Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge

Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge Arapaho NWR was est. in 1967 to provide nesting and rearing habitat for migratory birds.

Where can I see a greater sage-grouse? Many people come to Arapaho NWR hoping to see a sage-grouse. They are frequent...
09/12/2026

Where can I see a greater sage-grouse? Many people come to Arapaho NWR hoping to see a sage-grouse. They are frequently seen on the Scenic Backcounty Road, but for a bird that stands about two foot tall they can be difficult to spot. Their mottled brown and gray feathers blend well with the sagebrush. These birds are aptly named; they live in the sagebrush, they nest in the sagebrush and they eat sagebrush. Fortunately for us, during the summer they also eat the green plants in the meadow on the west side of the road where they are much easier to spot.
photo credit Gary Andrews

During the summer, driving along the Scenic Backcountry road at Arapaho NWR, you can count on seeing at least a half a d...
09/09/2026

During the summer, driving along the Scenic Backcountry road at Arapaho NWR, you can count on seeing at least a half a dozen Swainson's hawks perched on utility poles, fence posts or soaring overhead. Swainson's hawks nest on the refuge over the summer.

Come fall the hawks head south to Argentina. Theirs is one of the longest migrations of any raptor. They gather in groups called kettles that can number in the tens of thousands and may include other species of raptors. Unlike song birds that migrate at night, they migrate during the daytime. Flocks of birdwatchers gather along the known migration routes to watch the spectacle.
photo credit Gary Andrews

Look at those glowing eyes! This female moose was caught on a trail camera wandering around Arapaho NWR in the wee hour...
09/06/2026

Look at those glowing eyes! This female moose was caught on a trail camera wandering around Arapaho NWR in the wee hours of the morning. The glowing eyes are caused by a membrane called tapetum lucidum that is located behind the retina. It acts as a mirror and reflects light back through the retina. This process basically doubles the visual sensitivity and allows the animal to see better at night. This is important for animals that are active at night so they can either hunt their prey or avoid being hunted.

The down side is, that because the membrane is curved the reflected image can be slightly out of focus and the color vision impaired.

And yes, it was 32 degrees on August 6th on the refuge.
photo credit USFWS

This series of photos of a Shiras moose was captured on a trail camera at Arapaho NWR. The first trail camera was inven...
09/03/2026

This series of photos of a Shiras moose was captured on a trail camera at Arapaho NWR. The first trail camera was invented by George Shiras III in 1890. He used a bulky glass-plate box camera mounted on a stand with the shutter attached to a tripwire that activated the camera and set off a magnesium flash powder charge. Trail cameras have come a long way since then! Now inexpensive digital cameras can send images directly to your phone or computer.

The subspecies of moose that is found in Colorado, the Shiras moose, was named after George Shiras III. He is credited with discovering the subspecies in Yellowstone National Park in the early 1900s.

Biologists use trail cameras as a noninvasive tool to monitor wildlife, track animal populations, study elusive or nocturnal species without disturbing their behavior.
photo credit USFWS

The Visitor's Center at Arapaho NWR will be open this weekend, Saturday, Sunday and Monday morning, so stop by and see ...
09/03/2026

The Visitor's Center at Arapaho NWR will be open this weekend, Saturday, Sunday and Monday morning, so stop by and see us. One of our friendly volunteers will be there to answer your questions, provide you with maps and offer suggestions of activities you can do on the refuge. You can enjoy our displays and of course, our sparkling clean restrooms.
photo credit Pat Andrews

The Backcountry Hunters & Anglers returned to Arapaho NWR for another Saturday of hard work replacing fence wires. Alth...
08/29/2026

The Backcountry Hunters & Anglers returned to Arapaho NWR for another Saturday of hard work replacing fence wires. Although fences are necessary in some situations, barbed wire fences can be a hazard to wildlife who are attempting to jump over or crawl under a barbed wire fence. The crew worked hard to make the fences safer for wildlife by removing the top strand of barbed wire and replacing it at a lower level with high visibility smooth wire. The fence already had the lowest strand of barbed wire removed and replaced at a higher level with twisted smooth wire. These two changes allow the fence to be both functional and safe for wildlife.
photo credit Josh Dilly

The Visitor's Center at Arapaho NWR will switch to winter hours starting August 26th. The center will be open Monday th...
08/26/2026

The Visitor's Center at Arapaho NWR will switch to winter hours starting August 26th. The center will be open Monday through Friday 7:30 am to 3:30pm staff permitting. You can call the refuge at 970 723-8202 to see if we are open. Although the Visitor's Center may be closed, the refuge property is open from 1 hour before sunrise until 1 hour after sundown.

Look out prairie dog! This short-tailed weasel at Arapaho NWR has his eye on a prairie dog. Short-tailed weasels are ...
08/23/2026

Look out prairie dog! This short-tailed weasel at Arapaho NWR has his eye on a prairie dog. Short-tailed weasels are tenacious and efficient predators. They will prey on small rodents, chipmunks, rabbits and yes, prairie dogs. They are found in a variety of habitats from the arctic to central US.
photo credit Mark Ackerman

Gliding quietly over the fields at Arapaho NWR this northern harrier hunts for prey. Northern harriers have been describ...
08/19/2026

Gliding quietly over the fields at Arapaho NWR this northern harrier hunts for prey. Northern harriers have been described as the most owl like of hawks. They hunt their prey using sound as well as sight. Round facial discs of stiff feathers, much like an owl's, direct sound to their ears. Their wings are long and have soft feathers that allow them to glide quietly so they can better hear their prey. They hunt mostly mice, voles and small birds, but can take larger prey.

They are easy to identify by the white patch at the base of their tail and their upturned wings in flight. They are common throughout the central US and Canada in the summer and migrate to the southern US and Mexico in the winter.
photo credit Gary Andrews

Why did the moose cross the road? To get into the willows. This mama moose and calf were spotted crossing the Arapaho ...
08/16/2026

Why did the moose cross the road? To get into the willows. This mama moose and calf were spotted crossing the Arapaho NWR refuge entrance road early one morning. They were headed for the willows on the other side of the road. Moose are most active at dawn and dusk when the temperatures are cooler. Moose have huge bodies and thick fur that traps the heat and they can easily get over heated. During the middle of the day they often bed down in the shade or even in the water. So the best time to see a moose is early morning or in the evening. Although the Visitor's Center is closed before 9am and after 5pm, the refuge is open from one hour before dawn to one hour after sunset.
photo credit Mark Ackerman.

Address

953 County Road 32
Walden, CO
80480

Opening Hours

Monday 7am - 3:30pm
Tuesday 7am - 3:30pm
Wednesday 7am - 3:30pm
Thursday 7am - 3:30pm
Friday 7am - 3:30pm

Telephone

+19707238202

Website

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