Denver Bison Herd Overlook at Genesee - Golden, CO
Posted by: 
Outspoken1
N 39° 42.569 W 105° 17.674
13S E 474749 N 4395554
Denver maintains two small bison herds which helped to re-establish herds after their near extinction from slaughter
Waymark Code: WMA2BD
Location: Colorado, United States
Date Posted: 11/05/2010
Views: 12
The herd you’ll (hopefully) see at this exit belong to the City and County of Denver, and are descendants of 7 of the remaining wild animals found in Yellowstone National Park in 1914. The city also brought 23 elk to this newly-created Denver Mountain Park. The above coordinates are for the viewing area/parking lot at the Genesee exit. The other herd is located off I-25 in Daniels Park. (Take exit 188 (Castle Pines Parkway) and drive west to the Junction Daniels Park Rd where you turn north.)
Actually, the animals are 'Bison;' there are no buffalo in the western hemisphere. They weigh close to 2,000 pounds – and some males may top that weight. A bison can outrun a Quarter horse in its favorite race length of 1/4 mile (although it seems more likely that the bison would simply gore the quarter horse rather than race it). Bison can jump a 6 foot fence from a standing position, or an 8 foot fence on the run. This helps explain the tall fence separating people from bison. (from (
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Denver enclosed 160 acres of Genesee Park for 23 wild elk and seven bison in 1914. Caretakers lived in the historic Patrick House (1860) located east of Chief Hosa Lodge (1918) and south of Interstate 70. Wildlife conservation was the primary purpose of establishing the preserve. Also, World War I was causing scarcities and semi-domesticated bison and elk could provide supplemental meat should the supply of beef and poultry run out. Denver Mountain Parks must comply with USDA livestock immunization rules. The herd pasture now includes 500 acres on both sides of the highway (crossed by a tunnel underneath) for maintaining approximately 30 adult bison and 20 elk. Each bison eats 150 tons (at $130 per ton) of native grass hay cut at Rabbit Ears Pass near Steamboat Springs. Proceeds from the spring sale of 25-30 bison provides funding for the feed and veterinarian services. Caretaker Marty Homola, who lives in the Patrick House, said, "You can't put a monetary value on these bison. People stop to see them every day just to be reminded of the Wild West." (from (
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