Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge
The Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge is a 5,237-acre (21.19 km2) National Wildlife Refuge in the United States, located approximately 16 miles (26 km) northwest of Denver, Colorado. The refuge is situated west of the cities of Broomfield and Westminster and north of the city of Arvada. The refuge is home to various animals, including a herd of 150 elk, occasional black bear, mountain lions, and moose; as well as badgers, bats, coyote, two species of owl, mule deer, northern flicker, white pelican, black-tailed prairie dog, and porcupine. The site also contains an estimated 630 plant species. Prior to its establishment in 2007, the area housed a large manufacturing complex that produced nuclear weapons parts from the 1950s through the 1990s, until shutting down in 1992.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
| Designation | National Wildlife Refuge |
| Managed by | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service |
| State | Colorado |
| Size | 5,251 acres (computed from the boundary polygon) |
| FWS region | Region 6 |
| Center point | 39.8938, -105.2247 |
| Night sky | Some glow on the horizon (Black Marble reading 62) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 11.8 miWinks Panorama ↗National Historic Landmark
- 13.1 miCentral Promenade, Denver Civic Center ↗National Historic Landmark
- 3.8 miFox Mine Office ↗Boulder, CO
- 3.9 miFox Stone Barn ↗Boulder, CO
- 4.5 miNational Fuel Company Store ↗Louisville, CO
- 4.9 miLackner's Tavern ↗Louisville, CO
- 5 miThomas House ↗Louisville, CO
- 5 miStolmes House ↗Louisville, CO
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge?
5,251 acres, measured from the published boundary polygon. The agency’s own figure can differ where the boundary includes water or inholdings.
Source: How acreage is computed
Who manages Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge?
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
What state is Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge in?
Colorado.
Source: How states are assigned
How do I get to Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge?
A point inside the boundary is at 39.894, -105.225. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
How dark is the night sky at Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge?
NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 62 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, some glow on the horizon.
Source: NASA Black Marble
Are there historic places near Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge?
317 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Winks Panorama and Central Promenade, Denver Civic Center.
Source: Register Atlas
Sources
- Boundary, name: the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service refuge boundary layer.
- States: computed by intersecting the boundary with Census state polygons; a state is listed when it holds at least one percent of the area.
- Acreage: geodesic area of the published polygon. The agency’s official acreage can differ where the boundary includes water, easements or inholdings.
- Description: Rocky Flats 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.