Rocky Mountain Arsenal Wildlife Refuge

Dave and I visited the Rocky Mountain Arsenal a few months back. We’ve heard about the park and its large herd of buffalo, but had no idea of its extensive history. Prior to becoming a refuge, it was the location of a chemical weapons manufacturing facility to support WWII and the Cold War. A massive environmental cleanup commenced in the 1980s, and when a roost of bald eagles was discovered years later, it led Congress to designate the site as a national refuge. Today it consists of 15,000 acres of expansive prairie, wetland and woodland habitat; and is home to over 330 species of wildlife.

We arrived early in the morning (note: it opens at 9am, not 8), grabbed a map in the visitor center and began the 11-mile wildlife drive through the prairie and bison enclosure. The road took us through each habitat; the prairie extended as far as we could see, the deer were already awake and grazing in the woods, and we got lucky enough to spot a handful of lazy buffalo that chose a picture-perfect place to nap.

The road runs beside an old Army bunker that was used to watch the launching distance of test munitions made at the site. The building has a heavy steel door, the glass is about 1-inch thick, and the protruding pipes were used for ventilation in an otherwise sealed building. Due to the site’s history, inside the park map was a rule that stated “if you didn’t drop it, don’t pick it up” and report any unknown object to Refuge staff. You definitely don’t see that everyday!

The refuge is also home to large underground “towns” built by black-tailed prairie dogs. They are similar to the ones that live near our house, but, as the name implies, have black markings on the tip of their tails. It’s funny how we take them for granted now, but back when we lived in Georgia and took family vacations to various national parks, prairie dogs (or “whistle pigs” as Dave’s mom calls them) were the universal signal that we had finally arrived out west.

This was such a great – and easy – escape into nature. The refuge is a mere 12-miles away from downtown, but it felt like we were dropped in the middle of the eastern plains. We definitely plan on returning and bringing visiting family here.