Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge

Start with the Visitor Center — it’s absolutely worth it. The staff let us know what wildlife we were likely to see that day and where bison sightings were most common. The ranger also did a great job explaining the history of the area in a way that was easy to understand and genuinely interesting. The 11-mile wildlife drive takes less than an hour, but it feels like a complete escape from the city. We saw huge bison up close, countless prairie dogs popping up everywhere (the chubby ones were especially cute), and even white-tailed deer. What really stood out to me was how close this place is to downtown Denver — and the fact that it’s completely free. Being able to see so much wildlife right next to the city felt surprising and honestly pretty amazing. Visiting Rocky Mountain Arsenal gave me a whole new appreciation for Denver and made me fall in love with the city even more.

Rocky Mountain Arsenal is an incredible place to explore and the best part is, it’s completely free. You can walk around the trails, enjoy the peaceful scenery, and even see free ranging buffalo up close (from a safe distance, of course!). It’s such a unique experience to have this kind of wildlife and open space so close to the city. Highly recommend visiting if you’re in the Denver area. Perfect for a walk, photography, or just enjoying nature.

This was a delightful surprise! Living in Denver usually means heading to the mountains for holidays, but this Labor Day, we decided to explore the Rocky Mountain Arsenal east of the city. And guess what? We were not disappointed! The refuge was absolutely charming. We took the wildlife drive and spotted a herd of bison grazing peacefully. There were also lots of patient dogs roaming around. We also took a stroll around Mary Lake, which was incredibly relaxing and a very pleasant walk. .

This is a wonderful way to see some amazing large animals, close up. Most of the refuge is seen from inside your car. Don't Get Out of Your Car!!! The bison are very large and unpredictable animals. The males can be very aggressive. Bring binoculars and your camera longer lens are helpful as you will be shooting from inside your car. Many of the animals are used to seeing cars and do get close to the road. Sometimes the bison come up into the road! The deer generally keep their distance, but they get close enough to see them well. The coyotes generally tend to stay away from people and are at some distance away, but these are wild animals, they don't read these reviews or the rule books. Your experience will probably be different than mine. There are areas where you can get out and walk around, trails and pathways to adventure through. Areas where you can view the waterbirds from and bridges through the marsh areas.

First, some tips: 🐌 Take your time, slow down. This is a free opportunity to relax and allow yourself to be surprised by what you can see if you just slow down. Cars coming behind you? Let them pass. The road is one way but plenty wide enough most of the way, so anyone just wanting to rush through can simply go around you. The speed limit is 30; I PROMISE you'll miss things if you do that. 👁👁 Be on the constant lookout. The two types of deer, coyote, certain birds, and the prairie dogs here can be hard to spot unless they just decide to give you a show. Watch for the flick of an ear or tail or a random swift movement, it's actually fun to spot something other cars are passing. 🎧 Put on The "podcast" and pause/play as you go. It's NOT boring and you actually see more (e.g. a bald eagle nest) than you would on your own.... and the facts you learn about the wildlife, land, people, etc are interesting (my fave was the "underground cities"). My review: What a beautiful place; I haven't smiled that hard in a long while... even though we drove through in the afternoon on a very warm day and assumed we wouldn't see a ton of wildlife, we were pleasantly surprised at what we did get to see --- a herd of bison in the distance as well as a few more here and there close enough to photograph, a TON of active and alert prairie dogs, a warbler, mule deer, a ferruginous hawk soaring above, and so much breathtaking land. Go, take your time, enjoy.

I had a great experience visiting the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge! It was easy to find the driving loop to see the bison. The visitors center was closed when I stopped by, but they also have easy to access bathrooms just outside the visitors center. I look forward to going back soon to get even better bison photos!

Lovely place to enjoy some wildlife and great mountain views. It's especially nice at sunset, and is never too busy. The prairie dogs do hibernate for winter, so check it out in the summer if you want to see them. There's also a wild ferret population behind the visitor center building.

I came here thinking we weren’t gonna see much but we saw lots of animals especially the bison/buffalo deer with full fledged antlers (like the ones Santa uses) and tons of badgers!! This place is a must see! Just drive through these fields and you’re bound to see lots of wildlife! We had our car surrounded by bison! It was great!!

A truly beautiful national park located in the middle of Denver. The the sheer amount of driving you can do here and go down many different pathways is amazing. There are so many different animals that are wild and just walking around. I love how the animals were not afraid and I was able to see deer up close and personal as well as Prairie dogs! They were running around across the road and running into their homes or eating on the side of the road. I also loved to be able to see many bison and learned that they could even walk right up to your car, I'm glad they didn't because they are bigger than they appear even from far away! I spent at least a couple hours here with my husband driving around and everything was beautiful. They also have areas that you can get out of your car and walk that have some stunning views of your surroundings. There is a little information office that has some history of the surrounding area and information on the different animals they have on the reserve. The staff was very knowledgeable and happy to answer the questions I had. Behind the building they have a little enclosed habitat that you can see some prairie dogs up close! They have a cute little giftshop with things such as keychains and shirts that are very reasonably priced. One of my favorite things was this place from my recent trip to Denver!

Wowzer, what a fun way to explore the wildlife while being in the comfort of your car :) Came here at the suggestion of a local and can't wait to revisit this park again in other seasons! For this review, visited the refuge during January and despite the dead yellow grass, relatively empty blue skies, and no magical snow, there is still plenty to do and see. Here are my highlights: 1. Listen to the audio/podcast tour!! Trust me, this made the drive around the refuge much more enjoyable and you get to learn more about the history of this place and what sort of landmarks you should be seeing at certain mile markers. You can get the audio from the refugee website. 2. Bird Watchers: Bring your binoculars! During my drive here, spotted an eagle, several types of birds and if you hike out on the main trails, can definitely see more birds hidden in the tall grass. 3. Animal Sightings: saw a ton of fluffy bisons, chubby prairie dogs, shy deer, and birds. Just be patient and slow as you drive and you'll definitely see the animals. 4. Rattlesnake Hill: Towards the end of the drive and around the time you loop back, definitely worth the stop to check out Rattlesnake Hill. :) It's a super easy short trek up the hill and gives you a nice expansive view of the refuge and the city in the far off distance. Plus, there are free telescopes you could use to see the animals as well. All in all, this is a free and educational detour from the busy city /touristy activities when in Denver :)

This is a true hidden gem in Denver! Some of my travel plans changed due to unexpected rain, so after a last-minute search, I found this place on Google Maps, and I had never seen it on recommendation websites like TripAdvisor. First off, it's in close proximity to the city, and thankfully, it was near the hotel I was staying at for the night. Also, admission was free, which was a nice perk. Upon entering, I visited the visitor center to gain insight into how this place came to be. The center was neat, and the exhibits were very informative. I was a bit worried that I might not be able to see the protected animals since it was raining moderately. However, setting my worries aside, I saw prairie dogs, mule deer, and bison all up close! I entered the bison viewing area just in time to see two male bison crossing the street right in front of my car! It was such a cool and unforgettable experience. For anyone looking for something unique to do while visiting Denver and wanting some wildlife viewing that is non-profit, I highly recommend the Rocky Mountain Arsenal Wildlife Refuge.

Stopped in this morning to take my dog to a new spot for an easy walk/hike. This was my first visit. The entrance was easy to find and parking was plenty on this cold morning. Me and my dog set out on a lovely long walk. We saw lots of birds and prairie dogs. The trails we walked were clean and maintained well. I used the restroom on the way out since all my coffee caught up with me. It was relatively clean and stocked (a nice surprise.) I'll be back to walk again when it's not so cold and windy to explore other trails. It was very peaceful.

This is a real treasure! Stopped at the visitor center. They were very helpful! The audio tour was also great. Saw buffalo pretty close up. Also they set up twigs by the road, that brought deer within feet of the road.

Bison, Deer, and Birds -oh my. In our search for fun activities to do in Colorado -we came upon the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge. The stunning landscape served as the perfect backdrop for our wildlife adventure and photo /video opportunities, where we spotted deer, bison, and a variety of other magnificent animals. The convenience of the audio tour enriched our experience, offering insightful commentary that guided us through the reserve's natural beauty. It was a relaxing and educational outing that truly showcased the area's diverse wildlife. This tour is about an hour and is a fun way connect with nature and enjoy a day out in the fresh air.

The entrance of this wildlife refuge is so close to the housing areas, we've skeptical about the chances of us seeing any wildlife. Driving further inside the wilderness, we saw a big group of bison but they've so far away and the area was fenced. We had to zoom in our camera to capture a photo. Nothing much to see or explore, we were close enough to two deer and saw a wolf (cayote, maybe) from a distance. In and out within one hour.

I may take criticism for this review, but I didn't like my visit here at Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge...wow, that's a tongue twisting introduction, lol. So you may be asking, why? What didn't I like about it? I had just explored around Colorado Springs (one of my favorite cities in America) and was on a high note from experiencing the spectacular landmarks and sceneries over there...and so coming here was like being in slow motion, or...like taking a nap. There wasn't much to see that piqued my interest. My mind started wandering early on. All I could think was...what would be my activity for tomorrow? Alright, alright, I'm not that big of a villain. I really come in peace, lol. So...at least let me give a few details about what this (let's abbreviate) RMANWR is about :) Arsenal Refuge is located 78 miles north of Colorado Springs on a straight drive along I-25. And also, it sits 10 miles northeast of downtown Denver. It's free to visit and you can stop in at the Visitor Center to get an introduction into the landscape and speak with park representatives about how to best maximize your time. The big activity/attraction is the 11-mile Wildlife Drive around the refuge. It takes about 45 minutes. Along the way you have hiking opportunities, but don't expect to arrive at some grand lookout point at the end. They're just basic trails to soak up simple nature. I thought there could be rewarding moments and reflecting back now...I should have taken my foot off the gas pedal immediately. On the 11-mile Wildlife Drive, I saw one bison grazing in the distance. I spotted two deer running alongside a fenced pathway. Nothing eventful. I believe I would have been better served finding an animal sanctuary or petting zoo. It would have made me happier. No hard feelings about that :) I walked some very short trails... - Rattlesnake Hill Trail - 1/3rd of a mile to the top of a hill which they say overlooks the refuge. Were there 360 degree panoramic views with the Rocky Mountains shining in the distance? No, there weren't. All I noticed was flat prairieland. - Lake Mary Loop Trail - 6/10th's of a mile walk passing over a boardwalk beside a marshy wetlands setting. After two and a half hours, I decided to say goodbye to RMANWR. It's a fine place to hang out, but it's more suitable to locals living in the Denver area. For an adventurer like myself, it was a snooze in the park. If you're visiting from out of town, I wouldn't suggest coming here. There are more worthwhile options out there in nature and within driving distance of Denver. Sorry for the harsh review. Hope to stay friends with everyone :)

Wow, this place is a gem for wildlife watchers! We saw so much just on the wildlife loop drive, it was incredible! If I lived in the area I'd be there all the time! The drive is 11 miles. The first couple of miles are not in the bison zone and include trails and some lakes. There are tons of trees here and we saw deer, elk, and some large birds like a sage grouse and a hawk. Once you start to go over the cattle barriers in the road you'll be in the bison zone and cannot get out of your car. Around mile 4 or 5 you cross a small creek and enter prairie dog land. You'll see hundreds of prairie dogs and then a few hundred more. We also saw a couple rabbits and some unique prairie birds, like the western meadowlark. After the second creek crossing, the trees are gone and the area is pretty bare, so you won't miss any bison that are around. We saw them around mile 8 after the final turn, which was great because that area has a view of downtown Denver. The bison were the main event for us, and we were lucky that at 6pm in June they crossed the road right in front of us! A herd of around 100 bison, including big males and babies with their moms, all crossed the road. It was an amazing sight! Even if you didn't see a lot of wildlife, the area is gorgeous and a great example of the prairie ecosystem. Bring some binoculars and your patience and you'll have a great time!

Came in twice during my visit to Colorado. Based on IG and my brother there's some opportunity to see wild life specially Bison up close and personal. Unfortunately for me that was not the case. We were able to see them pretty far away , but not nearly close at all. Either way it was a relaxing ride and I was able to see other animals like deers. This is a free park that you can drive around and not permitted to get out of your car in certain areas (don't think you can outrun a bison). I look forward to be back and try my luck again.

This is a great place to go to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city & connect with nature, plus it's free! This Refuge is one of the largest urban refuges in the country - 15,000 acres with 20 miles of easy hiking & biking trails, fishing lakes, archery ranges, birding, even snowshoeing & cross-country skiing in the winter. (Note: No pets, only service dogs allowed.) The Refuge has an impressive visitor center as well. It's home to approximately 250 bison, eagles, raptors, elk & deer just to name a few. I love the Wildlife Drive Tour - an auto tour in your car complete with podcast. This is an 11 mile one way drive around the Refuge, usually takes 45-60 minutes to complete. I highly recommend doing this. The views are expansive & amazing. Where else can you see the wildlife on the prairie, Denver's city skyline & the mountain range all at once? It's absolutely beautiful! Each time I've done the Drive I've been lucky enough to see some bison (and deer), often times very close to us. There are warning signs all over that say to stay in your car. A volunteer at the visitor center told me they can run up to 40 mph! Go & check out this Refuge, it's a fun activity! You might wonder why the word "Arsenal" is in the name....it's because after Pearl Harbor was attacked it became a chemical weapons manufacturing facility, called The Rocky Mountain Arsenal. At the end of the war it was used for the production of agricultural chemicals & Cold-War weapons production & demilitarization. Finally in the early 1980s environmental clean-up began & the Army transferred the land to the US Fish & Wildlife Service in 2004 to establish the Refuge. The clean-up was completed in 2010.

This place might be my favorite thing to do in Colorado, as it yields itself to so many positive elements. Whether you want to hike, bird, fish, or immerse yourself in a fantastic wildlife preserve trip in your car, this place has always succeeded in delivering since my first visit years ago. I love being able to hike the Arsenal's two dozen trails, all of them offering a unique perspective on the property. You can view a lot of nature at its best, and none of the trails are challenging; instead, they are immersive experiences that allow you to focus on your surroundings. I particularly love the 10-mile, counter-clockwise tour of the venue, which brings bison, deer, birds, prairie dogs, hawks, eagles, and other animals to your attention. I find it therapeutic and calming. Their Nature Center is outstanding, featuring a lot of volunteers who bring great info to your visit, and their tours rock. Over the weekend, we attended one focused on the endangered black-footed ferrets in the ferret exhibit. The Arsenal houses about 30 of them on the property! Led by staffer Bea (who was terrific), it was a half-hour full of great information and a positive experience for people of all ages.

Absolutely beautiful! I had some time in the morning before my plane left, so I thought I would try the wildlife drive right after sunrise. I wasn't sure if I would really see any animals, but there were plenty to enjoy along the ride. I saw jackrabbits, geese, bison, deer, cranes, and prairie dogs! The best was the bison who was enjoying his breakfast right across the pavement from me. (I moved the car up past his path of travel to give him room to roam.) I definitely recommend taking the time to do the wildlife drive if you have 30-40 minutes. I really liked the one-way road that takes you throughout the preserve, especially since there are two lanes to pass if a vehicle is stopped to enjoy the scenery along the way. There's a visitor center, although I didn't stop there. You can also park in several lots along the way that are clearly marked. Just a word of caution: if you are like me with that delicious blood that bugs like to get, you WILL be swarmed by mosquitoes. I opened my window for about 10 seconds by the bison when they started to attack. Thankfully, I escaped with only one bite, but there was another car on the road with its windows open that was surrounded by a visible cloud of mosquitoes! I recommend bringing your bug spray if you plan on walking around or opening your window.

Really cool for people of all ages. There are opportunities to drive the entire thing or stop and hike! You will see animals from prairie dogs, deer and buffalo. There is also a visitors center. The drive will take under an hour and is 11 miles. Make sure to listen to the Refuge podcast on their website which take you mile by mile and explains the history of the park and the animals that you will see along the way. I could not believe that we actually saw so many buffalo! We also did the Lake Mary Loop after doing the drive which you'll pass before you exit. The loop was an easy trail around the lake that took less than 15 minutes and we saw 15+ deer. There are some benches that you can stop at and sit to look at the water. We also found people fishing here, you can fish with a $3 permit that you can buy there. There was a port o potty by the parking lot. Here are options depending on how much time you have: 30 Minutes: Hike the 1 mile Discovery Trail starting at the Visitor Center back patio, or hike Lake Mary Loop Trail (0.6 miles) with a boardwalk and piers overlooking the water. 45 - 60 Minutes: Take the 11-mile Wildlife Drive. 1 - 1.5 Hours: Hike 0.6 mile Lake Mary Loop Trail and take the 11-mile Wildlife Drive. 2+ Hours: Take the 11-mile Wildlife Drive; park at one of the parking lots on 64th Avenue and hike the Lake Ladora Loop Trail or Rocky Mountain Greenway Trail.

What a really cool spot, conveniently located from downtown Denver! I've been visiting Denver for a few years now for Memorial Day weekend and have no clue how I've never heard of this awesome park yet. This massive wildlife preserve (with a really interesting military background) features a scenic wildlife drive that takes about an hour to drive (and features and interesting audio tour you can access via QR codes around the preserve). In addition there's a visitors center with a small museum about the area and its history, a ferret exhibit, and multiple trails. Entry is free and if you're looking for a break from the hustle and bustle of Denver, it's a great escape!

Beautiful area to drive or walk around!! Saw lots of animals and had a very relaxing day!!

Wonderful place to see native wildlife in their natural habitat, and only a 15-20 minute drive from downtown Denver. I spent about two hours on the scenic drive through the refuge but it can easily be done in 45-60 minutes (I stopped frequently to take pictures and to just watch the animals I saw). I saw the two species of deer that overlap in this part of the country: Mule and White-tailed, also saw several bison and birds, and tons of cute prairie dogs! The visitor center is really neat - great variety of gifts & souvenirs, staff is friendly and very helpful, and most items can be ordered online if they're sold out. Definitely worth a visit if you're in the Denver area and have an hour or two to spare!

Cool nature reserve near Denver. It's weird to realize how close this is to the city. There is an optional guided tour that you can play from your phone while you drive around. We didn't get to see many animals, besides prairie dogs & buffalo at the very end.

Colorado has a lot of things figured out. Who else would have taken a massivly poluted site and made it into a beautiful wildlife habitat within view of downtown? No one, thats who. This year I have travelled to Colorado several times for work. I rarely get any free time but I try and carve out a little time to check out the sights. Rocky Mountan Arsenel was a short drive from my hotel so off I went. I strongly encourage you to do the same. What was once a chemical weapon facility has become a beautiful wilderness. There is hiking or if you would prefer to drive, a long driving road. From this road you will spot deer, prairie dogs (so many), and a herd of bison. The bison are incredibly cool. On my most recent visit I sat in my car and watched the baby bison play while the older ones relaxed. It was incredibly entertaining. This is the coolest urban park I have ever been to. Despite being able to see downtown from the park, you feel like you are a world away. Pro-tip: If you can watch the sunset over the mountains here you are in for a treat.

This was a very fun, FREE, and relaxing. This was close to the area where my husband and I were staying...we had flown into the Denver airport and were only staying one day before driving to Kansas. We were tired from traveling and wanted a laid back activity before we went to dinner. It took us about an hour to drive through and the views were absolutely stunning. We saw bison, mule deer, and LOTS of prairie dogs (very cheeky ones, that stood by the side of the road and watched you drive by, much to our enjoyment!) You could see the Rockies in the distance and got a very picturesque perspective of downtown Denver. If we had more time, I would have loved to hike some of the trails. There are also fishing spots! Definitely recommended to anyone who loves nature. (Ps. I would have loved to go into the building but didn't realized they closed at 4!)

One of the few wild life refuges in the metro area. One of the places to see bison up close. Enter at 6550 gateway road , which is 64th if you enter from the west Road is a circle so you will come out where you started. Definitely take the time to go into the visitors center before continuing into the park. Tells about the past for the area. Also filled with lots of displays. Every season has different things to see Well worth your time.

I love this park! I try to visit every time I'm in Denver. It's a fantastic place for everyone to explore. The park features an educational visitor center, a gift shop with bathrooms, and walking and biking trails. There's also a scenic loop you can drive, which takes about 40 minutes if you go straight through. Along this loop, you might spot bison, deer, and other wildlife--I even saw a rattlesnake on my last visit! It's a very relaxing and peaceful place, and the best part is, it's free!

This was a great stop on our road trip through Colorado. We visited on a Sunday, and enjoyed the exhibit area first. It has great information and we picked up a junior ranger booklet for each of the kids, which has a scavenger hunt over the exhibits that they can complete and turn in for a wooden ranger "badge". They loved this. The inside area also has a small kids area with crafts and small toys. Then we walked outside to the black footed ferrit exhibit, and took the short trail to the bison waterhole. Lastly, we did the 9 mile drive through the wildlife reserve and saw tons of praire dogs, bison, deer, and small rodents. It was peaceful and a great way to spend a Sunday morning. Impossible to get lost, felt very safe, and it was a trip watching a herd of wild animals roam across a prairie field while the Denver skyscrapers rose in the distance. I would totally recommend--and it's completely free!

I love this place especially at near Sunset time. It's really hard to get a bad picture here. I love seeing the animals wander carefree. The light bouncing off the trees, grass and water is absolutely breathtaking. The marvelous part about this part is you can drive through and it's free. There are also trails that you can walk on as well. It's great place to visit for all ages.

Friday, March 24th, 2023 1pm-2pm FREE 11-mile drive Post breakfast wildlife drive Took Ladora Loop Trail Beautiful day Beautiful drive Stunning animals Picturesque scenic route We loved it! Highly recommended. There is an outdoor archery at the end of the drive for FREE, you bring your own equipment or sometimes there are rangers there with equipment on certain days between 11am-2pm for FREE of use (Range and equipment) it's recommended to come in the afternoon with less of a crowd Super cool For those without equipment or unable to make the days of 11am-2pm for free We recommend the Bear Creek Archery Range (indoor range roughly $30+ for equipment rental and range time) for visitors to Denver Whoever is the copilot to the driver of this wildlife drive READ ALL ROAD SIGNS NOT JUST THE MAP so you won't go off the path by mistake Otherwise, it's all straight up common sense

Best trail outside of Denver only a 45min drive go on a hike or drive the wildlife drive! Beautiful even though you can see Commerce City building TickyTacky houses!!!

The park exceeded my expectations. I was on my way to the airport when I realized that my plane had been delayed for a few hours so I decided to stop at this park and check it out. The park has a visitor center with a gift shop at a museum. I suggest that you stop here first. you can check out the museum use the nice bathrooms and get some souvenirs. They also have an outdoor exhibit with ferrets. I recommend that you also explore the nearby trails. Inside of the visitor center you can also find a QR code that allows you to download a guided tour for you to drive around the park and view the different landmarks. This is what I did. I started driving as the podcast Tours indicated and checked out the different sites including a small lake, saw several mule deer and Whitetail deer, and then went into the bison area. This was my favorite. It was like going on a Safari. The drive is around 7 miles, and you get a chance to view bison on the wild. The bison were brought in starting in 2007 and there are now over 200 in the herd. You should not get out of your car as the bison can be dangerous. It was a little fun to see the animals I highly recommend this park. you also get the field that you are out on the plains even though you are still in Denver.

Since tickets for the zoo and aquarium were sold out for our last day in Colorado we decided to stop by the wildlife refuge. This is a great place to spend an hour or two and enjoy the scenery and wildlife. There are several trails you can walk. Just be aware there is no shade here. If you're not in the mood to walk you can drive the wildlife loop. The loop is about a 45 minute drive and you can see bison, deer, prairie dogs and a variety of birds. Don't skip the visitor center (if it's open). There is a ferret exhibit behind it. There is also a stage for programs they host.

This review is for the wilderness drive, which I found to be really boring. I guess I was expecting to see more wildlife, but I only saw a pack of buffalo, some deer, and I almost ran over a gopher, but that's about it. There is a pond and some hiking trails. The preserve is free. It's okay to go to if you have some time to kill before your flight. It's by the airport.

Free park entrance. 11 miles drive along the park. Many Wild buffaloes and sunflowers.

As others have said, this is a great last day of vacation activity on your way back to the airport. The drive through the reserve lasts around 45 minutes to an hour. We saw prairie dogs, deer, bison, and even a bald eagle! The visitor center was great, too. The kids earned the junior ranger badges with completing an activity booklet. The trip from here to the airport took around 25 minutes on a Sunday morning.

Great gem close to the city! Great for birders! Staff is helpful. Nature drive is nice. Trails are well maintained.

Beautiful place and fun to see the wildlife. The drive is scenic and listening to the guided drive podcast is nice. The visitor center is also cool and educational.

I would give us a solid three rating and probably a two rating but I'm such a nature lover and I know how wild life can be. Sometimes you see it and sometimes you don't. However, based another reviews and expectations this was disappointing. I've probably seen more wildlife driving around where I used to live in big bear or Scottsdale.! the only birds I saw, were the planes flying out of DIA:( Granted, you will see prairie dogs, and you will see bison, but they're very far away so my suggestion would be to bring binoculars . the visitor center is outdated, and some of the exhibits on the discovery trail are not full of animals. The trail needs to be updated to make it more user-friendly. such a large acreage, that any of the trails you are unlikely see wild life and you're better off hiking in the mountains! Kids would easily be bored, and unless you're really nature enthusiast, I wouldn't take the time to come

This is a tough review to write because the concept is fantastic but on our visit there was truly nothing to see. The wildlife didn't feel like having visitors on the day we arrived so other than seeing a few prairie dogs, which were adorable, we basically drove in a giant circle for an hour.

What a gem in Commerce City. The 11 mile drive is a must, with the guided podcast on the whole time. Also get out and walk a trail or two. There is so many sites to see in wildlife, vegetation, Lakes and views. Perfect for a solo trip, for visitors, or tourists. Make sure to also stop at the visitor center.

We had a little bit of time in the morning before we needed to catch our flight, and our hotel was located near this place, so we thought we'd check it out. Kind of crazy that there is a place like this in such close proximity to downtown Denver, the airport, etc. When you first go in there is a spot to stop where you can see what you can expect to see as you drive through the Arsenal. Also, there are a couple of boxes (with clear plastic lids) that if you open you will find a map and info about where you are heading. We came across a couple herds of buffalo, several deer (all by themselves) and more prairie dogs than you could shake a stick at. I'm guessing that prairie dogs like sticks, most dogs like to chase a stick if you throw it for them. We also saw one hawk perched up on a power line pole. All in all it took a little over an hour to drive through. If you go, make sure to look out in the distance for some great photo opportunities of the Rocky Mountains and the downtown area of Denver.

This is an amazing use of what was once the site of weapons manufacturing. Here are my recommendations: 1. There are loads of trails, but the terrain for much of it is high desert prairie, so lots and lots of rolling grass land with few trees. Bring a hat and sunscreen. 2. The lake hikes are more scenic, and worth exploring. Though not very long, they are long enough to make you feel like you got out for a good walk. 3. Check the forecast. Like I said in #1, shade and shelter is few and far between, so if there is a chance of things like wind or rain, bring a jacket. 4. Check out the visitors center - one of the better ones I've seen! There is a whole museum inside dedicated to the history of the arsenal, as well as huge taxidermy buffalo, eagles, and other critters. 5. Go on a mild day - anything over 90 degrees, and it gets really hot, really fast. Enjoy!

Great area for running and seeing wildlife. I've seen deer, snake and of course bison. If they are near the fence you can really get a good look. There's a nice 11 mile loop you can drive through that is quite scenic. There's also a fun little visitor center with information on the animals, history of the area (used to be a military training center) and a ferret exhibit just outside. The best part is it's all free!

The best and my favorite thing EVER in Denver to do! The museum is good for young and old! It is interactive and you learn through history about this location. My favorite part is my selfie with a bison:) I walked around outside and I was alone surrounded by prairie dogs. It was amazing. The animals were all over and making their noises, hopping in and out of the ground. After my walk my friends and I hopped in the car and drove around the parcours. The views are endless and breathtaking, especially later afternoon when the sunset started setting in. We saw many birds and marked them off in the accompanying brochures we got. We also saw deer and the bison area was my absolute favorite! I recommend to any local or tourist, young or old, to visit this!

Loved the wildlife drive! Got to see 100 bison cross the bridge and we loved watching the prairie dogs. Definitely listen to the podcast during the 11 mile drive. Podcast is on the park website

I love the Arsenal. Favorite times to pass by are during any rainy days and the fall. Especially to see the sunset/sunrise; I don't have many of them captured because I rather see them through!

If I were eating the visitor center alone, I would rate a 3, but I rounded up because I had a really cool experience with the wild life! First, the awesome- you can drive through where the bison are kept, and sometimes they will come around the cars! We managed to get really close to the herd, and even the babies came within arm distance of the vehicles. The walking paths were well kept and we enjoyed walking around the preserve. I was really disappointed that a lot of the exhibits at the visitors center no longer functioned or were broken. I know a lot of this is probably due to funding, but it would be great to see these fixed. Overall, I appreciated the free local history lesson and the opportunity to check out some gorgeous wildlife. I would absolutely visit again.

I came here with my family since we heard such great things from friends who had visited the arsenal in the summer. The visitor center was closed which was sad, but we were able to get a map of the arsenal near the visitor center entrance. We did the the "Wildlife Road" which is about a 1 hour drive through the sanctuary where you are able to see the wildlife from your car. We started the drive and were immediately greeted by a couple of buffalos near the buffalo enclosure. They were grazing and paid no attention to us. The rest of the wildlife drive was pretty boring. We only saw the buffalo at the start and some prairie dogs throughout the drive. This was a nice drive but nothing out of this world.

A free slow drive through a wildlife habitat. Saw bison, deer, birds, prairie dogs. Visit if you have an hour to spare in the area. Unfortunately when we went the Visitor Center was closed. But it's

Honestly it's pretty beautiful. Peaceful place to drive through and listen to the narrated audio from their website. If you looking to get away and see some wildlife, come take a visit.

If you're interested in wildlife viewing, nice views of short grass prairie, reservoir walks and learning about history and environmental cleanup, the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge is worth visiting. There is a wildlife driving route where you can view bison, deer and birds including bald eagles and hawks. Several reservoirs have walking trails with good opportunities for bird watching. Catch and release fishing is offered at certain times. Bicycling is permitted in some areas. When the visitor center reopens, it offers information about the US Army's manufacturing of munitions and chemical weapons there beginning in 1942. Then Shell Oil Company's many decades of pesticide production and disposal on site. Finally the environmental cleanup that permitted the establishment of a wildlife refuge that is an asset for the region. One star off for the port-o-lets that were way overdue for servicing.

This was a really fun place to come, although I think we came at the wrong time of day. We came mid-day in early September so it was still very hot. We saw so many prairie dogs, deer, bison, and various birds. It is well worth driving through! I read online afterward that morning and evening are better times to visit, so I think we would do that next time. Some places like this, once you've been, there's not really a need to come again, but I feel like this place is different. I definitely plan on coming back next time we visit Denver. And luckily, it's easy to navigate to! Definitely check this place out.

We had intended to visit this place in 2019, but it was shut down due to the prairie dogs having a plague outbreak. But now that the prairie dogs go better and only the humans have the Wuhan virus, they at least let you drive through again. The park is located just northeast of Denver.Traffic coming off the interstate and on the approach to the park was pretty heavy (on a Friday, early afternoon). I'm not sure if they normally charge a fee or not, but at the time we went it was free. The visitors center was closed, so I cannot comment on that. When you enter, you'd do better in turning off any mobile nav apps that are running, as ours tended to get confused within the park. There are signs pointing you to the 'wildlife drive', plus you can usually follow the vehicle in front of you. We first passed some lake where people were taking a walk around it (I thought we were confined to the car?). The next area seemed to feature deer. That may be a novelty to some people but I've seen deer up close at my current and prior homes (currently multiple times per week) so we didn't linger here. You then enter the 1-way portion of the drive and are warned it can take up to an hour. That's probably true if you linger a lot, but you always have the option to drive thru / around again at a much faster pace, if needed. This area's main feature is prairie dogs - LOTS of them. There are hundreds of holes spread out over a vast series of meadows. The animals are not big, so if they are further off the road it can be difficult to get decent photos of them without a telephoto lens. A few were at the lip of burrows quite close to the road, and in those cases we did get some decent iPhone photos. Note - the next day as we drove to the airport, we saw more such burrows just off a toll road, well outside the park. The advantage of the park is the concentration of them. The final area of the park contains the buffalo herds. When we visited, these were far off in the distance, though. It likely just depends on how lucky you are versus where the buffaloes happen to be at the time of your visit. But be aware that they roam a lot and are not confined near the road. That was about it for our visit. In total, we drove around about an hour. I don't think I'd go back again, but for a one-time visit, it was relatively interesting, especially if you like prairie dogs.