Colorado Mountains and Prairies

TRIP COST: $1950 per person
- $500 nonrefundable deposit to reserve your spot with the balance due on Jan. 1, 2025.

INCLUDED:

Guided birding – 5+ days of guided birding.

Lodging – 5 nights at the Cliff House in Manitou Springs, CO.

Airport pickups and drop-offs at DEN.

Meals – all meals from dinner on Mar. 30 to lunch on Apr. 4.

Optics – I will have a Kowa 99mm scope available throughout the tour.

Entrance fees to all state parks.

NOT INCLUDED:

Flights to DEN.

Lodging prior to or after the tour dates: Mar. 30 - Apr. 4.

Alcohol with meals.

Sunday, Mar. 30 – Arrivals DEN

Night at The Cliff House

Monday, Mar. 31 – Mountain Plover

This morning we’ll explore the prairies, taking in the vast open space in the crisp early spring air. We'll search for the elusive Mountain Plover and other prairie species like Colorado's state bird: Lark Bunting.

After a nice lunch at a local restaurant, we'll have some time off to explore the quaint Manitou Springs shops or relax in our luxurious lodgings.

Night at The Cliff House

Tuesday, Apr. 1 – Riverwalk

We'll enjoy breakfast at the hotel followed by a short drive to Canon City where we'll take in the scenery along the Arkansas River and into the Royal Gorge. The suspension bridge is the highest in the world at nearly 1,000 feet above the river!

In the afternoon we’ll visit Garden of the Gods, a beautiful park with magnificent red rock formations. The birding here can be great too, with Townsend's Solitaire, Bushtit, Prairie Falcon, Canyon Wren and more.

Night at The Cliff House

Wednesday, Apr. 2 – Mountains

After breakfast, we’ll bird our way into the high country, making stops to search for foothills species like Red Crossbill, Red-naped Sapsucker, Green-tailed and Spotted Towhees and more.

Our targets today are the birds that breed in the Pinyon Pine and Juniper forest. We'll stop in the delightful mountain town of Salida for a refreshing lunch.

Thursday, Apr. 3 – Pikes Peak

At 14,115 feet, Pikes Peak towers over the city of Colorado Springs. Depending on conditions, we will drive to the top, or as close as we can, with stops along the way to scan for wildlife and enjoy the spectacular views. Ptarmigan are present here, but finding them can be difficult! Brown-capped Rosy-Finches are sometimes present at the peak. Mountain Goats, Bighorn Sheep, Marmots and Pikas can be seen on the slopes.

Night at The Cliff House

Friday, Apr. 4 – Departures from DEN

Depending on the timing of your flights home, we can drive through the Rocky Mountain Arsenal in the morning on our way to the Denver Airport.

In addition to a resident bison herd, the Arsenal has a surprising diversity of birds and wildlife making for a great way to end a wonderful tour!

Please read through Rocky Mountain Birding terms and conditions here.