“Rivers are the old roads, as are songs, to traverse memory.” - Joy Harjo

Sunrise light warms the Painted Wall at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park near Montrose, Colorado. 

Photo by Ryan McGinely (www.sharetheexperience.org)

“The Moon was But a Chin of Gold.” It would seem Emily Dickinson was inspired by the moonrise at Great Sand Dunes National Park when she wrote that poem. In this special place, over 20,000 sandhill cranes spend their spring and fall in the San Luis Valley in Colorado. They feed in the grasslands and farm fields during the day, then return to wetlands each evening to roost at night. Photo by Patrick Myers, National Park Service.

Some days, traffic is a beast. Autumn colors, majestic bison and Colorado’s charm bring people out to Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, a short trip from Denver. Visitors can walk the refuge’s 10 miles of trails or drive the 11-mile Wildlife Drive to see charismatic wildlife and stunning landscape. One of 568 national wildlife refuges across the country, we’re reminded just how much we all need space to roam. Photo by Ian Shive, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 

Handies Peak Wilderness in Colorado is a gorgeous alpine delight. Designated in 1980, the area boasts 12 peaks over 13,000 feet, three alpine lakes and three major canyons with streams. Though its geologic past includes erupting volcanoes and smothering glaciers, most visitors today are struck by the peaceful mountain slopes carpeted in summer wildflowers. Photo by Bob Wick, Bureau of Land Management.

2,250 feet down, at the base of the Painted Wall – the tallest cliff in Colorado – the Gunnison River thunders through Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. You can actually hear the river roaring from the canyon rim. Several trails and overlooks along the rim offer stunning views of dramatic drops and the distant river. There are no maintained or marked trails into the inner canyon. Routes are difficult to follow, and only individuals in excellent physical condition should attempt these hikes. Breathtaking sunset photo by Claire Codling (www.sharetheexperience.org).

When you think about national parks, do you imagine majestic mountains, towering forests, vibrant wetlands or vast canyons? How about sand dunes? Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve in Colorado often gets visitors whose first comments are, “I had no idea this existed.” A combination of opposing winds, a huge supply of sand from ancient dry lakebeds and the sand recycling action of several creeks helped create the tallest dunes in North America. There are other dunes in the U.S., but none as tall and none as dramatic. Photo by Patrick Myers, National Park Service.

At just a month old, this black-footed ferret kit doesn’t fit the description of fierce, but don’t be fooled. With a little time and nurturing from the National Black-footed Ferret Conservation Center in Colorado, this sleepy cutie will be ready to be reintroduced to the wild. At about three months old, they are adept at hunting prairie dogs and are about 90% full grown.  Black-footed ferrets used to be found through much of western North America’s Great Plains, extending from Canada to Mexico. With the help of the Center, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and many partners, these endangered animals are part of a very successful reintroduction program.  Their adorable face masks are all unique to the individual, just like our fingerprints. You can see why they’re affectionately nicknamed BFFs. Photo by Kelsey, National Black-footed Ferret Conservation Center. 

For centuries, the rugged granite cliffs, colorful rock outcroppings and stunning mountain vistas of Browns Canyon National Monument have attracted visitors to this quiet Colorado landscape. Covering 22,000 acres of federally and state-managed public land, the area’s unusual geology and roughly 3,000-foot range in elevation supports a diverse river corridor, granite outcroppings and woods that lead from the river to upland areas covered with aspen, limber pines, Douglas firs and subalpine grasslands. The variety of terrain provides a wealth of geological, ecological and cultural and historic resources. Photo by Bob Wick, Bureau of Land Management.

Baby bison on the move! Also known as red dogs, bison calves are up and running within a few hours of being born. Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge in Colorado is home to the perfect playground for this young bison to romp. Bison calves weigh anywhere from 30-70lbs when they are born–usually sometime between late March through May. The whole herd fiercely protects the calves. During the calving season, please give the animals extra distance with your vehicle to admire their cuteness. Photo courtesy of Bob Gjestvang. 

During the Jurassic period - 149 million years ago - the area of Utah and Colorado that is now Dinosaur National Monument looked much different than today. Large rivers dominated the landscape, flowing from highlands in the south towards the north. A savannah environment surrounded the river courses, but instead of a grassland, these savannahs featured ferns and conifers. Living on those verdant plains, dinosaurs like apatasaurus, diplodocus and stegosaurus grazed while avoiding the predatory allosaurus. The remarkable fossils of these ancient animals gave the park its name. Photo by National Park Service.