Take a trip back in time to Colorado’s high plains and pioneer life in the mid-1800s. The Plains Conservation Center is a true-to-life homestead stretching across 1,100 acres of dedicated open space located at 21901 E. Hampden Ave. Aurora, CO 80013.
Visit the nature center before you head out on the trails to pick up a map and learn the history of the site. Visitors can hike along rolling trails and may see rattle snakes, prairie dogs, pronghorn, coyotes and red-tailed hawks. Those who are especially lucky may catch a glimpse of the resident bald eagle family.
SCFD Free Day Offerings @ Plains
Every third Thursday of the month from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. the Plains Conservation Center, in partnership with the Denver Botanic Gardens, will participate in the 2019 Scientific and Cultural Facilities District Free Days program by offering special ecological and historical educational programming, wagon rides, fun family games and refreshments.
(Except the months of Sept. and Oct.)
Prairie Wagon Tour
Get to know the prairie in a whole new way. On our ride across the plains, participants watch for wildlife in the landscape, from prairie dogs to pronghorn, antelope or birds of prey, beneath the great stretching sky while learning about the short grass prairie ecosystem along the way. With stops at the sod homes and tipi camp, your group will experience what it was like to be a homesteader and a Native American living on the prairie in the 1800s. Take a guided tour of the sod homestead and see the sod homes, schoolhouse and blacksmith shop. Then visit the Cheyenne Camp and learn about how Native Americans lived on the prairie and followed the bison as a seminomadic tribe. Please note: tours are weather-dependent. If a tour is cancelled due to weather, you will be contacted. Tours are on most Saturdays with registration through the Denver Botanic Gardens website. Cost is $10 per person, children ages 2 & younger are free.
Home on the Range: The Story of A Prairie Farm
Get ready to step back in time when visiting the prairie sod home village at the Plains Conservation Center. Enjoy a wagon ride and light snack while touring an 1800's-style sod village, then interact with and feed our resident farm animals. Learn how early settlers survived life on the prairie, including how they got their food and endured the many hardships of Homesteading. This program occurs Wednesdays - Sundays from 3-4 p.m. Cost: $10 per person; children 2 years and under are free
View the site map and enjoy discovering all that the Plains Conservation Center has to offer and contact us at nature@auroragov.org and 303.326.8380.
Hours of Operation
Wednesday - Friday: noon - 4:30 p.m.
Saturday - Sunday: 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Monday - Tuesday: CLOSED
View the Aurora Nature News to find out about upcoming nature programming. Sign up here to receive it in your email inbox every quarter.