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.
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.” fws.gov
Space
“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. fws.gov
Space
“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.” fws.gov
Smell
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.” fws.gov
“National wildlife refuges provide an opportunity to unplug, recharge and connect with our natural surroundings.”
Our note The Wildlife Drive lets a kid who doesn't want to walk still see the animals.
Our note The visitor center and ferrets are closed Monday and Tuesday, so pick Wednesday to Sunday if those matter.
Three things to know
“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.”
It's free, and the refuge is open sunrise to sunset. You can drive the 11-mile Wildlife Drive with the audio tour; around bison, everyone stays in the car. The visitor center is open Wednesday to Sunday, 9 am to 4 pm, with the ferret exhibit. The 1-mile Discovery Trail starts there, and the 0.6-mile Lake Mary Loop has a boardwalk over the water. Change anything.
Common questions
What if my child won't look at the schedule or story?
That is common at first. Leave it where the moment happens, point to one picture at a time, and keep it low-pressure. Many kids warm up to it after a few calm tries, in their own time.
Can I make this in Spanish?
Yes. Every tool and this page exist in Spanish, and the printed page comes out in the language you choose. Use the language switch at the top.
Do I need an account?
No. There is no signup, and we don’t keep what you type; anything you save stays on your device. Make it, print it, done.
