Colorado is Home to One of the Largest Urban Wildlife Refuges

Believe it or not, just outside of Commerce City, Colorado, near Denver International Airport sits one of the largest urban wildlife refuges in the United States.

The Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge is a 15,000-acre piece of land featuring numerous species of wildlife, vegetation, and hiking trails. Keep scrolling to learn more and take a virtual tour of this Colorado hidden gem.

Colorado's Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge

Get our free mobile app

The Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge is located at 6550 Gateway Road in Commerce City, Colorado. The area gets its name from its past as prior to being a wildlife refuge, the space was used by the United States military to produce and test ammunition.

There are numerous hiking trails for observing various kinds of wildlife and taking photos, each typically less than two miles long. There is also an 11-mile auto tour that takes you around the refuge.

Some of the wildlife you might encounter at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge include various insects such as butterflies, plenty of species of birds, turtles, prairie dogs, deer, fish, and even bison.

In fact, one of the things that draws visitors to the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge is the massive bison herd that you'll come across on the auto tour.

Other popular activities to partake in at the refuge include fishing, which is permitted on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, as well as birdwatching.

Keep scrolling to take a virtual tour of the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge: