Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge

Rocky Mountain Arsenal, part of the Colorado Front Range National Wildlife Refuge Complex, is a 16,000-acre National Wildlife Refuge in Adams County, Colorado near Denver.  The refuge is located on the site of the Rocky Mountain Arsenal, which manufactured chemical weapons for the US Army from WWII through Vietnam.  The site was closed in 1985 and became a National Wildlife Refuge in 1992, undergoing an extensive cleanup of pollution.  Today, the refuge is home to more than 300 species of wildlife, including prairie dogs, migratory birds, ferrets, deer and an introduced herd of bison.  The refuge features several miles of trails and a wildlife drive.

Contact Information:

6550 Gateway Road

Commerce City, CO 80022

Phone: (303) 289-0930

Map:

Trails:

There are several miles of trails throughout the refuge.  Dogs are not permitted in the refuge but bicycles are allowed on some trails.

Lake Mary Loop Trail:

Lake Mary Loop Trail makes a 0.6-mile loop around Lake Mary.

Wildlife:

Prickly poppy

Tenpetal blazing star (Mentzelia decapetala) is a night-blooming flower.

Showy milkweed (Asclepias speciosa) is an important food source for monarch butterflies.

Western ironweed (Vernonia baldwinii)

Grasshoppers are common throughout the refuge and make a wing-flash when they fly.

Canada geese (Branta canadensis) are common in the ponds and lakes on the refuge.

Double-crested cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus)

American coot (Fulica americana)

Western meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta)

The common starling (Sturnus vulgaris) is an introduced species on the refuge.

Mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus)

Blog Entries:

02-Apr-2021: Bishop Castle

24-Aug-2019: Rocky Mountain Arsenal

External Links:

US Fish and Wildlife Service website: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/rocky_mountain_arsenal/