COME TO LIFE 10 Enjoy Our Wildlife Few places in North America offer the bounty of wildlife-watching opportunities available in Colorado. Our mountains, forests, plains, rivers and mesas harbor 960 different species, luring binocular-toting guests into our natural spaces. Ensure at least a couple of them are part of your stay by following the birding trails — there are 54 of them! — known to harbor that elusive songbird or raptor you’ve been seeking. With nearly 400 different species of birds migrating through the state, there’s a winged creature to be spotted in every season. Another option is attending a wildlife festival with friends similarly in awe of an elk, moose or bighorn sheep to hear their bugles and see them prance and strut for their mates. Or spend a day casting your line: Fly-fishers, ice-fishers and pure rod-and-reelers will find plenty of options along 8,000 miles of rivers and more than 2,000 lakes. Those seeking a bigger catch will find it in our quiet spaces: 23 million acres of pretty pines, plentiful pocket meadows and pure-water ponds host excellent opportunities for hunting, fishing or simply viewing majestic animals in motion. Rifle Gap State Park in Rifle Keep Wildlife Wild Colorado is home to tens of thousands of furry, scaly and feathered creatures. To keep them — and you — safe, make sure to maintain your (and your dog’s) distance. And if you’re ever unsure, follow the rule of thumb: If you can cover the view of the entire animal with your thumb when your arm is extended, you’re at a safe distance. Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge near Denver 22 1-800-COLORADO DUSTIN DOSKOCIL; JONATHAN PHILLIPS
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