The Colorado Natural Areas Program has designated 95 State Natural Areas that represent and help protect significant natural features. State Natural Areas can be owned by any type of landowner and public access opportunities are at the discretion of each individual landowner.
The State Natural Areas highlighted below have public access opportunities and most contain trails and other facilities. Some sites will require a fee to enter and may require coordination with the landowner to schedule a visit. Please check out the landowner websites listed on the StoryMap or flyers below for more information on rules and regulations before you visit.
Plan your visit by downloading a flyer. Learn about: what you can expect to see, location, landowner, important access information, and rules and regulations.
These varying backgrounds and experiences add value and perspective to the way we think about and interpret the land. We hope that these places are inclusive and welcoming spaces, but know that the reality can sometimes be different, especially for people of color or from other underrepresented groups.There are many groups working to connect people to nature and share resources to make these places more accessible. Consider reaching out to groups such as Outdoor Afro, Latino Outdoors, Disabled Hikers, and Native Women’s Wilderness to find opportunities to connect with other people who share your interests or visit these websites to learn more about increasing access to the outdoors for everyone.
When visiting state natural areas, we encourage you to learn about and reflect on their history. A great place to start is by visiting the nativeland.ca website or downloading their app to your apple or android phone to learn about which Indigenous nations historically or currently live on the land you are visiting.