuge and Visitor Center Hours
Hours: The Refuge is open daily from sunrise to sunset and is closed only on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. The Visitor Center is open Wednesdays – Sundays from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm (closed on Federal holidays). For additional information please call the Visitor Center at 303-289-0930.
Visitor Center: The Visitor Center is located just inside the Refuge entrance at the crest of the hill and overlooks the short-grass prairie. Public parking is located on the south side of the building. The Visitor Center opened to the public in 2011. The building features the latest in “green” design, has an interactive exhibit hall, and a discovery room with hands-on activities that changes each season for all ages. While at the Visitor Center, stop by Nature’s Nest Books & Gifts operated by the Friends of the Front Range Wildlife Refuges for nature gifts, games, guide books and more. It’s also a great place to find Colorado specialty items.