A free national wildlife refuge in Commerce City, just northeast of Denver, where you can see bison from your car on an 11-mile Wildlife Drive. The visitor center has exhibits, including one with live black-footed ferrets.
Know before you go. The refuge doesn't list sensory supports. Here's what it says about the drive, the bison, the trails and the rules.
Hours
Refuge: sunrise to sunset in fall, winter and spring (sunrise to 8 pm from May through July). Visitor Center: Wednesday to Sunday, 9 am to 4 pm, closed federal holidays. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day; on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve, last entry is 11:30 am.
“Visitors must stay in their vehicle when viewing bison.” “Stay on trails.” “Only service dogs are allowed at the Refuge.”
“Take the 11-mile Wildlife Drive. Listen to the Wildlife Drive audio tour along the way.” The refuge suggests 45 to 60 minutes for it.
“Hike the 1 mile Discovery Trail starting at the Visitor Center back patio,” or the “Lake Mary Loop Trail (0.6 miles) with a boardwalk and piers overlooking the water.”
This fall the refuge is doing prescribed burns for several weeks, between 9 am and 4 pm, weather permitting. “Smoke may be visible for several miles beyond the refuge, and nearby communities may smell smoke.”
The Wildlife Drive lets a kid who doesn't want to walk still see the animals.
The visitor center and ferrets are closed Monday and Tuesday, so pick Wednesday to Sunday if those matter.
For a full-size copy your child can use, open this page at squaredsteps.com, tap Make it yours, then print.
Ask before you go
sensory kits or headphones to borrow
a quiet room
how busy weekends get
where the restrooms are along the drive
how close the bison come to the road
which times are least busy
whether the visitor center gets loud
Call 303-289-0930More about Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge
“Visiting the Refuge is FREE!” You don't need a pass.
The black-footed ferret exhibit is near the visitor center back patio and keeps visitor center hours.
Kids can earn a Junior Ranger badge by finishing at least 4 pages of the booklet (in English or Spanish) and picking up the badge at the visitor center. “Sorry, we don't mail badges.”
“Take a virtual tour of the Visitor Center and Black-footed ferret exhibit before you arrive.”
“No swimming or wading at Refuge lakes.” “Park in designated parking lots.”
Visitor Center 303-289-0930, rockymountainarsenal@fws.gov.
