Priority Landscapes: Summaries

● Arapahoe Grasslands: Wide lands under wider skies, the expansive prairie grasslands, ribbons of streams, and productive farm and ranchlands of Colorado's Eastern Plains are the perfect counterpoint to the vertical grandeur of the Rocky Mountains.

● Elbert & Arapahoe Stream and River Corridors: Rolling grasslands interrupted by pockets of ponderosa pines and ribbons of plains cottonwoods blend with the productive farms and working ranches that are the core of this landscape's cultural heart, identity, and rural way of life.

● Glade Park: A remnant of an ancient highland uplifted 300 million years ago, this high desert plateau of stream-carved red sandstone canyons and picturesque mesas has supported human populations since the Fremont and Anasazi periods and is one of the most biologically significant areas in Colorado, playing host to 28 globally imperiled
species and communities.

● Greater Pawnee Prairie: Vast expanses of shortgrass prairie, a spectacular band of cliffs (known as the Chalk Bluffs) along over 70 miles of the Wyoming border and seasonal streams running south from the cliffs toward the South Platte River characterize this unique Colorado landscape.

● Gunnison Basin: This high-elevation basin is home to an incredibly rich ranching heritage, prized recreational activities, spectacular scenic views and essential wildlife habitat for species such as the imperiled Gunnison sage grouse.

● Headwaters of the San Juan and Navajo Rivers: Emblematic of Colorado's richness and diversity, the intact and pristine Navajo and San Juan Rivers are the lifeblood for working ranches, verdant forests, and the elk, deer, moose, and bears that live in this remote wilderness.

● Laramie Foothills: At the convergence of the central shortgrass prairie and Rocky Mountain foothills, the Laramie Foothills make up one of the most extensive, high-quality natural areas remaining in the Front Range and are home to a host of rare species, native plants and over 100 species of birds.

● Metro Area Rivers and Streams: Since 1858, when a gold discovery at the confluence of Cherry Creek and the South Platte River established Denver, rivers and streams have been integral to the region's growth and economy. These vital waterways are also irreplaceable networks of recreational, wildlife, scenic and natural corridors that link the many diverse communities that comprise the metropolitan area, providing a foundation for the area's quality of life.

● North Park: Cradled by the Medicine Bow Mountains to the east, the Never Summer
Mountains to the south, the Park Range to the west and split by the free flowing North Platte River, North Park offers a rare glimpse of the natural integrity of Colorado's intact and pristine mountain parks.

● Peak to Prairie: This vast region is rich in natural, agricultural and recreational resources. As a landscape where shrublands and fragrant sandsage merge with growing urban areas and working farms and ranches, Peak to Prairie is an important link between the Rocky Mountains and the Central Shortgrass Prairie.

● Prairie Canyonlands: Lower Purgatoire River & Huerfano Uplands: Intact and untilled, the Prairie Canyonlands are a spectacular area of rimrock, junipers, cactus, grasses, cottonwoods and dramatic canyon systems carved out by the Huerfano, Cucharas, Apishipa and Purgatoire Rivers. The rivers host one of the best native fish assemblages in the Central Shortgrass Prairie, while remote tributaries and shale outcrops support rare plant species, the most intact complement of large mammal species in eastern Colorado, and the greatest diversity of reptile and amphibian species in Colorado.

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● Rio Grande Corridor: Against a backdrop of the jagged 14,000-foot summits of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains to the east and the San Juan Mountains to the west, the Rio Grande, the fourth longest river in the United States, supports working farms and ranches, as well as critical habitat for species such as the willow flycatcher.

● San Miguel and Dolores High Desert Plateau: The San Miguel River originates in the high alpine of the San Juan Mountains and descends through piñon juniper, ponderosa pine, aspen and wetland communities to the red rock canyon country of the Colorado Plateau. The watershed supports at least 11 globally rare plant communities and habitat for rare animals such as the Colorado River cutthroat trout and the globally imperiled Gunnison sage grouse.

● San Juan Skyway: Spanning elevations from 6,200 feet to over 11,000 feet, the 236-mile scenic byway passes through five distinct life zones offering a diversity of natural resources equivalent to ecosystems found from Alaska to Mexico.

● South Park and Mosquito Range: Set in a striking scenic, rural, and open landscape, this 1,000-square mile grassland basin, harbors many biological treasures, the three tributaries of the upper South Platte River and is host to remarkable recreational opportunities for over three million visitors a year.

● South Platte River Corridor: Originating at the Continental Divide, the streams, wetlands, and uplands of this river corridor are critical to the working ranches and farms of rural eastern Colorado and provide important wildlife habitat for a variety of bird and animal species.

● Southwest Canyons: Among the robust red rock, hidden canyons, fertile and productive farmland, and windswept plateaus, native civilizations etched the sacred symbols of their cultures leaving the richest archaeological area in North
America.

● Upper Arkansas Valley: Surrounded by 15 fourteeners, the Upper Arkansas Valley boasts prime irrigated farmlands, important bighorn sheep, bald eagle, osprey, and boreal toad habitat and breathtaking views of the Sawatch, Sangre de Cristo, and Mosquito mountain ranges.

● Upper Colorado River Corridor: The mighty Colorado begins its journey in the headwaters of the Blue, Eagle and Roaring Fork Rivers, where the narrow leaf cottonwood and quaking aspen lined tributaries give life to native cutthroat trout, world class fly fishing and white water rafting.

● Upper Yampa River Basin: From the Flat Tops of north central Colorado the Yampa River descends into a wide valley where a colorful history of ranching, unique wildlife habitat and diverse outdoor recreation opportunities co-exist.

● Upper White River Basin: Located adjacent to the Flat Tops Wilderness Area, the White River meanders through prime irrigated agricultural lands, pastoral meadows, forest, miles of lush streamside vegetation and critical Columbian sharp-tailed grouse, greater sage grouse, mule deer, elk, black bear, and mountain lion habitat.

● West Slope Specialty Agriculture and Farmlands: Hot, dry days and cool evening breezes off the Grand Mesa, one of the largest flat top mountains in the world, create Colorado's most unique, productive and economically sustainable agricultural lands, including orchards, vineyards and pastoral hayfields.

● Wet Mountain Valley: Centennial ranches, small towns, abundant wildlife, and sweeping vistas of the 13,000 and 14,000 foot spine of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains are the mainstay of this community's economy, identity, and rural way of life.

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