![]() ![]() One of the best places to observe some of the birding glory is Cottonwood Canyon in the Carrizo Unit. Photo by: Austin H.ĭespite its remote and often desolate appearance, Comanche National Grassland is a birding mecca, with over 235 bird species identified. Birding The Painted Bunting, arguably the prettiest of all birds in N. There’s also the Santa Fe National Historic Trail, a 900-mile odyssey used by many Native American tribes and pioneer settlers the trail has cultural, historical, and scenic beauty. Cottonwood Canyon, also in the Carizzo Unit, is listed as one of the best places to bird in Colorado. In the Carizzo Unit, Picture Canyon is a highlight and features rock art, gentle slopes, and easy trail options. Vogel Canyon, also in the Timpas Unit, is a nice stroll with an additional canyon and petroglyphs. Along the trail, users can find dinosaur footprints, canyon views, a historic ranch, and an old Spanish mission site. The most famous area is likely Picketwire Canyon, in the Timpas Unit, which contains an 8.7 mile out and back trail along the banks of the Purgatoire River. While the overall number of trails in Comanche grasslands is few, many of the highlights are multi-use trails, open to a combination of bikers, hikers, and horseback riders. ![]() Biking/Hiking/Horseback Riding Picture Canyon in Comanche National Grassland. Crack Cave, which is usually closed to the public, opens to guided tours during the equinox in March or September, when morning sunlight perfectly hits a set of petroglyphs inside the cave. In places like Picture Canyon and Vogel Canyon, beautiful examples of prehistoric drawings and petroglyphs are on full display. The Picket Wire Trail passes numerous sets of Jurassic Age dinosaur tracks, including some from the herbivorous Brontosaurus and the carnivorous Allosaurus. The Santa Fe National Historic Trail passes through the grassland, which was one of the main thoroughfares for pioneers heading west. This part of southeast Colorado was severely affected by the Dust Bowl of the 1930s, and relics from that time are scattered throughout the region. In addition to bountiful recreation opportunities, Comanche National Grassland has a ton of history to share. History A toy dinosaur stands in an actual, three-toed footprint of the Jurassic Age hunter, Allosaurus. Generally gentle with mesas and rolling hills, elevations in the grassland range from 3,200 feet to over 6,200 feet. The local flora is dominated by high plains grasses, alongside the occasional canyon and river, which supports some pine trees, cottonwoods, and smaller vegetation. Map of 11 national forests and 2 grasslands.īoth units of the Comanche National Grassland (Timpas and Carrizo) are run jointly by an office in Pueblo that is also responsible for the Cimarron grasslands, Pike National Forest, and San Isabel National Forest. Picture Canyon – Comanche National Grassland Map of Comanche National Grassland The nearest towns to Comanche National Grassland are La Junta and Rocky Ford (for the Timpas Unit) and Springfield (for the Carrizo Unit). Remember to bring water and a full tank of gas. The roads are well-marked and should be good for even low-clearance cars. The grassland is split into two main parts: the Timpas Unit in the northwest (of Comanche National Grassland) and the Carrizo Unit in the southeast along the Oklahoma border. Southeast Colorado brings isolation, so if you’re looking to avoid the crowds, this is a good place for it. The natural beauty of Comanche is another draw, with short grass, rugged canyons, and rolling bluffs. Over 1300 visible tracks in the picturesque Picketwire Canyon make it one of the largest documented dinosaur trackways in North America. Highlights include dinosaur footprints, ancient rock art, abandoned homesteads, and the Sante Fe Trail. Comanche National Grassland encompasses more than 440,000 rural acres in the southeastern plains. ![]()
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