Enjoy the Outdoors! Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) offers seminars, hands-on clinics, and educational opportunities to equip you and your family with the knowledge necessary for
Hunting,
Fishing,
Camping, Hiking, and other Outdoor Skill activities today.
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Commerce City Wildlife Viewing Tours. Saturdays, Sundays, and Wednesdays (holidays excepted), Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, Commerce City, CO.
Colorado Springs Basic Archery Instructor Class. May 24.
8:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Colorado Parks and Wildlife office,
Colorado Springs. Join us for a Basic Archery Instructor class. This class will be held at the CPW office, 4255 Sinton Road. To register or find out more, contact us at SteveK.Lucero@state.co.us.
Colorado Springs Cheyenne Mountain State Park Hummers of Summer. May 25. 7 p.m. - 8 p.m. Event located in the Cheyenne Mountain State Park Amphitheater. There are four species of hummingbirds that visit Colorado. Come discover some of the special abilities of these tiny, feathered jewels. Call (719) 576-2016 for more information. Parks pass required.
Southeast Colorado Kids Fishing Events. May 26. Boys, girls, moms, dads or anyone interested in fishing is invited to attend any or all of Colorado Parks and Wildlife's free fishing clinics in lower Arkansas River Valley this spring. You can bring your own pole, or fishing poles and bait will be provided for the kids. Fishing clinics will be held at the following dates and locations:
May 26. 8 a.m. - 11 a.m. La Junta City Park Pond.
Food will be provided at some events, but it is suggested participants bring their own snacks, water, lawn chair, sunscreen and hat. Participants over the age of 16 must have a valid Colorado fishing license. For more information see the full press release, or to register, call 719-336-6608.
Colorado Springs Quail Lake Fishing Clinic. June 1. 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Colorado Parks and Wildlife will host a kids fishing clinic. Free fishing rods and reels will be distributed to the first 500 children accompanied by an adult. Children under the age of 16 are not required to have a fishing license in Colorado, but the first weekend in June is "Free Fishing Weekend," and the requirement to purchase a fishing license is waived for adults as well. Quail Lake is located west of the World Arena off of E. Cheyenne Mountain Blvd. Free parking is available across the street at the ATMEL parking lot at 1150 E. Cheyenne Mountain Blvd. Call 719-227-5200 for more information.
Lake Pueblo State Park Annual Kid’s Fishing Derby. June 2. Kids can get in on some fishing fun and even walk away with free fishing gear on Sunday, June 2, at Lake Pueblo State Park's annual kids fishing derby at Anticline Pond in the Rock Canyon Day-Use area. Registration begins at 7 a.m. followed by the fishing derby from 8 to 10 a.m. Free poles and bait will be given out on a first-come-first-served basis. Prizes will be awarded in various categories. The derby is open to kids ages three to 12. Families are encouraged pack a picnic lunch and spend the whole day fishing after the derby is over. The derby is free but a valid park pass is required on every vehicle that enters the park. The first weekend in June is also the annual "Free Fishing Weekend" when you don't have to have license to go fishing in Colorado. All possession limits, fishing methods and bait rules apply, but a fishing license is not required Saturday and Sunday, June 1- 2.
Brighton Barr Lake State Park Cast and Clays Event. June 2. 7:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Barr Lake State Park. Grab your fishing pole and shotgun and head to the 2013 Cast and Clays Event. Sponsored by Colorado Clays and Colorado Parks and Wildlife, this unique event will test your skills as a true outdoorsman. A head to head competition of two person teams who gain total point scores by catching game fish at Barr Lake and breaking clay targets at Colorado Clays. Cost is $100 per team and includes awards, lunch and targets. Pre-registration by May 29th is required. For more details, see the event flyer 
, call 303-659-7117 or email dkraft@coloradoclays.com.
San Luis Valley T.E.N.: Teaching Environments Naturally. June 4 - 7, 7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. San Luis Valley Teacher Field Institute. Sites include: Penitente Canyon, Zapata Falls, Rio Grande & Russell Lakes State Wildlife Areas, Alamosa and Monte Vista Wildlife Refuges - custom activities and equipment kits. Activities designed for local teachers by local teachers. All educators, all subjects pre K-12th grade are welcome. Registration fee is 40$ and Adams State College Graduate Credit is available (option, 2 CR, $110 fee to ASC). Registration deadline is May 24, 2013 and space is limited. To register contact Leigh Gillette, CPW Education Coordinator at 970-375-6709 or by email at leigh.gillette@state.co.us. For additional information, view the event flyer .
Peyton Homestead Ranch Regional Park Grand Re-Opening. June 8. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Homestead Ranch Regional Park is located just north of Peyton in eastern El Paso County. Colorado Parks and Wildlife and El Paso County Parks are co-sponsoring a day in the beautiful outdoors to introduce the public to the fishing improvements at Homestead. There will be free fishing poles for the first 150 kids. The pond is stocked with small bass and bluegills, which are perfect for teaching kids to fish. Activities include educational stations for casting, fishing ethics, fish anatomy, knot tying, archery, and a .22caliber shooting station. There is no cost, so come discover this awesome El Paso County Park. Trails and Open Spaces will do "Share the Trail" education and Matt Morgan of the Colorado Geological Survey will lead a hike to the rim and talk about rocks and the unique formations at the park. Homestead Ranch Regional Park is located at 16444 Gollihar Road. Take U.S. Highway 24 to Elbert Road north, go east on Sweet Road to Gollihar north. Call 719-520-7880 for more information.
Craig Cast, Blast and Twang. June 15. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wyman Museum in Craig. Colorado Parks and Wildlife, in cooperation with the Northwest Colorado Outfitters Chapter, Yampa Valley Chapter of Safari Club International and the Wyman Museum, will host a free family "Cast, Blast and Twang" event. Anyone interested in learning the basics of shooting, archery and fishing is encouraged to sign up. All angling equipment will be available free of charge, but participants can bring their own if they prefer. Participants are asked to please leave their own firearm and archery gear at home and use the equipment provided at the event. A free barbecue lunch will be served and for protection from the elements, everyone is reminded to bring layers of clothing and sunscreen. For more information, read the full press release or, to sign-up please contact the CPW Meeker Office at 970-878-6090.
Crawford Boating Safety Classes. June 15, June 30, & July 13, 10:00 a.m. Crawford State Park and Sweitzer State Park. Parks and Wildlife recommends that all boat owners take a safety class to help ensure the safety of their families and other boaters. Anyone operating a motorboat, including a personal watercraft or sailboat in Colorado must be at least 16 years old. But 14- and 15-year-olds who complete a safety course are then allowed to operate a motorboat, jet ski or sailboat in Colorado. Classes will be offered at the following dates and places:
June 15. 10 a.m. Crawford State Park.
June 30. 10 a.m. Sweitzer State Park.
July 13. 10 a.m. Crawford State Park.
Cost of the class is $15. Participants must register at least one day in advance. To register for any of the above classes, please call 970-921-5721.
Montelores OWL: Outdoor Wild Learning Teacher Field Institute. June 18 - 21, 7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Cortez, Dolores and Mancos. Teach science, literacy, social studies, and more: Outdoors! The beautiful Montelores region is your learning lab. Activities designed for local teachers by local teachers. All educators, all subjects pre K-12th grade are welcome. Build skills in: fire ecology, water science, nature writing, plant ID, history, watchable wildlife and more. Registration fee is 40$ and Adams State College Graduate Credit is available (option, 2 CR, $110 fee to ASC). Registration deadline is May 31, 2013 and space is limited. To register contact Leigh Gillette, CPW Education Coordinator at 970-375-6709 or by email at leigh.gillette@state.co.us. For additional information, view the event flyer .
Aurora Night Fishing. June 22. Park close to park open. Aurora Reservoir. Fish the Aurora Reservoir at night by the full moon. $30.00/person. Dinner is included. Registration required. For more information see the website or call 303-690-1286 x6.
Westminster Project WILD Aquatic. July 10, 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Butterfly Pavilion, Westminster, CO. From the tiny mosquito to the giant squid, wildlife and humans are integrally connected. The new Project WILD Aquatic guide for 2013 has just been released and is one of the most widely-used conservation and environmental education programs among educators of students in kindergarten through high school. Learn how to introduce these concepts and activities into your curricula while aligning your lessons with state standards. To register and for more information see the Butterfly Pavilion website at www.butterflies.org/events/calendar.php.
Parker Science Notebooking Naturally. July 10, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Parker Library, Parker. Create your science notebook model while investigating a variety of inquiry science topics outdoors and in. Explore how to capture students’ thinking through free writing, guided scientific process writing and data analysis, and drawing. These entries are logical first steps to formal writing and research that support the Common Core. This workshop is designed for K-6 teachers. By participating in this workshop you can earn 0.5 semester credits from Colorado School of Mines. $90/person ($55 registration and $35 tuition credit). To register and for more information, contact Laura Arndt (303) 660-6925. Also see the Teacher Workshops page.
Castle Rock Using Forensics Science to Solve a Wildlife Crime. July 13 and 20, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. P.S. Miller Library, Castle Rock. Become an investigator of a wildlife crime with NSTA’s forensics CSI curriculum. Practice eight forensic lab procedures. Then piece together clues from the crime reports, interviews, and physical evidence you have analyzed. Finally, identify the victim, suspect and violated wildlife laws. Facilitated by the author. This workshop is designed for 6-12th grade teachers. By participating in this workshop you can earn 1 semester credit from Colorado School of Mines. $130/person ($50 tuition and $80 registration). There is an optional curriculum book, Using Forensic Science to Solve a Wildlife Crime, that you can purchase for $25. To register and for more information, contact Laura Arndt (303) 660-6925. Also see the Teacher Workshops page.
Jamestown T.U.N.E. Camp Presents: Adventure in the Mountains. July 18-21. Cal-wood Education Center, Jamestown, CO. Join Pheasants Forever and Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation for the fourth annual T.U.N.E. Camp in partnership with Cal-Wood Education Center and The Colorado Bow Hunters Association. This four-day, action packed outdoor experience will give you the opportunity to take part in: fishing, archery, shooting sports, low ropes course, dog training, and survival skills. Campers will also have the chance to discover aquatic critters, explore the forest, and upland habitats and meet a raptor up close and personal. Registration is $400 per camper and limited scholarships are available. For more information/registration see the Cal-Wood Education website, or contact Bob Hix at 303-743-8957 and bhix@pheasantsforever.org. Additional details .
Franktown Project Learning Tree and Common Core. July 23, 9:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Castlewood Canyon Visitor Center, Franktown. Project Learning Tree activities are now correlated to the Common Core. Explore interactive reading, writing and math activities that are grounded in engaging environmental concepts and issues. We will spend part of the day on canyon trails. Leave with a book and personalized plans that you can use immediately. This workshop is designed for K-8 teachers. By participating in this workshop you can earn 0.5 semester credits from Colorado School of Mines. $70/person ($35 registration and $35 tuition). To register and for more information, contact Laura Arndt (303) 660-6925. Also see the Teacher Workshops page.
Northern Colorado Youth Fly Fishing Day Camp. July 29 - August 3, 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Northern Colorado area. This event is for youth ages 14-18 and no previous fly fishing experience is required. Join the Rocky Mountain Flycasters for six fast-paced days of fly fishing, instruction, and fun. Learn the fly fishing basics alongside best responsibility practices for watersheds, riparian habitat, river ecology, and trout. Additional topics include: fly fishing equipment, knots, regulations, water safety, local and regional conservation issues, invasive species, and more! Only 15 slots are available, so contact the RMF today to reserve yours. Equipment and transportation between activity venues provided, but campers should bring bag lunches, rain gear and appropriate clothing. To register or for more information, visit the Rocky Mountain Flycasters' website, call 970-689-1753, or see the event flyer .
Pronghorn Natural Area 3D Archery Shoot. August 3, 7:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Pronghorn Natural Area - North of Aurora Reservoir. Practice your archery skills on a realistic 3D course with over 18 targets including bear, alligator, and pronghorn. $10/adult and $5/child. For more information see the website or call 303-690-1286 x6.
Pronghorn Natural Area 3D Archery Shoot. August 4, 7:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Pronghorn Natural Area - North of Aurora Reservoir. Practice your archery skills on a realistic 3D course with over 18 targets including bear, alligator, and pronghorn. $10/adult and $5/child. For more information see the website or call 303-690-1286 x6.
Westminster Project WILD. August 6, 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Butterfly Pavilion, Westminster, CO. From the tiny mosquito to the giant squid, wildlife and humans are integrally connected. Project WILD is one of the most widely-used conservation and environmental education programs among educators of students in kindergarten through high school. Learn how to introduce these concepts and activities into your curricula while aligning your lessons with state standards. To register and for more information see the Butterfly Pavilion website at www.butterflies.org/events/calendar.php.
Westminster Growing Up WILD. September 21, 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Butterfly Pavilion, Westminster, CO. Growing Up WILD demonstrates through its materials and training programs how early childhood learning objectives can be reached through use of use of the outdoors and nature-themed activities combined with art, music, and play. To register and for more information see the Butterfly Pavilion website at www.butterflies.org/events/calendar.php.
Aurora Fall Fishing Classic. September 28. 5:30 AM - 1:30 PM. Aurora Reservoir. All species contest: Largest fish of any species receives $3,000 grand prize. Largest of each species (not included grand prize fish) receives $300 prize. Register by September 27, 2013. $40/person. Lunch and raffle are included with registration. Registration required. For more information see the website or call 303-690-1286 x6.