Magic Moments on Public Lands / COME TO LIFE With 42 percent of Colorado’s 100,000 square miles made up of public lands, it’s easy to find an adventure in our 41 state parks, four national parks, eight national monuments and other public lands. Get inspired by Colorado’s spectacular natural backdrop with these 17 amazing experiences and find others on the map below. 25 DINOSAUR NM ROCKY Estes MOUNTAIN Park NP Grand Lake 76 COLORADO STATE & NATIONAL PARKS Colorado State Parks National Parks 70 70 25 FLORISSANT FOSSIL BEDS NM MCINNIS CANYONS NCA National Monuments National Conservation Areas COLORADO NM GUNNISON GORGE NCA DOMINGUEZ-ESCALANTE NCA BROWNS CANYON NM BLACK CANYON OF THE GUNNISON NP See the full state map on page 16A and city index on page 208. GREAT SAND DUNES NP 25 HOVENWEEP NM CANYONS OF THE ANCIENTS NM CHIMNEY ROCK NM YUCCA HOUSE NM MESA VERDE NP 5 PICKETWIRE CANYON, JAY DICKMAN; COLORADO PARKS AND WILDLIFE. Walk in dinosaur footprints in COMANCHE NATIONAL GRASSLAND . Standing in Picketwire Canyon with your foot swallowed by a three-toed impression left in the bedrock by a bronto-saurus 150 million years ago, one’s imagination runs wild picturing what it might have looked like when dinosaurs inhabited the area near today’s La Junta. The footprints are reached after a flat 5-mile hike, bike or horseback ride. 6 Behold the majesty of a bald eagle at BARR LAKE STATE PARK. Just northeast of Denver in Brigh-ton, this peaceful gem with calm waters (boats are limited to 10-horsepower motors) claims sightings of more than 370 species of birds, including our nation’s symbol. Wildlife-viewing stations can be found along the park’s nearly 9-mile multiuse trail. WANT MORE? GO TO COLORADO.COM/OUTDOOR-ACTIVITIES. COLORADO.COM / 47
Colorado Official State Vacation Guide 2020: Page 47
