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Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge
4.7 ★★★★★ 5,686 Google reviews · Running trail in Commerce City, Colorado · Dawn to dusk
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Mixed
- Loop distance
- 11 mi
- Shape
- Loop
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Dawn to dusk
Confirmed from Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
Open lakes, wetlands, prairie grasslands & woodlands home to more than 330 species.
What runners say about Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge
“It's also like a fun little scavenger hunt to find the different animals there and the beautiful prairie flowers in the spring.”
“Very interesting 10 Mile in-car Loop with accompanying very interesting and well-delivered podcast timed to the mile markers.”
“We saw bison, endangered black foot ferrets, wide open landscapes, and moments of quiet that felt rare and grounding.”
Start with the Visitor Center — it’s absolutely worth it. The staff let us know what wildlife we were likely to see that day and where bison sightings were most common. The ranger also did a great job explaining the history of the area in a way that was easy to understand and genuinely interesting.
Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge is a beautiful and peaceful place to visit near Denver. The area has wide open landscapes, scenic driving routes, and many opportunities to see wildlife such as bison, deer, and different kinds of birds.
Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge is an awesome place to spend a few hours enjoying nature without having to leave the Denver area. This place is absolutely massive and the wildlife drive alone is worth the visit. You can just slowly cruise through the refuge and spot all kinds of animals along the way.
We visited Rocky Mountain National Park on a snowy day and had a wonderful experience. The snow-covered scenery was beautiful, and seeing buffalo in their natural habitat was definitely a highlight of our trip. The park was peaceful and offered great opportunities to enjoy nature.
Trail conditions & character
“Saw Bison, Prairie Dogs, lots of birds, beautiful scenery within minutes of downtown Denver and right next to the Denver International airport.”
“It's also like a fun little scavenger hunt to find the different animals there and the beautiful prairie flowers in the spring.”
“Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge is an awesome place to spend a few hours enjoying nature without having to leave the Denver area.”
“Very interesting 10 Mile in-car Loop with accompanying very interesting and well-delivered podcast timed to the mile markers.”
“We saw bison, endangered black foot ferrets, wide open landscapes, and moments of quiet that felt rare and grounding.”
“Very interesting 10 Mile in-car Loop with accompanying very interesting and well-delivered podcast timed to the mile markers.”
Plan your run at Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge
The practical stuff
- AccessDawn to dusk — the gates close, so do not plan a run that finishes after dark
- SurfaceMixed — more than one surface along the route, so check the segment you plan to run
- Loop distance11 mi back to where you parked. Long enough for a real long run.
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- At the trailheadparking, restrooms — reported by runners
- DogsWelcome, per reviewers. Leash rules vary by park — the trailhead sign is the authority.
- Websitefws.gov
- Phone(303) 289-0930
- Social Instagram · Facebook
Hours
| Monday | Closed |
| Tuesday | Closed |
| Wednesday | 9 AM–4 PM |
| Thursday | 9 AM–4 PM |
| Friday | 9 AM–4 PM |
| Saturday | 9 AM–4 PM |
| Sunday | 9 AM–4 PM |
Running trails near Commerce City
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
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