Two Ponds National Wildlife Refuge - Arvada, CO
Posted by: 
Outspoken1
N 39° 50.217 W 105° 06.513
13S E 490712 N 4409666
Two Ponds is the smallest urban National Wildlife Refuge in the US. The coordinates are from the west entrance, which is always open to the public.
Waymark Code: WMG0QF
Location: Colorado, United States
Date Posted: 12/29/2012
Views: 17
"Two Ponds is the smallest urban unit in the National Wildlife Refuge System. The Refuge covers 72.2 acres--63.2 acres of uplands, 9 acres of wetlands, and 3 small ponds, containing various types of plant communities. The setting was once characterized by plant communities of the High Plains--shortgrass and mixed-grass prairie. Livestock grazing and plowing of prairie sod for crops by European settlers altered the native plant and animal communities. More recently, housing developments and urbanization have also decreased the land available for native wildlife. In 1990, a local citizen's group was instrumental in saving this site from development. Their efforts contributed to the establishment of Two Ponds NWR in 1992." (from (
visit link) )
The west entrance is always open to the public with on-street parking. The east entrance (at N39° 50.481, W105° 06.136) has a small parking lot, but is only open from May thru September. The refuge is open from dawn to dusk. A history of the refuge may be found at (
visit link) . The refuge's website is (
visit link) .
The trails are also a National Recreation Trail. "he Two Ponds National Wildlife Refuge trail offers two distinct areas to enjoy. the trail forms two loops in the Environmental Education Area where ponds and fruit-bearing trees left behind by homesteaders attract wildlife.
In the Prairie Management area the trail makes a big loop with one trail through the middle, where hikers can imagine what it must have been like for settlers crossing the vast prairies. Hikers can view a native short-grass prairie restoration effort in progress in the Prairie Management Area, and can enjoy magnificent views of the distant rock Mountains from many points.
One important improvement to the trail system was to connect the Environmental Education area trail with the Prairie Management area trail via two footbridges over the Croke and Farmers High Line Canals. These are two of the major canals which provide irrigation water for agricultural use in the north Denver Metro area.
The bridges were funded through a Colorado State Trails Program grant and a federal Challenge Cost-Share grant, with assistance from the Two Ponds Preservation Foundation. Installation was complete in the summer of 2005.
The addition of the bridges will also connect the Two Ponds NWR trail with the Farmers High Line Canal Trail. This trail has been a collaborative effort, receiving support from Great Outdoors Colorado (state lottery funds), Two Ponds Preservation Foundation, and the City of Arvada. Assistance with construction labor was provided by the Mile High Youth Corps.
This trail serves an urban population and provides an opportunity to observe wild animals in their natural habitats, and provides a glimpse of what the refuge system has to offer. The trail is heavily used for environmental education programs for all kinds of organizations including many school groups. A partnership with the Colorado Wildlife Federation provides assistance with educational programs.
The Prairie Management area trail is improved with a crusher fines surface, while the Environmental Education Area trail is primarily mowed grass with a small area of crusher fines surface. while a portion of this trail is accessible, most of the slopes on the trail system are too severe for accessibility." (from (
visit link) )