{"id":23468,"date":"2019-05-10T15:36:00","date_gmt":"2019-05-10T21:36:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.summitdaily.com\/news\/duckin-the-mud-this-spring-season-visit-national-wildlife-refuges\/"},"modified":"2019-05-10T15:36:00","modified_gmt":"2019-05-10T21:36:00","slug":"duckin-the-mud-this-spring-season-visit-national-wildlife-refuges","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kift\/local-news\/duckin-the-mud-this-spring-season-visit-national-wildlife-refuges\/","title":{"rendered":"Duckin\u2019 the mud: This spring season, visit National Wildlife Refuges"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"swift-gallery\" readability=\"6.2918287937743\">\n<ul id=\"imageGallery-365729-535\" class=\"gallery list-unstyled\">\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/05\/wildlife-sbt-051019-1-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/05\/wildlife-sbt-051019-1.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Courtesy Rachel Portwood | A double rainbow at Browns Park National Wildlife Refuge.\" class=\"h-100\">\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\" readability=\"6\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/05\/wildlife-sbt-051019-1.jpg\" alt=\"A double rainbow at Browns Park National Wildlife Refuge.\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"7\">\n<p><strong>A double rainbow at Browns Park National Wildlife Refuge.<\/strong><br \/>Courtesy Rachel Portwood<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/05\/wildlife-sbt-051019-1-1-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/05\/wildlife-sbt-051019-1-1.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Courtesy Tom Koerner | A moose at Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge.\" class=\"h-100\">\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\" readability=\"6\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/05\/wildlife-sbt-051019-1-1.jpg\" alt=\"A moose at Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge.\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"7\">\n<p><strong>A moose at Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge.<\/strong><br \/>Courtesy Tom Koerner<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/05\/wildlife-sbt-051019-1-2-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/05\/wildlife-sbt-051019-1-2.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Courtesy Tom Koerner | A monarch butterfly in Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge.\" class=\"h-100\">\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\" readability=\"6\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/05\/wildlife-sbt-051019-1-2.jpg\" alt=\"A monarch butterfly in Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge.\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"7\">\n<p><strong>A monarch butterfly in Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge.<\/strong><br \/>Courtesy Tom Koerner<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"caption-toggle\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.summitdaily.com\/news\/sports\/duckin-the-mud-this-spring-season-visit-national-wildlife-refuges\/#\" class=\"show-captions\">Show Captions<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.summitdaily.com\/news\/sports\/duckin-the-mud-this-spring-season-visit-national-wildlife-refuges\/#\" class=\"hide-captions\">Hide Captions<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Closing weekend at almost every Colorado ski resort and area has come and gone, tiny blades of new grass are peeping out of leftover snow and its coat of dirt, and the smell of spring is often in the air.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">With that, we\u2019re officially entering mud season.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Half the fun of this period of quiet is relaxing at home, recharging our bodies and brains from a nonstop winter and sticking around town to stuff ourselves with glorious two-for-one specials. But now is also a prime opportunity to drive down roads \u2014 less crowded and less icy than they\u2019ve been in a while \u2014 and explore new horizons.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Here\u2019s a list of several National Wildlife Refuges great for exploring, hiking, wildlife-viewing, outdoor education and other forms of spring recreation. All are within a 4-hour drive of Summit County.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText Subhead\">Browns Park Wildlife Refuge<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">226 miles \/ 4 hours, 4 minutes from downtown Frisco<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Browns Park Wildlife Refuge is composed of seven wetlands, 1,700 acres of grassland habitat and 7,600 acres of semi-desert shrub land, with a diverse set of wildlife to match.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cThe refuge was established for the wildlife first, then for the people to come out and enjoy,\u201d said Refuge Manager Daryl Magnuson.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">The area is kept quiet and natural for these species, with no off-roading or motorized boat usage allowed; this is a draw for many human visitors as well.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cPeople are here for the nice solitude, for the peace and quiet,\u201d Magnuson said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u2771\u2771 Visitors\u2019 favorite activity \u2014 birding: Browns Park is home to at least 223 species of birds, with more stopping through during their spring migration. At this time of year, one can find bald eagles, peregrine falcons, swallows, hummingbirds, ducks and geese, to name a few. The appeal of seeing these birds lures many birdwatchers to Browns Park.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u2771\u2771 Wildlife viewing: In addition to birds, Browns Park also hosts 68 species of mammals and 15 of reptiles and amphibians.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u2771\u2771 Boating and fishing: Non-motorized boats are allowed in the refuge, and fishing may be accessed by shore or boat. Visitors may also apply for permits to float down the Green River from Browns Park to Dinosaur National Monument\u2019s Gates of Lodore.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u2771\u2771 History: Beyond the wildlife that the refuge serves, human visitors may also visit areas of historical relevance, including old homesteads and remnants of several colorful Colorado characters like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (born Robert Leroy Parker and Harry Longabaugh, respectively) who infamously robbed banks, trains and ranches across the West and South America in the 1890s and early 1900s. \u201cButch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid supposedly spent time here,\u201d Magnuson said. \u201cThey\u2019d ride up to Rock Springs and rob, then come back to the Browns Hole area of Browns Park. They stayed friendly with folks around here, not robbing them, so no one would turn them in.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u2771\u2771 Camping: The refuge\u2019s primitive Swinging Bridge and Crooks campgrounds are free and open year-round.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u2771\u2771 More information: FWS.gov\/Refuge\/Browns_Park<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText Subhead\">Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">110 miles \/ 1 hour, 55 minutes from downtown Frisco<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge is the highest refuge in the lower 48 states, sitting south of Walden in an inter-mountain glacial basin at between 8,100 and 8,700 feet. The refuge includes habitats of irrigated meadow, riparian, sagebrush steppe uplands and wetlands.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u2771\u2771 Visitors\u2019 favorite activity \u2014 auto tour: \u201cWe have a 7-mile long auto tour route that goes right through the middle of our largest wildlife complex,\u201d said Refuge Manager Tara Wertz. \u201cVisitors can see the whole fleet of water birds on any given day.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u2771\u2771 Wildlife viewing: Humans who visit the refuge early in the morning or late evening may also get to see the 40 or so moose foraging through the area, Wertz said. Come winter, the refuge will see 1,000 to 1,500 elk as well. On a smaller scale, humans may be delighted to find river otters swimming (at up to 12 miles per hour) or playing on land within their family groups, known as \u201cromps.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u2771\u2771 Boating and fishing: No boats \u2014 motorized or non-motorized \u2014 are allowed on the refuge. Fishing is permitted at the refuge along the Illinois River south of Jackson County Road 32 until May 31.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u2771\u2771 Camping: Camping is prohibited anywhere on the refuge; all visitors must leave the refuge by closing time, 30 minutes after sunset.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u2771\u2771 History: The Ute Indian Tribe traveled in the summer months to the North Park area, which they called \u201cCow Lodge\u201d and \u201cBull Pen,\u201d for bison hunting. In 1820, Frenchmen explored the area to try their hand at beaver trapping, and in the 1870s, miners began to explore the area\u2019s potential for minerals.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u2771\u2771 More information: FWS.gov\/Refuge\/Arapaho<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText Subhead\">Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">76 miles \/ 1 hour, 28 minutes from downtown Frisco<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge is one of the newer refuges, established in 2007 as part of the Colorado Front Range National Wildlife Refuge Complex, which also includes Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge and Two Ponds National Wildlife Refuge. The prairie site is bordered by urban development to the northeast and southeast and open space to the north, east and west, so the refuge serves as a protected passageway for migrating animals around Golden and Boulder.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u2771\u2771 Visitors\u2019 favorite activity: \u201cWhat\u2019s outstanding about Rocky Flats is the variety of plant species,\u201d Supervisory Refuge Ranger Cindy Souders said. \u201cThere\u2019s over 600 species of plants here. Things are blooming from April to October.\u201d These include native wildflowers, most notably bergamont and large swamp milkweed, which both attract Monarch caterpillars and butterflies starting around June.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u2771\u2771 Wildlife viewing: The refuge often sees a free-ranging elk herd, coyote, porcupines, chorus frogs, prairie rattlesnakes, Western painted turtles, tiger salamanders and the Preble\u2019s meadow jumping mouse, a federally threatened species.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u2771\u2771 Hiking and biking: A year-round trail system welcomes hiking, cycling and horseback travel. In the future, the Rocky Mountain Greenway trail system will connect Rocky Flats to the complex\u2019s other two refuges.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u2771\u2771 Camping: Camping is not available in Rocky Flats.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u2771\u2771 History: The site was one of 13 U.S. nuclear weapons production facilities during the Cold War and was added to the EPA\u2019s Superfund List \u2014 or National Priorities List \u2014 in 1989. The Department of Energy held a $7 billion cleanup, overseen by the EPA and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, which was completed in 2005.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u2771\u2771 More information: FWS.gov\/Refuge\/Rocky_Flats<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.summitdaily.com\/news\/sports\/duckin-the-mud-this-spring-season-visit-national-wildlife-refuges\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">via:: Summit Daily<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A double rainbow at Browns Park National Wildlife Refuge.Courtesy Rachel Portwood A moose at Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge.Courtesy Tom Koerner A monarch butterfly in Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge.Courtesy Tom Koerner Show CaptionsHide Captions Closing weekend at almost every Colorado ski resort and area has come and gone, tiny blades of new grass are peeping [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[97],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-23468","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-local-news"},"acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-06-10 19:53:18","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"KIFT - The LIFT FM","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kift","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kift\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23468","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kift\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kift\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kift\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kift\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23468"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kift\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23468\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kift\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23468"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kift\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23468"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kift\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23468"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}