The

U.S. The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

State of Colorado Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the ...

has designated 95 natural areas of the state for special protection. The Colorado Natural Areas Program was established in 1977 to preserve and protect special areas of the state with distinctive

flora Flora is all the plant life present in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring (indigenous) native plants. Sometimes bacteria and fungi are also referred to as flora, as in the terms '' gut flora'' or '' skin flora''. E ...

fauna Fauna is all of the animal life present in a particular region or time. The corresponding term for plants is ''flora'', and for fungi, it is '' funga''. Flora, fauna, funga and other forms of life are collectively referred to as '' biota''. Zoo ...

ecological Ecology () is the study of the relationships between living organisms, including humans, and their physical environment. Ecology considers organisms at the individual, population, community, ecosystem, and biosphere level. Ecology overlaps wi ...

geological Geology () is a branch of natural science concerned with Earth and other astronomical objects, the features or rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which they change over time. Modern geology significantly overlaps all other Eart ...

, and

paleontologic Paleontology (), also spelled palaeontology or palæontology, is the scientific study of life that existed prior to, and sometimes including, the start of the Holocene epoch (roughly 11,700 years before present). It includes the study of fossi ...

features. It is a program of

Colorado Parks and Wildlife Colorado Parks and Wildlife manages the state parks system and the wildlife of the U.S. state of Colorado. , the division managed the 42 state parks and 307 wildlife areas of Colorado. , the Colorado Natural Areas Program had 93 designated si ...

that identifies and protects public, and in some cases private, areas with at least one unique or high-quality natural feature of statewide significance. Land management agreements are made with landowners concerning private property. __TOC__

Natural areas

The Colorado Natural Areas are: * Aiken Canyon Natural Area * Antero-Salt Creek Natural Area *

Arikaree River Natural Area The Arikaree River is a river in the central Great Plains of North America. It lies mostly in the American state of Colorado, draining land between the North and South Forks of the Republican River, and it flows into the North Fork in Nebrask ...

* Badger Wash Natural Area *

Blacks Gulch Natural Area Black is a racialized classification of people, usually a political and skin color-based category for specific populations with a mid to dark brown complexion. Not all people considered "black" have dark skin; in certain countries, often in ...

* Blue Mountain Natural Area * Bonny Prairie Natural Area *

Boulder Mountain Park Natural Area In geology, a boulder (or rarely bowlder) is a rock fragment with size greater than in diameter. Smaller pieces are called cobbles and pebbles. While a boulder may be small enough to move or roll manually, others are extremely massive. In c ...

Boulder Mountain Park In geology, a boulder (or rarely bowlder) is a rock fragment with size greater than in diameter. Smaller pieces are called cobbles and pebbles. While a boulder may be small enough to move or roll manually, others are extremely massive. In c ...

Brush Creek Fen Natural Area A brush is a common tool with bristles, wire or other filaments. It generally consists of a handle or block to which filaments are affixed in either a parallel or perpendicular orientation, depending on the way the brush is to be gripped durin ...

* California Park Natural Area * Castlewood Canyon Natural Area in

Castlewood Canyon State Park Castlewood Canyon State Park is a Colorado state park near Franktown, Colorado. The park retains a unique part of Colorado's history, the remains of Castlewood Canyon Dam. Visitors can still see the remnants and damage from that dam which burst i ...

Chalk Bluffs Natural Area The Chalk Bluffs is a barren chalk escarpment in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Colorado, stretching from the Wyoming border east of I-25 to near the South Platte River in Logan County and Weld County. Geology The Chalk Bluffs expo ...

Colorado Tallgrass Prairie Natural Area Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the wes ...

Comanche Grassland Lesser Prairie Chicken Natural Area Comanche National Grassland is a National Grassland located in southeastern Colorado, United States. It is the sister grassland of Cimarron National Grassland and contains both prairie grasslands and canyons. It is separated into two sections, ...

Comanche National Grassland Comanche National Grassland is a National Grassland located in southeastern Colorado, United States. It is the sister grassland of Cimarron National Grassland and contains both prairie grasslands and canyons. It is separated into two sections ...

Copeland Willow Carr Natural Area Copeland or Copeland's may refer to: Places Australia * Copeland, New South Wales Canada * Copeland Islands (Nunavut) * Copeland Islands Marine Provincial Park, in the Strait of Georgia, British Columbia * Mount Copeland, also Copeland Ridg ...

Corral Bluffs Natural Area A pen is an enclosure for holding livestock. It may also perhaps be used as a term for an enclosure for other animals such as pets that are unwanted inside the house. The term describes types of enclosures that may confine one or many animal ...

Cross Mountain Canyon Natural Area A cross is a geometrical figure consisting of two intersecting lines or bars, usually perpendicular to each other. The lines usually run vertically and horizontally. A cross of oblique lines, in the shape of the Latin letter X, is termed a sa ...

Dakota Hogback Natural Area Dinosaur Ridge is a segment of the Dakota Hogback in the Morrison Fossil Area National Natural Landmark located in Jefferson County, Colorado, near the town of Morrison and just west of Denver. The Dinosaur Ridge area is one of the world's most ...

commonly known as

Dinosaur Ridge Dinosaur Ridge is a segment of the Dakota Hogback in the Morrison Fossil Area National Natural Landmark located in Jefferson County, Colorado, near the town of Morrison, Colorado, Morrison and just west of Denver. The Dinosaur Ridge area is one ...

in Matthews/Winters Park * Deer Gulch Natural Area * Dome Rock Natural Area in Dome Rock State Wildlife Area *

Droney Gulch Natural Area Droney is an Irish surname, derived from the Gaelic ''Ó Dróna'', and originating from county Clare. Outside of Ireland, it's also prevalent in the U.S. An alternative theory says it is derived from the Middle English word ''drane'', meaning ''dron ...

Duck Creek Natural Area Duck is the common name for numerous species of waterfowl in the family Anatidae. Ducks are generally smaller and shorter-necked than swans and geese, which are members of the same family. Divided among several subfamilies, they are a form t ...

* Dudley Bluffs Natural Area * East Lost Park Natural Area in

Pike National Forest The Pike National Forest is located in the Front Range of Colorado, United States, west of Colorado Springs including Pikes Peak. The forest encompasses 1,106,604 acres (4,478 km2) within Clear Creek, Teller, Park, Jefferson, Douglas and E ...

* East Sand Dunes Natural Area in

State Forest State Park State Forest State Park is a Colorado State Park located in Jackson and Larimer counties east of Walden, Colorado, United States. The park was established in 1970 in the Medicine Bow Range of the Rocky Mountains. Facilities include a visitors' ...

* Elephant Rocks Natural Area * Escalante Canyon Natural Area *

Fairview Natural Area Fairview may refer to: Places Canada * Fairview, Alberta (disambiguation) * Fairview, British Columbia * Fairview, Nova Scotia * Fairview, Kenyon Township, North Glengarry, Ontario * Fairview, Vancouver, British Columbia New Zealand * Fairview, B ...

* Fourmile Creek Natural Area * Fruita Paleontological Locality *

Garden Park Fossil Locality Garden Park is a paleontological site in Fremont County, Colorado, known for its Jurassic dinosaurs and the role the specimens played in the infamous Bone Wars of the late 19th century. Located north of Cañon City, the name originates from the ar ...

* Gateway Palisade Natural Area *

Geneva Basin Iron Fens Natural Area , neighboring_municipalities= Carouge, Chêne-Bougeries, Cologny, Lancy, Grand-Saconnex, Pregny-Chambésy, Vernier, Veyrier , website = https://www.geneve.ch/ Geneva ( ; french: Genève ) frp, Genèva ; german: link=no, Genf ; it, Ginevra ...

* Gothic Research Natural Area in

Gunnison National Forest The Gunnison National Forest is a U.S. National Forest covering 1,672,136 acres (2,612.71 sq mi, or 6,766.89 km²) Gunnison Gravels Research Natural Area Gunnison may refer to: * Foster Gunnison Jr. (1925–1994), American LGBT rights activist and independent archivist * John W. Gunnison (1812–1853), American explorer whose name is used in several places in the Western states * The Gunnison River i ...

* Haviland Lake Natural Area in Haviland Lake State Wildlife Area * High Creek Fen Natural Area * High Mesa Grassland Natural Area *

Hoosier Ridge Research Natural Area Hoosier is the official demonym for the people of the U.S. state of Indiana. The origin of the term remains a matter of debate, but "Hoosier" was in general use by the 1840s, having been popularized by Richmond resident John Finley's 1833 poem ...

on the

Continental Divide A continental divide is a drainage divide on a continent such that the drainage basin on one side of the divide feeds into one ocean or sea, and the basin on the other side either feeds into a different ocean or sea, or else is endorheic, not ...

and

White River National Forest White River National Forest is a United States National Forest, National Forest in northwest Colorado. It is named after the White River (Green River), White River that passes through its northern section. It is the most visited National Forest ...

* Hurricane Canyon Natural Area in

* Indian Spring Natural Area * Indian Springs Trace Fossil Locality * Irish Canyon Natural Area *

Jimmy Creek Natural Area Jimmy may refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television * ''Jimmy'' (2008 film), a 2008 Hindi thriller directed by Raj N. Sippy * ''Jimmy'' (1979 film), a 1979 Indian Malayalam film directed by Melattoor Ravi Varma * ''Jimmy'' (2013 f ...

* Ken-Caryl Ranch Natural Area *

Kremmling Cretaceous Ammonite Locality The Town of Kremmling is a Statutory Town in Grand County, Colorado, United States. The town population was 1444 at the 2010 United States Census. The town sits along the upper Colorado River in the lower arid section of Middle Park between B ...

* Limestone Ridge Natural Area * Logan Wash Mine Natural Area * Lookout Mountain Natural Area *

Lower Greasewood Creek Natural Area Lower may refer to: *Lower (surname) *Lower Township, New Jersey *Lower Receiver (firearms) *Lower Wick Gloucestershire, England See also *Nizhny Nizhny (russian: Ни́жний; masculine), Nizhnyaya (; feminine), or Nizhneye (russian: Ни́� ...

* McElmo Natural Area * Mexican Cut Natural Area * Mini-Wheeler Natural Area * Miramonte Reservoir Natural Area in

Dan Noble State Wildlife Area Dan or DAN may refer to: People * Dan (name), including a list of people with the name ** Dan (king), several kings of Denmark * Dan people, an ethnic group located in West Africa **Dan language, a Mande language spoken primarily in Côte d'Ivoi ...

* Mishak Lakes Natural Area * Mount Callahan Natural Area *

Mount Callahan Saddle Natural Area Mount is often used as part of the name of specific mountains, e.g. Mount Everest. Mount or Mounts may also refer to: Places * Mount, Cornwall, a village in Warleggan parish, England * Mount, Perranzabuloe, a hamlet in Perranzabuloe parish, Co ...

Mount Emmons Iron Fen Natural Area Mount is often used as part of the name of specific mountains, e.g. Mount Everest. Mount or Mounts may also refer to: Places * Mount, Cornwall, a village in Warleggan parish, England * Mount, Perranzabuloe, a hamlet in Perranzabuloe parish, C ...

Gunnison National Forest The Gunnison National Forest is a U.S. National Forest covering 1,672,136 acres (2,612.71 sq mi, or 6,766.89 km²) Mount Goliath Natural Area in

Arapaho National Forest Arapaho National Forest is a National Forest located in north-central Colorado, United States. The region is managed jointly with the Roosevelt National Forest and the Pawnee National Grassland from the United States Forest Service office in ...

* Narraguinnep Natural Area in

San Juan National Forest The San Juan National Forest is a U.S. National Forest covering over 1,878,846 acres (2,935.7 sq mi, or 7,603.42 km²) in western Colorado. The forest occupies land in Archuleta, Conejos, Dolores, Hinsdale, La Plata, Mineral, Montezuma ...

* Needle Rock Natural Area * North Park Phacelia Natural Area * Orient Mine Natural Area * Owl Canyon Pinyon Grove Natural Area * Pagosa Skyrocket Natural Area *

Paradise Park Natural Area Paradise Park Natural Area is a natural area in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, several miles east of Grand Lake. It protects the upper Paradise Creek basin, encompassing several alpine lakes, alpine meadows, and virgin spruce-fir forest. ...

Rocky Mountain National Park Rocky Mountain National Park is an American national park located approximately northwest of Denver in north-central Colorado, within the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. The park is situated between the towns of Estes Park to the east and ...

* Park Creek Hogback Natural Area *

Pyramid Rock Natural Area A pyramid (from el, πυραμίς ') is a Nonbuilding structure, structure whose outer surfaces are triangular and converge to a single step at the top, making the shape roughly a Pyramid (geometry), pyramid in the geometric sense. The base o ...

* Rabbit Valley Natural Area * Rajadero Canyon Natural Area * Raven Ridge Natural Area *

Redcloud Peak Natural Area Redcloud Peak is a mountain peak of over fourteen thousand feet in the U.S. state of Colorado. It is located in the San Juan Mountains in Hinsdale County approximately 7 miles (11 km) south west of Lake City. Historical names *Red Moun ...

* Rough Canyon Natural Area *

Roxborough Natural Area Roxborough State Park is a state park of Colorado, United States, known for dramatic red sandstone formations. Located in Douglas County south of Denver, Colorado, the park was established in 1975. In 1980 it was recognized as a National Na ...

in and near

Roxborough State Park Roxborough State Park is a state park of Colorado, United States, known for dramatic red sandstone formations. Located in Douglas County south of Denver, Colorado, the park was established in 1975. In 1980 it was recognized as a National Na ...

Ryan Gulch Natural Area Ryan may refer to: People and fictional characters *Ryan (given name), a given name (including a list of people with the name) *Ryan (surname), a surname (including a list of people with the name) Places Australia * Division of Ryan, an elector ...

Saddle Mountain Natural Area The saddle is a supportive structure for a rider of an animal, fastened to an animal's back by a girth. The most common type is equestrian. However, specialized saddles have been created for oxen, camels and other animals. It is not know ...

* San Miguel River at Tabeguache Creek Natural Area * Sand Creek Natural Area * Shell Duck Creek Natural Area *

Shell Rock Natural Area Shell may refer to: Architecture and design * Shell (structure), a thin structure ** Concrete shell, a thin shell of concrete, usually with no interior columns or exterior buttresses ** Thin-shell structure Science Biology * Seashell, a hard out ...

Slumgullion Earthflow Natural Area The Slumgullion Earthflow in the San Juan Mountains in Hinsdale County, Colorado, Hinsdale County, Colorado has been a National Natural Landmark since 1983. It is also a Colorado Natural Area and an Area of Critical Environmental Concern. The ear ...

* South Beaver Creek Natural Area * South Boulder Creek Natural Area *

South Cathedral Bluffs Natural Area South is one of the cardinal directions or compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both east and west. Etymology The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Proto-Germanic ''*sunþaz ...

Specimen Mountain Research Natural Area Specimen may refer to: Science and technology * Sample (material), a limited quantity of something which is intended to be similar to and represent a larger amount * Biological specimen or biospecimen, an organic specimen held by a biorepository ...

* Staunton Natural Area in Staunton State Park * Tamarack Ranch Natural Area in

Tamarack Ranch State Wildlife Area ''Larix laricina'', commonly known as the tamarack, hackmatack, eastern larch, black larch, red larch, or American larch, is a species of larch native to Canada, from eastern Yukon and Inuvik, Northwest Territories east to Newfoundland (island) ...

* Treasurevault Mountain Natural Area *

Trinidad K-T Boundary Natural Area Trinidad Lake State Park is a state park west of Trinidad, Colorado, United States. The park protects Trinidad Lake, a dammed reservoir. There are hiking trails, and camping and boating opportunities. The park features historical attractions su ...

Trinidad Lake State Park Trinidad Lake State Park is a state park west of Trinidad, Colorado, United States. The park protects Trinidad Lake, a dammed reservoir. There are hiking trails, and camping and boating opportunities. The park features historical attractions suc ...

* Two Buttes Natural Area * Unaweep Seep Research Natural Area *

Wacker Ranch Natural Area Wacker may refer to: People *Wacker von Wackenfels * The Whacker, poker player Garry Bush's nickname * Wacker (surname) * ''Wacker'', a colloquial term for an inhabitant of Liverpool, England; a partial synonym for "scouser" Places * Wacker (He ...

* West Creek Natural Area in

Wheeler Geologic Natural Area The Wheeler Geologic Area is a highly eroded outcropping of layers of volcanic ash, in the La Garita Mountains of Mineral County, in southern Colorado in the western United States about 10 miles east north-east of Creede. The ash is the res ...

in the

La Garita Wilderness The La Garita Wilderness is a U.S. Wilderness Area located in the La Garita Mountains of southern Colorado. The wilderness established in 1964 in Gunnison and Rio Grande National Forests includes segments of the Colorado Trail and the Con ...

Rio Grande National Forest Rio Grande National Forest is a 1.86 million-acre (7,530 km²) U.S. National Forest located in southwestern Colorado. The forest encompasses the San Luis Valley, which is the world's largest agricultural alpine valley, as well as one of ...

* White Rocks Natural Area * Yanks Gulch/Upper Greasewood Creek Natural Area *

Zapata Falls Natural Area Zapata Falls is a waterfall located in the San Luis Valley near the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains on Bureau of Land Management land adjacent to Rio Grande National Forest and south of Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve in Alam ...

References

External links

Colorado state government website

Colorado Department of Natural Resources website
*
Colorado Parks and Wildlife website
**
Colorado Natural Areas Program
**

{{DEFAULTSORT:Natural areas, List of Colorado Colorado geography-related lists Environment of Colorado Nature reserves in Colorado Protected areas of Colorado Colorado natural areas, List of Colorado natural areas, List of