Dawson-Carpenter Ranch - Hayden, CO
Posted by: 
Outspoken1
N 40° 29.667 W 107° 10.980
13T E 315003 N 4484927
This ranch is both a working ranch and nature conservancy center to provide natural areas for bird watching.
Waymark Code: WMMH8M
Location: Colorado, United States
Date Posted: 09/21/2014
Views: 3
"The ranch has a long association with the agricultural development of the Yampa Valley. Beginning in 1902, the ranch was a major local producer of hay and livestock under the ownership of John Barkley "J.B." Dawson. Along with Charles Goodnight, Dawson was the first to trail cattle in 1859 from Texas to Colorado over what became known as the "Dawson Trail." The ranch is considered nationally significant for its association with Farrington Reed Carpenter. He managed the ranch from 1926 until 1946, at which time he purchased the property. Beginning in 1934, Carpenter served as the first director of the Federal Grazing Service, and his guidance laid the foundation for public domain land management which ended the era of free open range grazing in the West. The Bureau of Land Management recognizes Carpenter as its first director." (from (
visit link) )
"The Carpenter Ranch serves as the centerpiece of the Conservancy's efforts to conserve the natural, historical and agricultural heritage of the Yampa Valley. With many ranches but few small private holdings, the Valley is a great place for the Conservancy to pursue landscape-scale conservation efforts.
Today, Carpenter Ranch is a working cattle ranch, a research and education facility, and a center for cooperation and dialogue. A walk through the rare cottonwood riparian forest offers a chance to see many species of birds that reside here.
The education facility features interactive exhibits, historical background and information about the many species that live here.
When to Visit
From May 15 to September 1, the facilities are open Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m. to noon. Contact Us - (970) 276-4626
Spend time exploring the ranch and bring your binoculars!
Plants
Carpenter Ranch harbors some of the highest-quality occurrences of the globally rare box elder-narrowleaf cottonwood/red-osier dogwood plant community.
Birds
You could say that the ranch is a kind of birders' paradise. This site has been designated as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by the Audubon Society. Here are some of the species you might see:
American kestrels
Bald eagles
Bobolinks
Cooper's hawks
Finches
Flycatchers
Great horned owls
Grosbeaks
Merganser
Orioles
Red-tailed hawks
Sandhill cranes
Vireos
Warblers
Woodpeckers" (from (
visit link) )