View of Roxborough Natural Area from Carpenter Peak.
Conservation in Colorado
Conserving Colorado Lands
The Colorado Natural Areas Program recognizes and works to conserve locations that have one or more unique natural features important to Colorado. Natural areas are found on both public and private lands, and are officially designated through voluntary conservation agreements with landowners. The program has become a leader within the state for rare plant conservation.
95
Designated natural area sites
178,000+
Designated acres as natural areas
38
Counties have designated natural areas
100+
volunteer stewards have worked with the program
30+
remarkable geologic and palaeontologic features have been identified and evaluated
250
rare, threatened or endangered species and communities are monitored and cooperatively protected on Designated Natural Areas
What is a Colorado Natural Area?
A Colorado Natural Area is a property that has received a Colorado Natural Areas Designation after an agreement has been signed between the landowner and the State of Colorado.
Ownership
These sites include all types of land, such as private land, land trusts, and local, state and federal lands. Visitation and recreational opportunities are at the discretion of the property owner. These properties are owned by the Bureau of Land Management, State Land Board, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Forest Service, local government, the Nature Conservancy, National Parks Service and private landowners.
Find out moreSignificant Features
Natural Areas Designation is given to properties with at least one unique or high-quality natural feature of statewide significance and exemplary management to conserve that feature. Colorado Natural Areas often contain multiple natural features of statewide, or even national or worldwide, significance. Significant features include rare plants, rare plant communities, geology/paleontology and rare wildlife.
Significant Features MapExplore Our Natural Areas
Aiken Canyon Natural Area
Aiken Canyon is named after Charles Aiken, one of the first ornithologists to survey Colorado in the early 1870s.
Bonny Prairie Natural Area
Near the Colorado-Kansas border sits Bonny Prairie State Natural Area, home to a remnant loess prairie ecosystem characterized by wind-deposited soils with fine, glacier-ground rock.
Boulder Open Space & Mountain Parks Natural Areas
Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks includes three state natural areas that are open to the public: Boulder Mountain Park, Colorado Tallgrass Prairie and South Boulder Creek.
Castlewood Canyon Natural Area
Castlewood Canyon is a state park situated within the Palmer Divide, a unique, elevated area located between the Front Range foothills and the plains grasslands of eastern Colorado.
Dakota Hogback Natural Area
The Dakota Hogback Natural Area encompasses a prominent ridge spanning several miles of the Rocky Mountain foothills.
Dome Rock Natural Area
Dome Rock Natural Area sits within a greater State Wildlife Area known for bighorn sheep, impressive Pikes Peak granite formations and vulnerable riparian plant communities.
Fruita Paleontologic Locality Natural Area
The Fruita Paleontological Locality Natural Area protects fossil-rich outcrops dated to the Late Jurassic era 140 million years ago.
Garden Park Natural Area
Garden Park is one of the most important Late Jurassic fossil sites in North America.
Haviland Lake Natural Area
Nestled at the base of the San Juan Mountains, Haviland Lake State Natural Area sits within a larger State Wildlife Area that features multiple types of wetlands.
Indian Springs Trace Fossil Natural Area
The Indian Springs Trace Fossil Locality Natural Area contains trace fossils of animals that lived during the Ordovician Period, 450 million years ago.
Miramonte Natural Area
Overlapping with the Dan Noble State Wildlife Area, Miramonte checks three boxes of natural interest, plants, wildlife and geology, all tucked within diverse wetland and sagebrush ecosystems.
Mount Goliath Natural Area
Large stands of bristlecone pine are interspersed with Engelmann spruce forest and alpine grassland on this high-elevation natural area located at timberline on the flank of Mount Evans.
Orient Mine Natural Area
Orient Mine Natural Area, which sits on the western slope of the Sangre de Cristo Range, is home to the largest colony of Brazilian free-tailed bats in Colorado.
Rabbit Valley Natural Area
Rabbit Valley Natural Area contains a vast display of prehistoric remains known from the late Jurassic period.
Roxborough Natural Area
Within Roxborough State Park, this natural area wows visitors with its dramatic tilted sandstone formations, the result of millions of years of uplift and erosion.
South Beaver Creek Natural Area
South Beaver Creek sits within Hartman Rocks Recreation Area in the heart of the Gunnison River basin.
Slumgullion Earthflow Natural Area
Slumgullion Earthflow Natural Area includes two major earthflows that illustrate a striking example of mass wasting (the movement of large masses of earth material).
Tamarack Ranch Natural Area
Composed of two separate parcels within a larger State Wildlife Area, Tamarack Ranch offers prime examples of plains cottonwood riparian woodlands and sandhill prairie ecosystems.
Trinidad K-Pg Boundary Natural Area
The Trinidad K-T Boundary Natural Area is located within Trinidad Lake State Park and contains significant evidence of an asteroid impact that scientists believe led to the mass extinction of non-avian dinosaurs and other life forms at the end of the Cretaceous period, 66 million years ago.
Wheeler Geologic Natural Area
Wheeler Geologic Natural Area is a mass of pinnacles and domes, some more than several hundred feet high.
Zapata Falls Natural Area
Zapata Falls is a spectacular waterfall carved by an enormous glacier during the last ice age.
Aiken Canyon Natural Area
Aiken Canyon is named after Charles Aiken, one of the first ornithologists to survey Colorado in the early 1870s.
Bonny Prairie Natural Area
Near the Colorado-Kansas border sits Bonny Prairie State Natural Area, home to a remnant loess prairie ecosystem characterized by wind-deposited soils with fine, glacier-ground rock.
Boulder Open Space & Mountain Parks Natural Areas
Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks includes three state natural areas that are open to the public: Boulder Mountain Park, Colorado Tallgrass Prairie and South Boulder Creek.
Castlewood Canyon Natural Area
Castlewood Canyon is a state park situated within the Palmer Divide, a unique, elevated area located between the Front Range foothills and the plains grasslands of eastern Colorado.
Dakota Hogback Natural Area
The Dakota Hogback Natural Area encompasses a prominent ridge spanning several miles of the Rocky Mountain foothills.
Dome Rock Natural Area
Dome Rock Natural Area sits within a greater State Wildlife Area known for bighorn sheep, impressive Pikes Peak granite formations and vulnerable riparian plant communities.
Fruita Paleontologic Locality Natural Area
The Fruita Paleontological Locality Natural Area protects fossil-rich outcrops dated to the Late Jurassic era 140 million years ago.
Garden Park Natural Area
Garden Park is one of the most important Late Jurassic fossil sites in North America.
Haviland Lake Natural Area
Nestled at the base of the San Juan Mountains, Haviland Lake State Natural Area sits within a larger State Wildlife Area that features multiple types of wetlands.
Indian Springs Trace Fossil Natural Area
The Indian Springs Trace Fossil Locality Natural Area contains trace fossils of animals that lived during the Ordovician Period, 450 million years ago.
Miramonte Natural Area
Overlapping with the Dan Noble State Wildlife Area, Miramonte checks three boxes of natural interest, plants, wildlife and geology, all tucked within diverse wetland and sagebrush ecosystems.
Mount Goliath Natural Area
Large stands of bristlecone pine are interspersed with Engelmann spruce forest and alpine grassland on this high-elevation natural area located at timberline on the flank of Mount Evans.
Orient Mine Natural Area
Orient Mine Natural Area, which sits on the western slope of the Sangre de Cristo Range, is home to the largest colony of Brazilian free-tailed bats in Colorado.
Rabbit Valley Natural Area
Rabbit Valley Natural Area contains a vast display of prehistoric remains known from the late Jurassic period.
Roxborough Natural Area
Within Roxborough State Park, this natural area wows visitors with its dramatic tilted sandstone formations, the result of millions of years of uplift and erosion.
South Beaver Creek Natural Area
South Beaver Creek sits within Hartman Rocks Recreation Area in the heart of the Gunnison River basin.
Slumgullion Earthflow Natural Area
Slumgullion Earthflow Natural Area includes two major earthflows that illustrate a striking example of mass wasting (the movement of large masses of earth material).
Tamarack Ranch Natural Area
Composed of two separate parcels within a larger State Wildlife Area, Tamarack Ranch offers prime examples of plains cottonwood riparian woodlands and sandhill prairie ecosystems.
Trinidad K-Pg Boundary Natural Area
The Trinidad K-T Boundary Natural Area is located within Trinidad Lake State Park and contains significant evidence of an asteroid impact that scientists believe led to the mass extinction of non-avian dinosaurs and other life forms at the end of the Cretaceous period, 66 million years ago.
Wheeler Geologic Natural Area
Wheeler Geologic Natural Area is a mass of pinnacles and domes, some more than several hundred feet high.
Zapata Falls Natural Area
Zapata Falls is a spectacular waterfall carved by an enormous glacier during the last ice age.
Colorado Natural Areas
Know Before You Go
State Natural Areas have trails and other features and can be visited by the public. Some places might charge an entrance fee, and you may need to coordinate with the landowner to plan your visit.
State natural areas have features of statewide significance, so it is especially important that visitors have minimal impact and keep these places in great shape for years to come. Visitors should always:
- Dispose of waste properly
- Stay on designated trails
- Leave rocks, artifacts, and plants where they are
- Respect wildlife
- Follow any rules set by the landowner
Some state natural areas are in remote locations. Cell service may not be available, and you may encounter few other visitors. We encourage you to plan your visit with safety in mind. Go with friends and make sure a trusted person knows your plan.
The history of each natural area is important. 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 phone to learn about which Indigenous nations historically lived or currently live on the land you are visiting.
Varying backgrounds and experiences add value and perspective to the way we think about and interpret these lands. 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 connect with others who share your interests. You can also visit these organizations’ websites to learn more about increasing access to the outdoors for everyone.
Committees and Councils
Colorado Natural Areas Council
The Colorado Natural Areas advisory council provides advice on program direction and recommends the designation of natural areas to the Parks and Wildlife Commission.
Get Involved
We're Hiring Volunteers
The Colorado Natural Areas Program depends on skilled volunteers. Do you have experience with botany, wildlife biology, geology or paleontology? Do you enjoy orienteering or back country travel? Or do you love the outdoors and want to develop your skills as a naturalist? If so, you may be able to help with on-the-ground conservation at one of our natural areas.
Annual Newsletters and Triennial Reports
Every three years, the Colorado Natural Areas Program publishes a report highlighting the State’s most important areas and recent accomplishments, new designations and the program’s emphasis on rare plant conservation.The Colorado Natural Areas Program publishes a newsletter each year about upcoming designations, conservation highlights, and more.