Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge
IUCN Category IV (Habitat/Species Management Area)
View of the Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge, looking out over the valley of the Illinois River from State Highway 14. The Park Range is in the background.
Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge Location in the United States
Location	Jackson County, Colorado, United States
Nearest city	Walden
Area	24,804 acres (100.38 km2)
Established	1967 (1967)
Governing body	U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Website	Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge

The Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge is a special place in north central Colorado, United States. It's one of over 560 national wildlife refuges that help protect nature for everyone, including future generations. This refuge is located in an area called North Park in Jackson County, just south of the town of Walden.

The refuge was created in 1967. Its main purpose is to provide a safe and suitable home for waterfowl (like ducks and geese) to nest and raise their young. It was also made to help make up for the loss of nesting areas in the prairie wetlands of the Midwest. The refuge is in the valley of the Illinois River, which flows into the North Platte River. The United States Fish and Wildlife Service manages this important area.

Did you know? The Mortenson Lake National Wildlife Refuge in Wyoming is also managed by the Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge!

What Makes the Refuge Special?

The weather here is quite dry, and the refuge is high up, about 8,800 feet (2,680 meters) above sea level. Because it's dry, water from the Illinois River is moved through a system of ditches. This water helps to keep the wetland meadows wet and fills ponds for birds.

Refuge managers use different tools to keep the meadows healthy for nesting. These include controlled burning, watering the land, and letting animals graze. They also carefully control the water levels in the shallow ponds. This makes sure there's enough water plants for birds to eat and hide in. The ponds also have many insects and other small creatures like invertebrates. These are full of protein, which female waterfowl need to lay healthy eggs. These insects are also super important food for growing ducklings and goslings in the summer.

Birds at the Refuge

The first waterfowl arrive at the refuge in the spring, usually in April, when the ice melts. The most birds arrive in late May, when more than 5,000 ducks might be present! Canada geese have been brought back to North Park and start nesting in April. Duck nesting usually begins in early June and is busiest in late June. Each year, the refuge helps produce about 9,000 ducklings and 150 to 200 goslings.

So far, 198 different types of birds have been seen at the refuge.

• Upland nesting birds (birds that nest on dry land) include the mallard, pintail, gadwall, and American wigeon.
• Diving ducks like the lesser scaup and redhead nest on the bigger ponds and nearby wet areas.
• Many bird species can be seen all summer long.
• Fall migration is busiest in late September or early October. At this time, up to 8,000 waterfowl might be at the refuge.

The refuge's wetlands also attract many marsh, shore, and water birds.

• Sora and Virginia rails are shy birds that are often present but hard to spot.
• You might easily see Wilson's phalarope, American avocet, willet, sandpipers, Greater yellowlegs, and dowitchers.
• Other less common birds include the great blue heron, black-crowned night heron, American bittern, and eared and pied-billed grebes.

Animals on the Hills

The hills around the refuge are home to sage grouse all year. In winter, there can be more than 200 of them! You might also see Golden eagles, different kinds of hawks, and sometimes a prairie falcon flying high. They are looking for food like Richardson's ground squirrels, white-tailed prairie dogs, and white-tailed jackrabbits.

You can often spot badgers, muskrats, beavers, coyotes, and pronghorns. It's also possible to see raccoons, red foxes, mink, long-tailed weasels, or porcupines. Up to 400 mule deer have spent winters here, and you might see up to 200 elk during the colder months. Moose have recently been brought back to North Park. You might spot them in the willow bushes along the Illinois River. Don't worry, there are no venomous snakes in the refuge.

Visiting the Refuge

You can visit the Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge!

• There's a 6-mile (9.7 km) self-guided auto tour route that starts from nearby State Highway 14.
• You can also enjoy an overlook that gives you a great view of the Illinois River valley.
• Fishing is allowed along the Illinois River, but some areas are marked as closed.
• Parts of the refuge are open for hunting certain animals during specific state seasons.
• The refuge is open only during the day. Fires are not allowed.

The Boardwalk

In August 2009, a special boardwalk was finished. It's 1,850 feet (564 meters) long and designed to be easy for everyone to use, including people with disabilities. Volunteers from Wildlands Restoration Volunteers built it over five years, putting in more than 6,000 hours of work! The boardwalk winds along parts of the river where you can see many animals and birds. You might even spot moose among the willow trees. The boardwalk is about a mile (1.6 km) southwest of the refuge headquarters.