Southeast Colorado Wildlife Weekend: Prairie Birds, Tarantulas, and More
Trip Overview
The shortgrass prairies and canyons of Southeast Colorado are home to some of the state’s most remarkable wildlife and least-altered landscapes. Here, vast grasslands stretch to the horizon, prairie dog colonies support an intricate web of life, and working ranches share the landscape with lands protected for wildlife. September is an especially rewarding time to explore, as migrating birds move through the region and male tarantulas begin their seasonal search for mates.
Based in Lamar, we’ll spend four days exploring private ranches, protected prairie preserves, and other wildlife-rich areas of the Southern Great Plains. We’ll watch for burrowing owls, pronghorn, swift foxes, coyotes, bison, and black-tailed prairie dogs, along with raptors and migrating grassland birds. One of the trip’s most unusual highlights is the fall tarantula walkabout, when mature males leave their burrows and roam the prairie in search of females.
A highlight of this trip is the opportunity to visit three family-owned ranches that have each earned both Audubon Certified bird-friendly status and the prestigious Leopold Conservation Award, recognizing their commitment to responsible land stewardship. Through conversations with the ranching families and time spent exploring their properties, we’ll see how thoughtful grazing practices, habitat restoration, and long-term stewardship can support both working agricultural landscapes and native wildlife. Each ranch has its own approach, offering a fascinating look at the different ways conservation and ranching can work together.
We’ll also visit a 43,000-acre preserve protected by Southern Plains Land Trust (SPLT), an organization dedicated to conserving and restoring Southeast Colorado’s shortgrass prairie. Together, these experiences offer an opportunity to compare different approaches to protecting the same ecosystem, from family ranches passed down through generations to lands managed specifically for wildlife conservation.
Our transportation is part of the experience. We’ll travel in a custom American safari van designed by wildlife biologists, with a hydraulic pop-top that allows for exceptional wildlife viewing. The vehicle serves as a mobile blind, giving us opportunities to observe animals with minimal disturbance while traveling the region’s scenic backroads.
With a small group, special access to private lands, and time to learn from the people who know these landscapes best, this trip brings together the wildlife, conservation, and local connections that are at the heart of Reefs to Rockies travel.
Itinerary
Day 1 | Audubon Certified Bird-Friendly Ranches
We’ll depart Denver in the morning and head east across Colorado’s plains. Our first stop is Flying Diamond Ranch near Kit Carson, a fifth-generation, family-owned cattle ranch that has been caring for the region’s grasslands and riparian habitats since 1907.
During a birding and nature walk, we’ll explore the ranch and learn how generations of stewardship have shaped the landscape. We’ll hear how grazing practices and the protection of riparian areas help maintain habitat for grassland birds and other native wildlife.
After lunch in Kit Carson, we’ll continue to nearby Collins Ranch, another fifth-generation, family-owned ranch recognized for its conservation efforts. Here, we’ll learn about the family’s approach to holistic land management and how grazing practices can contribute to soil health, plant diversity, and wildlife habitat.
Although these properties are close to one another, each offers a different perspective on ranching and conservation. Along the way, we’ll watch for grassland birds, raptors, and whatever else catches our attention. The prairie has a way of surprising us!
By evening, we’ll arrive in Lamar, our home base for the next three nights.
Accommodations: Historic Cow Palace Inn
Meals: Lunch and Dinner
Day 2 | Southern Plains Land Trust
Today we’ll explore lands protected by Southern Plains Land Trust (SPLT), an organization working to conserve and restore the shortgrass prairie of Southeast Colorado. Since its founding in 1998, SPLT has protected more than 60,000 acres, creating an expanding network of habitat for native wildlife.
We’ll spend the day exploring the preserve and learning about ongoing conservation efforts, including black-footed ferret and lesser prairie-chicken recovery, stream restoration to support beavers, and fence removal to improve wildlife movement. These projects illustrate the challenges and opportunities involved in restoring ecological connections across the Southern Great Plains.
As the afternoon progresses, our attention will turn to one of the region’s most unusual seasonal wildlife events: the tarantula walkabout. Each fall, mature male brown tarantulas leave their burrows and travel across the prairie in search of females, which typically remain near their underground homes. Although commonly called a “tarantula migration,” this is actually a mating-season walkabout rather than a true migration.
We’ll search for these remarkable arachnids during a late-afternoon wildlife drive, when conditions can be favorable for activity. As daylight fades, we’ll remain on the preserve for a nocturnal wildlife experience. Prairie dogs retreat underground while other animals, including swift foxes, coyotes, badgers, and kangaroo rats, may become active.
Experiencing the prairie after dark offers an entirely different perspective on a landscape that can seem quiet during the day.
Accommodations: Historic Cow Palace Inn
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Day 3 | May Ranch
Today we’ll visit May Ranch, our third Audubon Certified bird-friendly ranch and Leopold Conservation Award recipient. Here, intentional management for wildlife helps maintain the grasslands and riparian areas that support an impressive variety of native species.
We’ll explore prairie edges, grasslands, and riparian habitats, watching for burrowing owls around prairie dog colonies and searching for horned larks, lark buntings, western meadowlarks, and other grassland birds. We’ll also scan the skies for raptors, including Swainson’s and ferruginous hawks.
Our visit offers another perspective on the important role working ranches play in conservation. With much of Colorado’s remaining grassland habitat on private land, the decisions made by ranching families can have a lasting impact on wildlife. At May Ranch, we’ll see how managing land with native species in mind can help sustain both agricultural operations and healthy prairie ecosystems.
We’ll return to Lamar for our final evening and enjoy a farewell dinner together.
Accommodations: Historic Cow Palace Inn
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Day 4 | Return to Denver
We’ll leave Lamar this morning and begin our journey back to Denver, with opportunities for additional birding and wildlife viewing along the way. Our stops will depend on recent sightings, conditions, and the group’s interests, giving us one last chance to explore the prairie.
We’ll stop for lunch en route and expect to arrive in Denver by early evening.
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch
About Your Expedition Leader
Carly Crow from Reefs to Rockies is thrilled to host this wildlife expedition to Southeast Colorado. A passionate birder and field biologist, Carly has been immersed in avian research since 2017, specializing in bird banding and field studies. Her work has taken her across the U.S. and around the world, giving her a deep appreciation for the incredible diversity of birdlife and ecosystems. With experience leading research and educational projects in Costa Rica, Mexico, and Ecuador, Carly brings a spirit of curiosity, discovery, and enthusiasm to every trip she leads.
Details
Price: $2575* per person based on two people sharing a double-occupancy room. Add $175** if you prefer a private, single-occupancy room.
Inclusions: double-occupancy accommodations; transportation in “The Roaming Bison” custom safari van; driver and expedition leader Carly Crow; daily guided wildlife viewing, with a spotting scope available; special-access visits to private ranches and preserves; all meals from lunch on Day 1 through lunch on Day 4; and a donation to support conservation in Southeast Colorado.
Exclusions: travel insurance; transportation to/from the meeting location in east Denver; gratuities; and activities not listed in the itinerary.
*Reflects payment by ACH. Credit card fees are assessed at the time of payment and vary by card type.
**If you’re traveling solo and prefer to share a room, we’ll do our best to pair you with another trip participant. If we are unable to find a roommate for you, the private room supplement will apply.
Group Size: Min 5, max 7 participants, plus expedition leader Carly Crow. Our small groups offer a more personalized experience and a favorable participant-to-guide ratio.
Level of Difficulty: Easy to Moderate. This trip involves birding and nature walks across shortgrass prairie, working ranches, and protected conservation lands. Most walks are relatively short and taken at a leisurely pace, with frequent stops to observe wildlife and learn about the surrounding landscape. Terrain may be uneven, rocky, or covered with grasses, and some areas may have prairie dog burrows or other natural obstacles. Trails are not always maintained, and participants should be comfortable walking on open, uneven ground.
September weather in Southeast Colorado can vary considerably. Days may be warm or hot, with strong sun, wind, and limited shade. Temperatures can drop quickly after sunset, particularly during our evening wildlife excursion at Southern Plains Land Trust. Participants should be prepared for changing conditions and extended periods outdoors.
We’ll travel between locations in a custom safari vehicle, with opportunities to view wildlife from the vehicle as well as on foot. Participants should be comfortable entering and exiting the vehicle throughout the day. Accessing the elevated viewing area requires additional mobility and may involve climbing steps.
This trip is best suited for travelers who can comfortably walk on uneven terrain, stand for periods while observing wildlife, and manage variable weather conditions. While strenuous hiking is not part of the itinerary, some mobility and balance are necessary to fully participate in the planned activities.
Photo Credits: Swift Fox (Day 2) image by Julie Price. Burrowing Owl (Day 3) image by Sheridan Samano. All other images by Alex Wiles.
Conservation Impact
The Southern Plains Land Trust (SPLT), founded in 1998, creates and protects a network of shortgrass prairie preserves, ensuring a future for native flora and fauna. A donation to SPLT to aid in their land acquisition efforts will be made on behalf of all participants.
Audubon Rockies works across Colorado, Wyoming, and Utah to address the core threats facing birds through science, outreach, and policy. Within communities, they create connections with nature and empower people to help conserve it. Across working lands, they advance the management of millions of acres of sagebrush steppe and shortgrass prairie. They also work to restore and protect the vital rivers and wetlands that sustain this arid region. A donation to support Audubon Rockies will be made on behalf of all participants.
