While visiting family in Boulder, CO, we decided to spend some time at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge (or “the Refuge” for short). Located just outside Denver, the Refuge is one of the largest urban wildlife sanctuaries in the country.
We took the 11-mile wildlife drive (see map below), which winds through the Refuge and provides a unique opportunity to spot some really cool critters (birds included, as always). We spotted American bison grazing in the prairie, prairie dogs popping in and out of their burrows, and a few deer (white-tailed or mule? They didn’t stick around long enough to say). Best of all, I caught a flash of blue that had to be a blue grosbeak (lifer for me). Not bad for an afternoon wander. The drive took about an hour, and we listened to the accompanying podcast to discover more about the Refuge and its history.