If I Were Going...: Rocky Mountain Arsenal, Barr Lake State Park and More

Here's some information on a few more Colorado spots that I have visited recently.

Rocky Mountain Arsenal
Ok, you see it on a map: "Rocky Mountain Arsenal" and the first thing you think of is ... wildlife? Probably not.

A surprising place for wildlife

It's an interesting story: The site, located on the east side of Denver in a decidedly industrial area, housed a chemical weapons manufacturing and storage center for the U.S. military from 1942-1969. Products included napalm, mustard gas, lewisite, chlorine gas, Sarin gas, rocket fuel and even some commercial pesticides. From 1970-1985, RMA was used as a demilitarization site to destroy munitions and related items. SuperFund remediation began in 1985.

Photo: U.S. Army

Because there were so few people on the site during remediation, it became an "accidental refuge" for animals escaping Denver city sprawl. And, then eagles started to spend the winter there. So, the government decided to make it a wildlife refuge. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimates that more than 330 species of wildlife, including deer, coyotes, white pelicans and owls, live in or pass through RMA. In 1992, RMA became a National Wildlife Refuge and, in 2007, a small herd of wild bison was introduced. A visitor center opened in 2011.

Photo: Rocky Mountain Arsenal

Oddly, I haven't many pictures from RMA. The first time I went, I must not have seen anything interesting - or I lost the shots. The second time, I saw a Bald Eagle overhead as I was driving in and one very far away on a lake surface, plus the Red-tailed Hawk I have posted here. I have yet to get good photos of the Bison herd.

Barr Lake State Park
I have only been to Barr Lake State Park, northeast of Denver in Brighton, one time -- on a very cold and windy day. But, I will go back.

Magnificent view

The setting is beautiful and there are great accommodations for viewing the resident pair of Bald Eagles and the many additional ones that visit for winter. There is an 8.8. mile flat trail around the lake with a blind and several viewing gazebos -- one that allegedly looks right on the Eagle nest. I didn't walk that far on the day I went because of the snow, ice and wind. The park also has a shooting range -- seems to be a popular sport at state parks -- and boating and fishing when the lake isn't solid ice.

Frozen lake

The lake is large and, like Cherry Creek State Park, frozen over in January -- inviting eagles to roost very far from camera lenses. This one apparently didn't want to be photographed.

On the ice

I understand that when the lake thaws, there will be lots of birds to photograph -- their website says 350 varieties. As it was on that January day, I had to be content with Canada Geese, which seem to enjoy all kinds of weather ...

A flock flies by

... and a variety of small birds, including this little House Finch ...

House Finch

The website also says there are Elk at Barr Lake. I didn't see any. I'll report back after I visit in the spring.

Paint Mines Interpretive Park
Out near Calhan, east of Colorado Springs, is a very unusual spot -- Paint Mines Interpretive Park.

Paint Mines

The approximately 750 acres of colorful geological formations including gullies, spires, hoodoos and exposed layers of clay and jasper that were formed through erosion.

There's an overlook and four miles of trails with interpretive signs. The area is unusual because it sits in the middle of a prairie surrounded by farms. It must have been quite a surprise to anyone who stumbled upon it.

Bright colors

And people did. There is evidence of human life as far back as 9,000 years ago. Native American artifacts, including arrow heads and stone dart tips, have been found in the Mines. In addition, there is evidence that clay was used in prehistoric and historic times to create and paint pottery and for ceremonial purposes (it makes sense -- there is brown, white and a beautiful red). The early peoples also used the deep impressions in the land to herd buffalo into a gulch where they could be easily hunted with bows and arrows.

Just up the road from my house ... pretty cool, huh?

And, on the way there, I got a wonderful prairie perspective of Pikes Peak -- complete with some Pronghorn.

Distant Pronghorn

Bluestem Prairie Open Space/Johnson Reservoir
Even closer to my house is the Bluestem Prairie Open Space and the Big Johnson Reservoir near Security-Widefield (great town names, huh?), which I hear is a great place for bird watching. I have been twice and plan to visit more frequently next spring.

American Kestrel

The area is a natural bowl holding El Paso County's largest body of water, the Big Johnson Reservoir. There is a trail around the lake, open prairies and bird nesting platforms. I have seen American Kestrels, a Northern Harrier, Red-tailed Hawks, Western Meadowlarks and Horned Larks.

Meadowlark, left, and Horned Lark, right

My Backyard
In the future, I plan to blog about some other local areas, including Castlewood Canyon and Cheyenne Mountain State Parks, but I can't go any further without a little plug for another great wildlife viewing area: my back yard. Well, actually, my neighborhood.

A 24-hour spread as fall turns to winter; taken from a back upstairs window

We live on Cheyenne Mountain in Colorado Springs, tucked just under NORAD. Our house sits at 6,640 ft.; Cheyenne Mountain summits at 9,570 ft. Most of the east side of the mountain is restricted because of NORAD, but The Broadmoor does have a luxury rustic hotel -- Cloud Camp -- at the top. It also has an impressive antenna farm.