Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, on Denver’s northeast edge in Commerce City, lets educators and group leaders bring students for free, self-guided field trips. The refuge’s own words: schools, scouts, summer camps and youth groups can learn about wildlife through age-specific environmental education, and best of all there is no cost. Grade-specific guides, worksheets and lesson plans, some in Spanish, are tied to Colorado standards for K-1, 2-3, 4-5, 6-7 and high school biology.
Every group must schedule in advance with the Urban Park Ranger by email. From September through May the field-trip window is Wednesday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Trips are typically teacher-led and self-guided, though a ranger may give a 20-minute introduction depending on staffing. The refuge requires one adult per ten students and gives scheduling priority to Title I schools. The page does not mention homeschool groups by name; the language is about educators and group leaders, so a co-op should say what it is when it asks for a date.
How to book
- Email the refuge (the address is on its school-programs page) with your group size, grade levels and preferred dates.
- 6550 Gateway Rd., Commerce City. The Visitor Center is open Wednesday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and closed on federal holidays; it has a Junior Ranger booklet and a Discovery Room with seasonal crafts.
- Outdoor lunch areas are available; bring water and layers.
Lesson hooks
- The grade-band lesson plans cover wildlife and habitat topics tied to Colorado standards, so the visit can slot into an existing science unit.
- Pair with the Plains Conservation Center homeschool program for a second prairie site.
More like this: Free Field Trips · Nature · Denver Metro · Lookout Mountain Nature Center
