Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge
The Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge is a United States National Wildlife Refuge located in north-central Colorado. It is one of over 560 national wildlife refuges which manages and protects natural resources for future generations. The refuge is located in North Park in central Jackson County south of the town of Walden. The refuge was established in 1967 to furnish waterfowl with a suitable place to nest and rear their young. It was created in part to offset losses of nesting habitat in the prairie wetland region of the Midwest. It is located in the valley of the Illinois River, a tributary of the North Platte River. It is administered by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
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| Designation | National Wildlife Refuge |
| Managed by | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service |
| State | Colorado |
| Size | 25,563 acres |
| FWS region | Region 6 |
| Center point | 40.66° N, 106.30° W |
| Night sky | Very dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 23) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Weather by month
Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.
Where to camp
None of the 2 federal campgrounds within ten miles sit inside the boundary. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Most refuges do not allow overnight camping. The campgrounds listed are outside the refuge.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedMagic Feather Broadcast Rx
40 mi from the center point
- PrescribedSalt Cabin Broadcast Rx
40 mi from the center point
- PrescribedFront Country Broadcast Rx
44 mi from the center point
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge, and is measured from the center of a boundary that may be many miles across. Check the agency page for closures.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 13 mi
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for Colorado
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- Best Backpacking Trips in Montana, Wyoming, and ColoradoMike White and Douglas Lorain, 2019Find at Bookshop.org
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge?
25,563 acres.
Source: How acreage is computed
Who manages Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge?
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
What state is Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge in?
Colorado.
Source: How states are assigned
Can I camp at Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge?
The refuge page says whether camping is allowed here. The federal campgrounds within ten miles are listed under Where to camp.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge?
A point inside the boundary is at 40.660° N, 106.296° W. Rocky Mountain National Park is 29 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Is there a fire near Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge right now?
3 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Magic Feather Broadcast Rx at 40 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Which national parks are near Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge?
Rocky Mountain National Park (29 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge?
The National Register has 1 listing within 15 miles, including Colorado State Forest Building Complex.
Source: Register Atlas
Sources
- Boundary, name: the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service refuge boundary layer.
- States and territories: computed by intersecting the boundary with Census state polygons and coarse outlines of the territories and outlying islands. A place is listed when it holds at least one percent of the area. A boundary that touches no outline is listed under the nearest one.
- Acreage: geodesic area of the published polygon. The agency’s official acreage can differ where the boundary includes water, easements or inholdings.
- Photograph: the image Wikidata records for this refuge (Q14684296), the item linked to its Wikipedia article. Author and license come from the file page on Wikimedia Commons.
- Description: Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge on Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. The article was accepted because its title contains this unit’s name.
- Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
- Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
- Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.