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List of protected areas of Colorado facts for kids

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Colorado in United States
The location of the State of Colorado in the United States of America.

This is a list of protected areas in the U.S. State of Colorado.

Federal lands

The United States federal government owns 36.23% of Colorado's total land area.

National Park System

The National Park System includes 23 areas in Colorado. The National Park Service manages 18 of these 23 areas plus five National Wildernesses.

National Parks

The four National Parks within Colorado are:

National Monuments

Great Kiva at Chimney Rock Colorado
The Great Kiva in Chimney Rock National Monument.
Colorado National Monument (29910584742)
Colorado National Monument.
Dinosaur National Monument Steamboat Rock
Steamboat Rock in Dinosaur National Monument.

The nine National Monuments in Colorado are:

Two former National Monuments were elevated to National Park:

  • Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Monument (March 2, 1933, Hoover, to October 21, 1999)
  • Great Sand Dunes National Monument (March 17, 1932, Hoover, to September 24, 2004)

Two former National Monuments were abolished due to their remoteness:

  • Holy Cross National Monument near Minturn (May 11, 1929, Hoover, abolished August 3, 1950)
  • Wheeler National Monument near Creede (December 7, 1908, T. Roosevelt, abolished August 3, 1950)

National Historic Sites

BentsFort
Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site on the Santa Fe National Historic Trail.

The three National Historic Sites within Colorado are:

National Recreation Areas

Dillonpin
The Dillon Pinnacles in Curecanti National Recreation Area.

The two National Recreation Areas within Colorado are::

National Historic Trails

Spanish Peaks at sunrise
Spanish Peaks as seen from the Santa Fe National Historic Trail.

The four National Historic Trails that pass through Colorado are:

National Scenic Trail

Continental Divide Trail, Torreys to Grays
Grays Peak is the highest point on the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail and the Continental Divide in North America.

The National Scenic Trail that passes through Colorado is:

National Forests

National Forests in Colorado
An enlargeable map of Colorado showing the 11 National Forests in red and the 2 National Grasslands in light green
Mount Elbert2
Mount Elbert in the San Isabel National Forest.

The United States Forest Service manages the 11 National Forests within Colorado.

National Grasslands

Picketwirecanyon
Picketwire Canyon in Comanche National Grassland.

The United States Forest Service manages the two National Grasslands within Colorado.

National Wildernesses

Wilderness Areas in Colorado
An enlargeable map of Colorado showing the 42 National Wildernesses in red
East Rim Arch - Rattlesnake Arches BRCW
East Rim Arch in the Black Ridge Canyons Wilderness.
LakeIsabelle
Lake Isabelle in the Indian Peaks Wilderness.
Mystic073107-64
Mystic Island Lake in the Holy Cross Wilderness.
Lost Creek Wilderness in August 2013
The Lost Creek Wilderness.

There are 44 National Wildernesses within Colorado. The United States Forest Service manages 34, the National Park Service manages four, the Bureau of Land Management manages three, the United States Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management jointly manage two, and the United States Forest Service and the National Park Service jointly manage one National Wilderness.

  • Black Canyon of the Gunnison Wilderness
  • Black Ridge Canyons Wilderness
  • Buffalo Peaks Wilderness
  • Byers Peak Wilderness
  • Cache La Poudre Wilderness
  • Collegiate Peaks Wilderness
  • Comanche Peak Wilderness
  • Dominguez Canyon Wilderness
  • Eagles Nest Wilderness
  • Flat Tops Wilderness
  • Fossil Ridge Wilderness
  • Great Sand Dunes Wilderness
  • Greenhorn Mountain Wilderness
  • Gunnison Gorge Wilderness
  • Hermosa Creek Wilderness
  • Holy Cross Wilderness
  • Hunter-Fryingpan Wilderness
  • Indian Peaks Wilderness
  • James Peak Wilderness
  • La Garita Wilderness
  • Lizard Head Wilderness
  • Lost Creek Wilderness
  • Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness
  • Mesa Verde Wilderness
  • Mount Evans Wilderness
  • Mount Massive Wilderness
  • Mount Sneffels Wilderness
  • Mount Zirkel Wilderness
  • Neota Wilderness
  • Never Summer Wilderness
  • Platte River Wilderness
  • Powderhorn Wilderness
  • Ptarmigan Peak Wilderness
  • Raggeds Wilderness
  • Rawah Wilderness
  • Rocky Mountain National Park Wilderness
  • Sangre de Cristo Wilderness
  • Sarvis Creek Wilderness
  • South San Juan Wilderness
  • Spanish Peaks Wilderness
  • Uncompahgre Wilderness
  • Vasquez Peak Wilderness
  • Weminuche Wilderness
  • West Elk Wilderness

National Conservation Areas

Dominguez-Escalante NCA (8931636408)
The Dominguez–Escalante NCA.

The Bureau of Land Management manages the three National Conservation Areas within Colorado.

National Wildlife Refuges

Two Ponds NWR
The Two Ponds National Wildlife Refuge.

The United States Fish and Wildlife Service manages the eight National Wildlife Refuges within Colorado.

Federally designated areas

The following areas are designated by the National Park Service, but reside on a variety of federal, state, county, city, town, and private lands.

National Heritage Areas

South Fork South Platte River
The South Fork South Platte River in the South Park National Heritage Area.

The three National Heritage Areas in Colorado are:

National Historic Landmarks

Main page: List of national historic landmarks in Colorado
Colorado Chautauqua Auditorium Boulder CO
The Colorado Chautauqua Auditorium.
Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad excursion train headed by locomotive 484 in 2015
The Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad.
Tabor-Hotel
The Tabor Grand Hotel in the Leadville Historic District.

The 26 National Historic Landmarks in Colorado are:

National Natural Landmarks

Main page: List of national natural landmarks in Colorado
Garden of the Gods
The Garden of the Gods.
Glenwood Canyon
Hanging Lake .

The 16 National Natural Landmarks in Colorado are:

National Recreation Trails

Grays and Torreys Peaks 2006-08-06
Grays Peak National Recreation Trail approaching the summit
Mountain Goats on Mount Evans Colorado
Mountain goats along the Mount Evans National Recreation Trail.
Mule-deer
Mule deer along one of the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Recreation Trails.

The 28 federally designated National Recreation Trails in Colorado are:

National Register of Historic Places

Main page: List of National Register of Historic Places in Colorado
Royal Gorge Bridge (looking west)
The Royal Gorge Bridge.

There are more than 1,500 Colorado sites on the National Register of Historic Places.

Wild and Scenic River

Big South Trail 6-25 (32036041820)
The Cache la Poudre Wild and Scenic River.

The Wild and Scenic River in Colorado is:

  • Cache la Poudre Wild and Scenic River

Areas of Critical Environmental Concern

Main page: List of Areas of Critical Environmental Concern in Colorado
Blanca Wetlands Area of Critical Environmental Concern, Colorado (15476264730)
The Blanca Wetlands ACEC.

The Bureau of Land Management has designated 88 Areas of Critical Environmental Concern in western Colorado.

State lands

Colorado State Parks

Main page: List of Colorado state parks
Eldorado Canyon
Eldorado Canyon State Park.
Fishers Peak State Park
Fishers Peak State Park.
Yurt at Mancos State Park in Colorado
A yurt in Mancos State Park.
Fountain Valley Trail (5974714678)
Roxborough State Park.
North Michigan Creek Reservoir
State Forest State Park.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife manages the 43 Colorado State Parks.

Colorado Wildlife Areas

Main page: List of Colorado state wildlife areas
DeWeese Reservoir
DeWeese Reservoir State Wildlife Area.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife manages the 307 Colorado State Wildlife Areas.

State designated areas

Colorado Natural Areas

Main page: List of Colorado natural areas
Arikaree River valley 2016-07-12 1283
The Arikaree River Natural Area.
Dino Tracks 2017-09-30 1631
Dinosaur tracks in the Dakota Hogback Natural Area.
Marsh Quarry
The Garden Park Fossil Locality.
Lake San Cristobal CO
The Lake San Cristobal Natural Area.
Rocky Mountains Bristlecone Pine, Mount Goliath, Colorado (2)
The Mount Goliath Natural Area.
RabbitValley1
The Rabbit Valley Natural Area.
Sanjuan14ers-8
The Redcloud Peak Natural Area.
Roxborough
The Roxborough Natural Area.
Slumgullion Earthflow
The Slumgullion Earthflow Natural Area.
Staunton State Park
The Staunton Natural Area.
Trinlake2
Exposed Cretaceous–Paleogene boundary at the Trinidad K-T Boundary Natural Area.
Wheeler Geologic Area (36885224576)
The Wheeler Geologic Natural Area.

The Colorado Department of Natural Resources has designated 95 Colorado Natural Areas.

  • Aiken Canyon Natural Area
  • Antero-Salt Creek Natural Area
  • Arikaree River Natural Area
  • Badger Wash Natural Area
  • Blacks Gulch Natural Area
  • Blue Mountain Natural Area
  • Bonny Prairie Natural Area
  • Boulder Mountain Park Natural Area in Boulder Mountain Park
  • Brush Creek Fen Natural Area
  • California Park Natural Area
  • Castlewood Canyon Natural Area in Castlewood Canyon State Park
  • Chalk Bluffs Natural Area
  • Colorado Tallgrass Prairie Natural Area
  • Comanche Grassland Lesser Prairie Chicken Natural Area in Comanche National Grassland
  • Copeland Willow Carr Natural Area
  • Corral Bluffs Natural Area
  • Cross Mountain Canyon Natural Area
  • Dakota Hogback Natural Area commonly known as Dinosaur Ridge in Matthews/Winters Park
  • Deer Gulch Natural Area
  • Dome Rock Natural Area in Dome Rock State Wildlife Area
  • Droney Gulch Natural Area
  • Duck Creek Natural Area
  • Dudley Bluffs Natural Area
  • East Lost Park Natural Area in Pike National Forest
  • East Sand Dunes Natural Area in State Forest State Park
  • Elephant Rocks Natural Area
  • Escalante Canyon Natural Area
  • Fairview Natural Area
  • Fourmile Creek Natural Area
  • Fruita Paleontological Locality
  • Garden Park Fossil Locality
  • Gateway Palisade Natural Area
  • Geneva Basin Iron Fens Natural Area
  • Gothic Research Natural Area in Gunnison National Forest
  • Gunnison Gravels Research Natural Area
  • Haviland Lake Natural Area in Haviland Lake State Wildlife Area
  • High Creek Fen Natural Area
  • High Mesa Grassland Natural Area
  • Hoosier Ridge Research Natural Area on the Continental Divide in Pike National Forest and White River National Forest
  • Hurricane Canyon Natural Area in Pike National Forest
  • Indian Spring Natural Area
  • Indian Springs Trace Fossil Locality
  • Irish Canyon Natural Area
  • Jimmy Creek Natural Area
  • Ken-Caryl Ranch Natural Area
  • Kremmling Cretaceous Ammonite Locality
  • Limestone Ridge Natural Area
  • Logan Wash Mine Natural Area
  • Lookout Mountain Natural Area
  • Lower Greasewood Creek Natural Area
  • McElmo Natural Area
  • Mexican Cut Natural Area
  • Mini-Wheeler Natural Area
  • Miramonte Reservoir Natural Area in Dan Noble State Wildlife Area
  • Mishak Lakes Natural Area
  • Mount Callahan Natural Area
  • Mount Callahan Saddle Natural Area
  • Mount Emmons Iron Fen Natural Area in Gunnison National Forest
  • Mount Goliath Natural Area in Arapaho National Forest
  • Narraguinnep Natural Area in San Juan National Forest
  • Needle Rock Natural Area
  • North Park Phacelia Natural Area
  • Orient Mine Natural Area
  • Owl Canyon Pinyon Grove Natural Area
  • Pagosa Skyrocket Natural Area
  • Paradise Park Natural Area in Rocky Mountain National Park
  • Park Creek Hogback Natural Area
  • Pyramid Rock Natural Area
  • Rabbit Valley Natural Area
  • Rajadero Canyon Natural Area
  • Raven Ridge Natural Area
  • Redcloud Peak Natural Area
  • Rough Canyon Natural Area
  • Roxborough Natural Area in and near Roxborough State Park
  • Ryan Gulch Natural Area
  • Saddle Mountain Natural Area in Pike National Forest
  • San Miguel River at Tabeguache Creek Natural Area
  • Sand Creek Natural Area
  • Shell Duck Creek Natural Area
  • Shell Rock Natural Area
  • Slumgullion Earthflow Natural Area in San Juan National Forest
  • South Beaver Creek Natural Area
  • South Boulder Creek Natural Area
  • South Cathedral Bluffs Natural Area
  • Specimen Mountain Research Natural Area in Rocky Mountain National Park
  • Staunton Natural Area in Staunton State Park
  • Tamarack Ranch Natural Area in Tamarack Ranch State Wildlife Area
  • Treasurevault Mountain Natural Area
  • Trinidad K-T Boundary Natural Area in Trinidad Lake State Park
  • Two Buttes Natural Area
  • Unaweep Seep Research Natural Area
  • Wacker Ranch Natural Area
  • West Creek Natural Area in Rocky Mountain National Park
  • Wheeler Geologic Natural Area in the La Garita Wilderness of Rio Grande National Forest
  • White Rocks Natural Area
  • Yanks Gulch/Upper Greasewood Creek Natural Area
  • Zapata Falls Natural Area

Regional trails

McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area (9323589206)
A cyclist on the Kokopelli Trail in McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area.

The following transcontinental hiking trail was established by the American Discovery Trail Society.

  • American Discovery Trail

The following hiking trail across the Southern Rocky Mountains is maintained by the Colorado Trail Foundation.

The following three single-track mountain bike trails are maintained by the Colorado Plateau Mountain Bike Trail Association and the Bureau of Land Management.

  • Kokopelli Trail
  • Paradox Trail
  • Tabeguache Trail

Bicycle routes

Mules in the valley threaded by Hoosier Pass, high in Colorado's Rocky Mountains straddling Park and Summit counties. This pass is the highest point on the TransAmerica Trail, a transcontinental LCCN2015633685
Hoosier Pass on the TransAmerica Trail Bicycle Route.

The following four bicycle touring routes through Colorado are regularly scouted by the Adventure Cycling Association.

  • Great Divide Mountain Bike Route
  • Great Parks Bicycle Route
  • TransAmerica Trail Bicycle Route
  • Western Express Bicycle Route

See also

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List of protected areas of Colorado Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.