COME TO LIFE / Magic Moments on Public Lands 17 MAGIC MOMENTS ON COLORADO’S PUBLIC LANDS 1 Feel an exhilarating stomach somersault as your boat shoots the whitewater rapids in BROWNS CANYON NATIONAL MONUMENT, near Salida . One of the nation’s most popular locations for rafting, this Arkansas River-carved beauty also hosts fishers, campers, mountain bikers, ATVers, cross-country skiers, hikers and Collegiate Peaks Scenic Byway drivers. The canyon is also a great place to see bighorn sheep (Colorado’s state mammal), elk, deer, eagles, falcons and many other wildlife species. CARE FOR COLORADO Travel Like a local by staying on trails and roads, picking up trash and heeding signs at these landmarks and across the state. See page 17 for other tips. There’s nothing like a hike through rugged, untamed wilderness or a peaceful picnic amid colorful wildflowers to awaken the imagination and stir the senses. 2 Frame photos through the arches in MCINNIS CANYONS NATIONAL CONSERVATION AREA . North America’s second-largest concen-tration of natural arches can be found in this area near Grand Junction. There are no paved roads or high-tech visitor centers, but 4x4 trails and a rugged hike can lead prepared adventurers to the most spectacular red-rock arches, spires, rock bridges and caves. CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT: BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT/BOB WICK; EFRAÍN M. PADRÓ; NOAH WETZEL; BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT. @Bureau of Land Management 3 @Bureau of Land Management Behold a sea of shortgrass swaying in the wind in PAWNEE NATIONAL GRASSLAND . The only interruption in the endless, flat horizon is two 300-foot-high mesas, visible from miles around. These “two sentinels of the plains,” as dubbed by author James Michener, are the only compan-ions of the remote area’s pronghorns, coyotes, kit foxes, hawks and falcons, located west of Sterling. 4 Watch for wildlife in the MOUNT ZIRKEL WILDERNESS . With 170 miles of trails that vary in elevation by 5,000 feet, it may seem as though this area near Clark would lure only the most experienced trekkers. But it’s not quite as rugged as it sounds — gradual rises in elevation make it a good first-time (albeit well-prepared) backpacking adventure, with almost guaranteed moose and elk sightings. 46 / 1-800-COLORADO
Colorado Official State Vacation Guide 2020: Page 46
