List of protected areas of Colorado
This is a list of protected areas of the U.S. state of Colorado.
Federal lands
The United States federal government owns 36.23% of Colorado's total land area.
National Park System
The National Park System includes 22 areas in Colorado. The National Park Service manages 18 of these 22 areas plus five National Wildernesses.
National Parks
The four National Parks within Colorado are:
National Monuments


The eight National Monuments in Colorado are:
- Browns Canyon National Monument[lower-alpha 1] near Nathrop
- Canyons of the Ancients National Monument[lower-alpha 2] near Cortez
- Chimney Rock National Monument[lower-alpha 3] near Pagosa Springs
- Colorado National Monument near Grand Junction and Fruita
- Dinosaur National Monument[lower-alpha 4] near Dinosaur
- Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument near Florissant
- Hovenweep National Monument[lower-alpha 5] near Cortez
- Yucca House National Monument near Cortez
Two former National Monuments were reclassified due to their remoteness:
National Historic Sites
The three National Historic Sites within Colorado are:
- Amache National Historic Site near Granada
- Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site near La Junta
- Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site near Chivington
proposed:
National Recreation Areas

The two National Recreation Areas within Colorado are::
National Historic Trails

The four National Historic Trails that pass through Colorado are:
- California National Historic Trail[lower-alpha 6] through Sedgwick County
- Old Spanish National Historic Trail[lower-alpha 7] through southwestern Colorado
- Pony Express National Historic Trail[lower-alpha 8] through Sedgwick County
- Santa Fe National Historic Trail[lower-alpha 9] through southeastern Colorado
National Scenic Trail

The National Scenic Trail that passes through Colorado is:
National Forests

The United States Forest Service manages the 11 National Forests within Colorado.
National Grasslands

The United States Forest Service manages the two National Grasslands within Colorado.
- Comanche National Grassland – southeastern Colorado
- Pawnee National Grassland – northeastern Colorado
National Wildernesses




There are 44 National Wildernesses within Colorado. The United States Forest Service manages 34, the National Park Service manages four, the Bureau of Land Management manages three, the United States Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management jointly manage two, and the United States Forest Service and the National Park Service jointly manage one National Wilderness.
- Black Canyon of the Gunnison Wilderness[lower-alpha 11]
- Black Ridge Canyons Wilderness[lower-alpha 2]
- Buffalo Peaks Wilderness[lower-alpha 3]
- Byers Peak Wilderness[lower-alpha 3]
- Cache La Poudre Wilderness[lower-alpha 3]
- Collegiate Peaks Wilderness[lower-alpha 3]
- Comanche Peak Wilderness[lower-alpha 3]
- Dominguez Canyon Wilderness[lower-alpha 2]
- Eagles Nest Wilderness[lower-alpha 3]
- Flat Tops Wilderness[lower-alpha 3]
- Fossil Ridge Wilderness[lower-alpha 3]
- Great Sand Dunes Wilderness[lower-alpha 11]
- Greenhorn Mountain Wilderness[lower-alpha 3]
- Gunnison Gorge Wilderness[lower-alpha 3]
- Hermosa Creek Wilderness[lower-alpha 3]
- Holy Cross Wilderness[lower-alpha 3]
- Hunter-Fryingpan Wilderness[lower-alpha 3]
- Indian Peaks Wilderness[lower-alpha 12]
- James Peak Wilderness[lower-alpha 3]
- La Garita Wilderness[lower-alpha 3]
- Lizard Head Wilderness[lower-alpha 3]
- Lost Creek Wilderness[lower-alpha 3]
- Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness[lower-alpha 3]
- Mesa Verde Wilderness[lower-alpha 11]
- Mount Evans Wilderness[lower-alpha 3]
- Mount Massive Wilderness[lower-alpha 3]
- Mount Sneffels Wilderness[lower-alpha 3]
- Mount Zirkel Wilderness[lower-alpha 3]
- Neota Wilderness[lower-alpha 3]
- Never Summer Wilderness[lower-alpha 3]
- Platte River Wilderness[lower-alpha 3]
- Powderhorn Wilderness[lower-alpha 1]
- Ptarmigan Peak Wilderness[lower-alpha 3]
- Raggeds Wilderness[lower-alpha 3]
- Rawah Wilderness[lower-alpha 3]
- Rocky Mountain National Park Wilderness[lower-alpha 11]
- Sangre de Cristo Wilderness[lower-alpha 3]
- Sarvis Creek Wilderness[lower-alpha 3]
- South San Juan Wilderness[lower-alpha 3]
- Spanish Peaks Wilderness[lower-alpha 3]
- Uncompahgre Wilderness[lower-alpha 1]
- Vasquez Peak Wilderness[lower-alpha 3]
- Weminuche Wilderness[lower-alpha 3]
- West Elk Wilderness[lower-alpha 3]
National Conservation Areas
The Bureau of Land Management manages the three National Conservation Areas within Colorado.
National Wildlife Refuges
The United States Fish and Wildlife Service manages the eight National Wildlife Refuges within Colorado.
Federally designated areas
The following areas are designated by the National Park Service, but reside on a variety of federal, state, county, city, town, and private lands.
National Heritage Areas
The three National Heritage Areas in Colorado are:
National Historic Landmarks


The 26 National Historic Landmarks in Colorado are:
- Bent's Old Fort[lower-alpha 11]
- Burlingon Carousel
- Central City/Black Hawk Historic District
- Colorado Chautauqua
- Colorado Fuel and Iron Company Administrative Complex
- Cripple Creek Historic District
- Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad
- Denver Civic Center
- Durango-Silverton Narrow-Gauge Railroad
- Georgetown-Silver Plume Historic District
- Granada War Relocation Center
- Leadville Historic District
- Lindenmeier Site
- Lowry Ruin
- Ludlow Tent Colony Site
- Mesa Verde Administrative District[lower-alpha 11]
- Pikes Peak[lower-alpha 3]
- Pike's Stockade
- Raton Pass
- Red Rocks Park
- Rocky Mountain National Park Administration Building[lower-alpha 11]
- Shenandoah-Dives (Mayflower) Mill
- Silverton Historic District
- Telluride Historic District
- Trujillo Homesteads
- United States Air Force Academy, Cadet Area[lower-alpha 13]
National Natural Landmarks

The 16 National Natural Landmarks in Colorado are:
- Big Spring Creek
- Garden of the Gods
- Garden Park Fossil Area
- Hanging Lake
- Indian Springs Trace Fossil Site
- Lost Creek Scenic Area
- Morrison-Golden Fossil Areas
- Raton Mesa
- Roxborough State Park[lower-alpha 14]
- Russell Lakes[lower-alpha 14]
- Sand Creek
- Slumgullion Earthflow
- Spanish Peaks
- Sulphur Cave and Spring
- Summit Lake
- West Bijou Site
National Recreation Trails


The 28 federally designated National Recreation Trails in Colorado are:
- Apex National Recreation Trail[lower-alpha 15] near Golden
- Barr National Recreation Trail[lower-alpha 3] between Manitou Springs and Pikes Peak
- Bear Creek National Recreation Trail[lower-alpha 3] near Ouray
- Big Dry Creek National Recreation Trail[lower-alpha 16] through Westminster
- Calico National Recreation Trail[lower-alpha 3] near Dolores
- Crag Crest National Recreation Trail[lower-alpha 3] near Cedaredge
- Devils Head National Recreation Trail[lower-alpha 3] near Sedalia
- Fish Creek Falls National Recreation Trail[lower-alpha 3] near Steamboat Springs
- Grays Peak National Recreation Trail[lower-alpha 3] near Silver Plume
- Greyrock Mountain National Recreation Trail[lower-alpha 3] near Laporte
- Highline Canal National Recreation Trail[lower-alpha 17] through metropolitan Denver
- Highline Loop National Recreation Trail[lower-alpha 3] near Dolores
- Lake Fork National Recreation Trail[lower-alpha 3] near South Fork
- Mineral Belt National Recreation Trail[lower-alpha 18] near Leadville
- Mount Evans National Recreation Trail[lower-alpha 3] near Idaho Springs
- Mount McConnel National Recreation Trail[lower-alpha 3] near Laporte
- Petroglyph Point National Recreation Trail[lower-alpha 11] in Mesa Verde National Park
- Platte River Greenway National Recreation Trail[lower-alpha 17] through metropolitan Denver
- Poudre River National Recreation Trail[lower-alpha 19] between Greeley and Windsor
- Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Recreation Trails[lower-alpha 20] near Denver
- Round Mountain National Recreation Trail[lower-alpha 3] near Loveland
- Swamp Park National Recreation Trail[lower-alpha 3] near Steamboat Springs
- Two Elk National Recreation Trail[lower-alpha 3] near Vail
- Two Ponds National Recreation Trail[lower-alpha 20] in Arvada
- Vail Pass National Recreation Trail[lower-alpha 3] between Copper Mountain and Vail
- West Lost Trail Creek National Recreation Trail[lower-alpha 3] near Creede
- Wheeler Ten Mile National Recreation Trail[lower-alpha 3] between Frisco and Copper Mountain
- White House Ranch National Recreation Trail[lower-alpha 21] in Colorado Springs
National Register of Historic Places
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There are more than 1,500 Colorado sites on the National Register of Historic Places.
Wild and Scenic River
The Wild and Scenic River in Colorado is:
Areas of Critical Environmental Concern
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The Bureau of Land Management has designated 88 Areas of Critical Environmental Concern in western Colorado.
State lands
Colorado State Parks

Colorado Parks and Wildlife manages the 43 Colorado State Parks.
- Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area
- Barr Lake State Park
- Boyd Lake State Park
- Castlewood Canyon State Park
- Chatfield State Park
- Cherry Creek State Park
- Cheyenne Mountain State Park
- Crawford State Park (Colorado)
- Eldorado Canyon State Park
- Eleven Mile State Park
- Elkhead State Park
- Fishers Peak State Park
- Golden Gate Canyon State Park
- Harvey Gap State Park
- Highline Lake State Park
- Jackson Lake State Park (Colorado)
- James M. Robb – Colorado River State Park
- John Martin Reservoir State Park
- Lake Pueblo State Park
- Lathrop State Park
- Lone Mesa State Park
- Lory State Park
- Mancos State Park
- Mueller State Park
- Navajo State Park
- North Sterling State Park
- Paonia State Park
- Pearl Lake State Park
- Ridgway State Park
- Rifle Falls State Park
- Rifle Gap State Park
- Roxborough State Park
- Spinney Mountain State Park
- St. Vrain State Park
- Stagecoach State Park
- State Forest State Park
- Staunton State Park
- Steamboat Lake State Park
- Sweitzer Lake State Park
- Sweetwater Lake State Park
- Sylvan Lake State Park
- Trinidad Lake State Park
- Vega State Park
- Yampa River State Park
Colorado Wildlife Areas
Colorado Parks and Wildlife manages the 307 Colorado State Wildlife Areas.
State designated areas
Colorado Natural Areas

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The Colorado Department of Natural Resources has designated 93 Colorado Natural Areas.
- Aiken Canyon Natural Area
- Ant Hill Natural Area
- Antero-Salt Creek Natural Area
- Arikaree River Natural Area
- Badger Wash Natural Area
- Blacks Gulch Natural Area
- Blue Mountain Natural Area
- Bonny Prairie Natural Area
- Boston Peak Fen Natural Area
- Boulder Mountain Park Natural Area
- Farm in Boulder Valley Heronry Natural Area
- Brush Creek Fen Natural Area
- California Park Natural Area
- Castlewood Canyon Natural Area
- Chalk Bluffs Natural Area
- Colorado Tallgrass Prairie Natural Area
- Comanche Grassland Lesser Prairie Chicken Natural Area[lower-alpha 3]
- Copeland Willow Carr Natural Area
- Cross Mountain Canyon Natural Area
- Daves Draw Research Natural Area
- Deep Creek Natural Area
- Deer Gulch Natural Area
- Dakota Hogback Natural Area
- Dome Rock Natural Area
- Droney Gulch Natural Area
- Duck Creek Natural Area
- Dudley Bluffs Natural Area
- East Lost Park Natural Area
- East Sand Dunes Natural Area
- Elephant Rocks Natural Area
- Elk River at Moon Hill Natural Area
- Escalante Canyon Natural Area
- Escalante Creek Natural Area
- Fairview Natural Area
- Fourmile Creek Natural Area
- Fruita Paleontological Locality
- Garden Park Fossil Locality
- Gateway Palisade Natural Area
- Geneva Basin Iron Fens Natural Area
- Gothic Research Natural Area
- Gunnison Gravels Research Natural Area
- Haviland Lake Natural Area
- High Creek Fen Natural Area
- High Mesa Grassland Natural Area
- Hoosier Ridge Research Natural Area
- Hurricane Canyon Natural Area
- Indian Spring Natural Area
- Indian Springs Trace Fossil Locality
- Irish Canyon Natural Area
- Jimmy Creek Natural Area
- Ken-Caryl Ranch Natural Area
- Kremmling Cretaceous Ammonite Locality
- Lake Pasture Natural Area
- Lake San Cristobal Natural Area
- Limestone Ridge Natural Area
- Lookout Mountain Natural Area
- Lost Park Natural Area
- Lower Greasewood Creek Natural Area
- McElmo Natural Area
- Mexican Cut Natural Area
- Mini-Wheeler Natural Area
- Miramonte Reservoir Natural Area
- Mishak Lakes Natural Area
- Moosehead Mountain Natural Area
- Mount Callahan Natural Area
- Mount Callahan Saddle Natural Area
- Mount Emmons Iron Fen Natural Area
- Mount Goliath Natural Area[lower-alpha 22]
- Narraguinnep Natural Area
- Needle Rock Natural Area
- North Park Phacelia Natural Area
- Orient Mine Natural Area
- Owl Canyon Pinyon Grove Natural Area
- Paradise Park Natural Area
- Park Creek Hogback Natural Area
- Park Mesa Natural Area
- Pawnee Woodlands Natural Area
- Pyramid Rock Natural Area
- Rabbit Valley Natural Area
- Rajadero Canyon Natural Area
- Raven Ridge Natural Area
- Redcloud Peak Natural Area
- Rocky Mountain Woodfrog Pond Natural Area
- Rough Canyon Natural Area
- Roxborough Natural Area[lower-alpha 14]
- Running Creek Natural Area
- Ryan Gulch Natural Area
- Saddle Mountain Natural Area
- San Miguel River at Tabeguache Creek Natural Area
- Sand Creek Natural Area
- Shell Duck Creek Natural Area
- Shell Rock Natural Area
- Slumgullion Earthflow Natural Area[lower-alpha 3]
- South Beaver Creek Natural Area
- South Boulder Creek Natural Area
- South Cathedral Bluffs Natural Area
- Specimen Mountain Research Natural Area
- Staunton Natural Area[lower-alpha 14]
- Tabeguache Natural Area
- Tamarack Ranch Natural Area
- Tern Island Natural Area
- Treasurevault Mountain Natural Area
- Trinidad K-T Boundary Natural Area
- Two Buttes Natural Area
- Unaweep Seep Research Natural Area
- Uncompahgre Fritillary Natural Area
- Wacker Ranch Natural Area
- West Creek Natural Area
- Wheeler Geologic Natural Area[lower-alpha 3]
- White Rocks Natural Area
- Williams Creek Natural Area
- Yanks Gulch/Upper Greasewood Creek Natural Area
- Zapata Falls Natural Area
Regional trails
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The following transcontinental hiking trail was established by the American Discovery Trail Society.
The following hiking trail across the Southern Rocky Mountains is maintained by the Colorado Trail Foundation.
The following three single-track mountain bike trails are maintained by the Colorado Plateau Mountain Bike Trail Association and the Bureau of Land Management.
- Kokopelli Trail
- Paradox Trail
- Tabeguache Trail
Bicycle routes
The following four bicycle touring routes through Colorado are regularly scouted by the Adventure Cycling Association.
See also
Notes
- Jointly managed by the United States Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management and the United States Department of Agriculture, United States Forest Service.
- Managed by the United States Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management.
- Managed by the United States Department of Agriculture, United States Forest Service.
- Dinosaur National Monument extends into the State of Utah.
- Hovenweep National Monument extends into the State of Utah.
- The California National Historic Trail traverses ten U.S. states: Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, Utah, Nevada, Oregon, and California.
- The Old Spanish National Historic Trail traverses six U.S. states: New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Arizona, Nevada, and California.
- The Pony Express National Historic Trail traverses eight U.S. states: Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, and California.
- The Santa Fe National Historic Trail traverses five U.S. states: Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Oklahoma, and New Mexico.
- The Continental Divide National Scenic Trail traverses five U.S. states: Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico.
- Managed by the United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service.
- Jointly managed by the United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service and the United States Department of Agriculture, National Forest Service.
- Managed by the United States Air Force.
- Managed by Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
- Managed by the Jefferson County Open Space Program.
- Managed by the City of Westminster, Colorado.
- Managed by Colorado State Parks.
- Managed by Lake County, Colorado.
- Managed by the Poudre River Trail Corridor, Inc.
- Managed by the United States Department of the Interior, United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
- Managed by the Colorado Springs Parks and Recreation Department.
- Jointly managed by the United States Forest Service and the Denver Botanic Gardens.