Walking Mountains Blog
Rooted in the landscapes of Eagle County and the greater Rocky Mountain region, our blog reflects Walking Mountains’ commitment to education, science, and sustainability. We believe learning should be accessible, inclusive, and grounded in a shared sense of belonging — because caring for our environment starts with feeling connected to it. Here, we invite you to explore your curious nature, discover local climate and sustainability solutions so you can strengthen your connection to this place to help build a more resilient Eagle County for all.
Special Spot Reflections from a Walking Mountains Educator Fellow
May 4, 2026
Students at Walking Mountains learn more than just science — they learn how to form relationships with nature and to learn in new places. Since ...
Read More Batteries and Hard-to-Recycle Events in the Eagle Valley
May 3, 2026
Everything from phones to flashlights run on batteries; proper battery disposal and switching to rechargeable options are more important than ever. Improperly discarded batteries can ...
Read More Beauty, The Magpie and The Beholder
April 26, 2026
What makes us consider a living thing a “pest” or less valuable than others? Often, it comes down to two things: the frequency with which ...
Read More
Share the trails:
and not just with humans
April 19, 2026
The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and it’s starting to feel like summer. Like many people who live in or visit Eagle County, ...
Read More
Before you pick
up that baby bird,
read this
April 12, 2026
Imagine you are walking through a park and suddenly see a tiny baby bird on the ground. Your first thoughts might be to pick it ...
Read More
A Visual Look
into life in
the Eagle Valley
April 6, 2026
Walking Mountain’s team of Foley Graduate Fellows takes pride in teaching place-based education rooted in the Eagle Valley. The fellows aim to lead by example ...
Read More In Times of Federal Set Back, Colorado Pushes Forward
April 6, 2026
Sometimes it feels like the news about climate change is one bad headline after another; wildfires, hotter summers, and big national decisions that seem to ...
Read More How Nature Heals Our Minds
March 29, 2026
As spring begins to emerge in Eagle County, many of us feel an almost instinctive pull to get outside. When temperatures rise and daylight lengthens, ...
Read More Celebrating Women in Water this World Water Day
March 23, 2026
World Water Day has been held annually on March 22 since 1993. It is a United Nations Observance that focuses on the importance of fresh ...
Read More Nature’s Omens
March 16, 2026
If you’ve ever heard of William Shakespeare you may have heard the phrase, “Beware the Ides of March.” This old saying is used to warn ...
Read More Sustainability in Action
March 9, 2026
Sustainability is the practice of meeting present needs while also considering the needs of the future. It requires us to think about how our actions ...
Read More The Curious Nature of Binomial Nomenclature
February 23, 2026
“I’m trying to imagine what it would be like going through life not knowing the names of the plants and animals around you,” writes Dr. ...
Read More Where Recycling Goes
February 23, 2026
Inside of a blue bin may be the last place you see that aluminum can you bought at an AvonLive! event, or during a trip ...
Read More Lessons from a Winter Hut Trip with BMHS Green Team
February 20, 2026
The winter sun was sharp. Eight members of Battle Mountain Highschool’s (BMHS) Green Team stood tall in the Vail Pass parking lot despite the weight ...
Read More Where and How to Snowshoe Safely in Eagle County
February 16, 2026
Over the past couple of years, snowshoeing has grown in popularity as one of the most accessible ways to recreate in the winter. Whether you ...
Read More Graceful Flyers: The Living Inspiration Behind the Kite
February 9, 2026
National Kite Flying Day is celebrated annually on February 8. It is a day to step into the great outdoors, feel the winter breeze, and ...
Read More What This Winter Asks Us to Notice
February 2, 2026
We are forty-two days into the Colorado winter, and the landscape doesn’t match our memory of late January or early February. Grasses and muddy earth ...
Read More Frozen Solid: The Amphibian That Stops Time
January 26, 2026
If you’ve ever walked through a snowy mountain landscape and felt as though something were watching you, only to see nothing at all, you may ...
Read More Winter Activities (No Skis or Snowboards necessary)
January 19, 2026
Some of the most popular winter activities in Vail are skiing and snowboarding. Riding the scenic lifts and gondolas up the mountain then shredding fresh ...
Read More Masters of Disguise
January 12, 2026
If you’ve ever walked through a snowy mountain landscape and felt as though something were watching you, only to see nothing at all, you may ...
Read More The importance of experiencing awe in nature
January 5, 2026
“You must really love your job,” one of my snowshoe participants said to me as we returned our snowshoes and hiking poles to the Nature ...
Read More A Day in the Life of a Graduate Fellow
January 5, 2026
Imagine: it’s 8:30am, and you’ve just finished your breakfast of Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Quickly, you brush your teeth, grab your nametag, put on your favorite jacket, ...
Read More The Afterlife of a Christmas Tree
January 2, 2026
Recycling Your Christmas Tree When it comes to picking out your Christmas tree, it is important to consider what kind of tree you should purchase. ...
Read More Pondering Pistes
December 22, 2025
The resorts work hard to give you a smooth surface of snow—but how often do you think about what’s beneath it? All winter, Rocky Mountain ...
Read More A Seed in the Sky: How We Plant Snow
December 15, 2025
Have you ever wished you could control the weather? While it may sound like science fiction, weather modification is a real and continuously studied field. ...
Read More Stop and Smell the Spruce
December 8, 2025
Every state has its own official tree, a living emblem that reflects a state’s natural heritage, character, and pride. State trees are chosen not just ...
Read More Wild Pedagogies in Walking Mountains Curriculum
December 1, 2025
When imagining a traditional classroom setting, what comes to mind? Common images might be: a teacher at the front of a classroom; students sitting attentively ...
Read More How to be a sustainable skier on and off the mountain
November 30, 2025
There’s no denying the special connection Coloradans have with winter. From the slopes of Vail and Beaver Creek to the quiet beauty of backcountry trails, ...
Read More The History of Corn That’s Got the World All Ears
November 24, 2025
It is hard to imagine a world without corn. It sweetens our sodas; fuels our cars; fattens our livestock; and forms the core of countless ...
Read More A Look at Colorado’s Gemstones
November 17, 2025
In Eagle County, many of us spend our time looking up toward mountain peaks, sunsets, or circling hawks, but some of the most fascinating parts ...
Read More What are hunting seasons and limited tags, and why we need them
November 10, 2025
Most of us agree that maintaining a healthy ecosystem is important, but when it comes to big game hunting, what does that entail? One important ...
Read More Burning Questions: What Wildfires Teach Us About Biodiversity
November 5, 2025
Late in the evening on August 16th, lightning struck a cliff face near the Flat Tops Wilderness igniting what came to be known as the ...
Read More From Flash to Fertilizer: How Lightning Feeds Plants
October 27, 2025
The salad on your plate may owe its existence to a thunderstorm. Many people are wary of lightning as a natural phenomenon. A hiker might ...
Read More The Truth About Styrofoam
October 19, 2025
Styrofoam is a material we encounter so often without even thinking about it whether we’re unpacking a new appliance, grabbing takeout, or insulating a building. ...
Read More Living With Spiders in Eagle County
October 13, 2025
It is mid-October in the Rockies, which means it is almost time to break out winter gear. As you dig through your garage to swap ...
Read More A Cohort Preserving Memories, One Jar at a Time
October 7, 2025
It all started with food, music, and a whole lot of laughter. The newest Foley Graduate Fellows—Mitchell Smith, Justin Deutsch, Alli Menendez, and Maggie Roszko ...
Read More Eyes of the Wild
October 6, 2025
Grab your glasses for this one, because we’re talking animal eyes. Eyesight is one of the most important adaptations animals rely on for survival. As ...
Read More Tips to Cut Light Pollution at Home
September 29, 2025
As summer gives way to fall, the days are growing shorter and the nights are growing longer. Most of us respond by flipping on more ...
Read More Connecting Alaska’s Coasts & Colorado’s Mountains
September 2, 2025
The air around me is heavy with rain and salt. I feel far from Eagle County’s dry and steady sunshine. Here the Alaskan coastline changes ...
Read More More Than Companions: Empathy Across Species
August 5, 2025
At the edge of Sweetwater Lake, a child stood quietly beside a gentle mare, brushing her with the care of someone entrusted with a secret. ...
Read More Solar Energy & Efficiency Tips
July 27, 2025
Defining Solar At Walking Mountains, we use solar energy to support the Eagle County emission reduction goals and guide the community on energy savings. But ...
Read More Spring Site Visit to Greeley, CO
June 3, 2025
On May 28th, the Walking Mountains Youth Programs team packed into the van and hit the road before sunrise, heading East for a professional development ...
Read More Empowering Educators through Action Research
May 6, 2025
The winter sun was sharp. Eight members of Battle Mountain Highschool’s (BMHS) Green Team stood tall in the Vail Pass parking lot despite the weight ...
Read More The Mystery of Wildfires and the Burn Morel Mushroom
September 9, 2024
Wildfires have raged rampant in our beautiful state for hundreds of millions of years throughout different types of landscapes. Everyone and everything that lives here ...
Read More
The Evolution
of Dogs
April 22, 2024
The evolutionary adaptation of wolves into domesticated dogs stands as one of the most intriguing examples of coevolution between humans and animals. This transformation, rooted ...
Read More Keep Birds Safe: Prevent Birds from Colliding with Your Windows
January 15, 2024
I’m no expert birder, but slowing down to watch birds is one of my favorite morning activities. As they chatter and flit around my neighborhood, ...
Read More CSI: Wildlife
December 22, 2023
One popular television program was CSI. The forensics crime drama ran on CBS for 15 seasons. Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) was a whodunit scenario where ...
Read More How to Honor the Winter Solstice
December 18, 2023
Sunlight continues to dwindle each day as we approach the shortest and darkest day of the year, the winter solstice. Although ski resorts open and ...
Read More The Lewis and Clark Expedition and Consequences
November 20, 2023
On November 15, 1805, the Lewis and Clark Expedition reached the shores of the Pacific Ocean a year and a half after starting out from ...
Read More Extinct Animals and Species Conservation
November 13, 2023
Have you ever heard the phrase “dead as a dodo”? This well known phrase is an example of an animal that has long been extinct ...
Read More What Sound do Male Elk Make?
September 11, 2023
The bugle of the male elk is considered by some to be one of the most magical calls in nature, and considered by others to ...
Read More How mycelium helps a forest ecosystem communicate underground
September 4, 2023
Legend has it that trees talk to each other. You might have even pondered if a falling tree goes unnoticed in an otherwise empty forest. ...
Read More
How Insects See
the World
July 31, 2023
Odds are that if you are reading this, you are using your sense of vision. In fact, 80% of the sensory information we take in ...
Read More How to Protect Yourself from Widowmakers
June 26, 2023
It’s almost hiking season in beautiful Colorado. As with any form of recreation, there are inherent risks with hiking that we need to be aware ...
Read More What the Heck are Tardigrades?
June 19, 2023
Have you ever heard of an animal that can survive in boiling water, in below freezing temperatures and even in the depths of space? Well ...
Read More Not Your Typical Camp Counselor
June 6, 2023
When it comes to summer science camp, the Walking Mountains team are more than camp counselors. They are graduate fellows, passionate educators, and enthusiastic environmental ...
Read More National Dinosaur Day
May 29, 2023
June 1st is National Dinosaur Day and I am sure when I say the word dinosaur; you have an image of your favorite ancient reptile ...
Read More Lunar Pareidolia: Why Do We See Shapes In The Moon?
February 6, 2023
As Earth’s most predominant feature in the night sky, the Moon has fascinated people for centuries. Throughout history, humans have spent their nights looking up ...
Read More What Happens to Plant Under the Snow?
January 23, 2023
If you spend time outdoors in the wintertime, you are very likely to encounter the wonders of snow. As you look around, it’s easy to ...
Read More Why do you see so many aspen trees in Colorado?
January 9, 2023
What’s the largest tree you’ve ever seen? Maybe you have traveled to see the sequoias and redwoods in California. Maybe you found yourself in Sunderland, Massachusetts ...
Read More National Cat Week – Meooooow
November 7, 2022
Meow, wow! Do you know what today marks the beginning of? It’s National Cat Week! Beginning on November 6, this week has been celebrated during ...
Read More Are Black Cats Bad Luck? Maybe Not for You…
October 31, 2022
As the days get closer to Halloween, you might cross paths with a black cat outdoors and think you are about to have some bad ...
Read More Eyeshine color and animals – Who is looking at you?
October 24, 2022
Darkness had fallen in the Vail Valley. As I watched the last light fade on the summit of Bald Mountain, I heard crashing below my ...
Read More The Northern Saw-whet Owl: North America’s Smallest Owl
October 17, 2022
Autumn’s north winds, cold temperatures and long dark nights are what Northern Saw-whet Owl bander’s dream about. Like many other bird species, Northern Saw-whet Owls ...
Read More What is a “Murder” of Crows?
October 10, 2022
Crows might be thought of as scary or as pests, but when you see a “murder” of crows in the air you might be surprised ...
Read More Why do Vultures Self Defense Vomit?
September 5, 2022
What image comes to mind when you hear the word vulture? When I close my eyes, I picture omens of death, circling ominously overhead as ...
Read More Migration of the Three Swallow Species in Colorado
August 29, 2022
Have you ever been enjoying an evening stroll through Nottingham Park, when suddenly you see a bright flash of turquoise? Or perhaps you’ve noticed what ...
Read More What are the Benefits of Vetch?
June 27, 2022
Is Vetch Fetch? Let’s figure it out! Vetch sounds pretty cool, but do we even know what a vetch is? Vetches are a member of ...
Read More How Do Bats See with Sound?
June 25, 2022
Have you ever wondered how bats hunt for prey in the dark? Do you know who is responsible for keeping our insect populations under control ...
Read More Did you know Colorado’s State Fossil is the Stegosaurus?
June 13, 2022
Think of a name of a dinosaur – Go! Some of the most recognizable dinosaurs that come to mind are: the Tyrannosaurus Rex, the Triceratops, a Pterodactyl, an Apatosaurus, ...
Read More Mountain Goats Like Your Pee
May 30, 2022
Mountain goats and hikers So, there we were. Approaching a rocky summit on a peak in the remote Gore Range named after a letter in ...
Read More Cliff Hangers: How do animals live on cliffs?
May 23, 2022
Rocky Mountain Cliffs Cliffs are prominent topographic features found around the world. From El Capitan in Yosemite to the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland, for ...
Read More Life is Brutal!
February 23, 2022
Survival for wildlife can be very difficult. Even though plants and animals have special adaptations that improve their chances of survival in specific environments, it is no ...
Read More Love is Strange: Unique Animal Mating Rituals
January 31, 2022
In the animal kingdom, mating is no easy task. Locating, attracting and keeping a mate can be a daunting task and it can get pretty ...
Read More Colorado Quarries
January 10, 2022
Three-hundred million years ago, modern day Colorado was covered by a warm inland sea. These waters left behind thick layers of sedimentary rock that have ...
Read More Ski Wax & Sustainability – With Great Powder Comes Great Responsibility
December 27, 2021
Did Santa bring a new snowboard or pair of skis? Does your old equipment need a tune? Chances are you’ll be waxing your skis or ...
Read More How to Recycle your Christmas Tree in Eagle County
December 22, 2021
As pine, spruce, and fir trees hold the spotlight during the holiday season, they also play a less festive role in our waste streams. Each ...
Read More The Ancient Bristlecone Pine
December 20, 2021
While the aspens and cottonwoods have lost their leaves in preparation for winter, Colorado’s slopes still thrive with an abundance of evergreen conifers. One pine ...
Read More What is Waste Diversion?
October 24, 2021
What is “Waste Diversion” and what are the most common forms? When you’re done with your takeout meal or your coffee cup from your favorite ...
Read More Largest Organisms: Aspen vs. Fungi?
October 18, 2021
What is the world’s largest single organism? A quick Google search could leave you with more questions than you anticipated. Depending on our prior knowledge, we may ...
Read More The Rut Season
September 15, 2021
The Rut is the mating season for many ruminant mammals. In Colorado that would include ruminants like elk, deer, moose, bighorn sheep, pronghorn, and bison. Each ...
Read More Ursa Major: Same Constellation, Many Legends
July 26, 2021
Have you ever looked up at the night sky and been completely awestruck by the stars? Perhaps you have a favorite constellation? Many people are ...
Read More Eagle County Snakes
June 21, 2021
Imagine walking down a trail with tall grass along both sides. Out of the corner of your eye you spot movement. It’s as if some ...
Read More The Willow Trees: Nature’s Original Superfood
May 17, 2021
A classic story of early western exploration begins in a thicket of willows. A band of explorers surprise an angry grizzly bear and an epic ...
Read More Amazing Alders: One of Eagle County’s lesser-known trees
May 10, 2021
Stands of aspen fluttering in the wind and thick conifer trees create breathtaking views for all to enjoy. Although many visitors may easily recognize these ...
Read More Reintroduction of the Lynx in Colorado 20 Years Later
April 26, 2021
How was the Colorado lynx reintroduction different than the 2020 ballot measure to reintroduce wolves? All the photos in this Curious Nature article were taken ...
Read More Compost Options for Eagle County
March 15, 2021
When you hear the word recycling, what materials come to mind? Most often we think about things like cardboard, aluminum cans, plastic bottles, and office paper. ...
Read More The Top of Colorado’s Aquatic Food Chain is the River Otter!
February 22, 2021
If you’ve seen a slinky-like creature hanging around the water in the winter time, there’s a good chance you’ve seen a river otter! Unlike people, ...
Read More History of Lionshead Rock in Minturn, Colorado
January 25, 2021
Photo credit: cozephyr on Flickriver.com Today, Colorado’s mountainous interior experiences four distinct seasons thanks to a temperate climate. However, 325 million years ago and roughly 100 ...
Read More Subnivean Zone: Life Under the Snow
January 4, 2021
Imagine this… You awake to another typical winter day where the dim light filters its way into your home. Your thermostat reads a steady and ...
Read More Composting to Make a Closed Loop System
October 27, 2020
Our economy traditionally depends on the extraction of resources from the earth for goods and services, which in turn end up as waste in our ...
Read More Romance in the Rut: Moose Mating Season is Finally Here!
October 2, 2020
While weather in the mountains is getting cooler, things are heating up for the giants of the deer family: moose. In September and October, a ...
Read More Heat Tape & De-Icing Cables: The right way to go?
September 29, 2020
As our summer season fades into fall, we are fortunate to see the changing colors of the leaves and cooling temperatures. During this time, we ...
Read More Behold! Bountiful Edible Berries in Colorado
August 31, 2020
As summer presses on, some of nature’s sweetest treats are ripe for the picking. Wild berries are a delicious and nutritious staple to both humans ...
Read More Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
August 30, 2020
Since it began gaining popularity in the 70s, the phrase “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” has become a common saying used in households across the country. This ...
Read More Recycling Drop-sites in Eagle County
August 30, 2020
Recycling is a great way to divert a lot of the waste from daily life that would normally end up in a landfill. There are ...
Read More It’s Almost Time to Harvest Pine Nuts
August 17, 2020
While there is still time to enjoy the last days of summer, soon days will become shorter and a new season will be upon us. ...
Read More Gardening at High Altitude in Colorado
May 18, 2020
Trying to avoid going to the grocery store? Looking for a new hobby? Hoping to add some fresh flavors to your meals this summer? Look ...
Read More Early Childhood Scavenger Hunt
May 4, 2020
At Walking Mountains, we love scavenger hunts! They are a fun way for preschool aged children to move around, discover something new and learn along ...
Read More Why is that Egg Blue?
April 12, 2020
A note on the photos in this article: These photos are from the internet, but the usage is tagged as: “free to share, use, or ...
Read More The Original Coloradans: The Southern Ute Tribe
January 13, 2020
According to tribal legend, the Southern Ute Indians have lived in the mountains of Colorado since the beginning of time. They hunted, fished, and foraged ...
Read More Animal Tracks Tell A Story
January 6, 2020
While it sometimes seems that winter is a quiet time in terms of animal activity, wildlife abounds all around us. It is true that many ...
Read More More Than the Minturn Mile: Minturn’s History
December 30, 2019
Atop Vail Mountain, the sun is beginning to lower towards the Flat Tops Wilderness area after a long day of skiing. To wrap up the ...
Read More Colorado Cats – Meet the Bobcat, Lynx, and Mountain Lion
October 14, 2019
Do you have a pet dog at home? What about a pet cat? These domesticated animals are our furry friends and cozy companions. But did ...
Read More Eagle County Recycling Guide
August 5, 2019
Recycling Guide – Updated June 2024 The Climate Action Collaborative is launching our 5th Bi-Annual Recycling Guide for the Eagle County Community. We are spelling out ...
Read More The Environmental Implications of Recycling and Why it Matters
July 19, 2019
Recycling reduces resource constraints, saves emissions, and prevents pollution Many people already connect the impact recycling efforts have on reducing environmental impact and landfill waste, ...
Read More What do the Recycling Numbers Mean?
July 19, 2019
Chasing arrows does not always mean recycle-ability When tossing something out, many of us are in the habit of looking for the chasing arrows or ...
Read More Art and Music Inspired by Nature
October 22, 2018
“Nature’s music is never over; her silences are pauses, not conclusions.” – Mary Webb Imagine a world in which you wake up in the morning ...
Read More Hiking Through History McCoy Colorado Fossil Beds
September 1, 2018
Join Walking Mountains Science Center and the Eagle County Historical Society for a full day of hiking and history as we explore historic geological sites ...
Read More A Guide to Worm Bin Composting
August 30, 2018
Build Your Own Worm Composting Bin! Worm composting is great for folks who don’t have the space or volume of waste to support larger composting ...
Read More A Guide for Backyard Composting In The Mountains
August 30, 2018
Getting Started with Backyard Composting Find an area in your yard that is approximately one cubic yard (3’x3’x3’). If the pile is too small it ...
Read More Sustainability Tip: Eat it and Keep It: Store Your Apple Core
August 20, 2018
Composting Apple Cores Did you know that an apple core can decompose in as little as one month when composted correctly? However, it could take ...
Read More Hike Of The Week: Big Park via Stagg Gulch & Squaw Creek
August 15, 2018
Trail Name: Big Park via Stagg Gulch/ Squaw Creek trails Walking Mountains’ weekly hikes are hand picked by our hiking guides and environmental educators to ...
Read More Hike Of The Week: Uneva Peak on Vail Pass
August 7, 2018
Trail Name: Uneva Peak on Vail Pass Walking Mountains’ weekly hikes are hand picked by our hiking guides and environmental educators to get you out ...
Read More Weeping Willows
April 9, 2018
Many people are familiar with the well-known weeping willow, but there are lots of different willows. Willows are most commonly found growing in moist, sunlit ...
Read More How Colorado Wildlife Survives the Long Winter
November 27, 2017
With snow, ski season, and the holidays upon us, it is easy to tell that we’ve made it into the winter season. Luckily, winter doesn’t ...
Read More Edible Berries in Eagle County!
August 28, 2017
It’s finally berry picking season! That’s right, the time of year has come when we can discover the sparkling sweet gems our varied plants have ...
Read More The Black-crowned Night-Heron in Colorado
July 24, 2017
The community is bustling as herons, egrets, and ibises come and go from the large cottonwood tree. While most birds nest in mated pairs, a ...
Read More Spotting Yellow Warblers
June 26, 2017
Birdwatching isn’t always easy. Birds don’t sit still for long, and they certainly don’t come close and spin around so we can see all their ...
Read More The Coyote: A Favorite Trickster from Native American Tales
April 3, 2017
The first thing that comes to mind when I hear talk of coyotes is Wile E. Coyote attempting to catch the Roadrunner with absurd contraptions ...
Read More Slope Aspect in Colorado | It All Depends on Your Perspective
March 6, 2017
While driving on the highways that wind their way through the mountains, you may have noticed that the hills on the right side of the ...
Read More Romance is in the Air for Ravens
February 14, 2017
“Romantic” and “affectionate” are not typically terms used to describe ravens, which are often associated with mystery and death. However, as we learn more about ...
Read More You Call That a Mighty Oak? The Gambel Oak in Colorado
September 12, 2016
The monsters of the eastern forests are no Sasquatch—instead they are the massive and mighty oaks, growing many feet in diameter and over a hundred ...
Read More Swallow Your Pride: About the Swallow bird in Colorado
August 29, 2016
Throughout the spring and summer, you may see Swallows darting and sailing overhead while singing out their favorite songs. The beauty of their flight and ...
Read More Ancient Trees: The Bristlecone Pine
July 25, 2016
Long ago, before the discovery of the Eagle Valley and even before the rise of Egyptian pharaohs, a young seed drifted on the wind and ...
Read More Scatological Specimens: How to Identify Types of Animal Scat
July 18, 2016
“Ewwwww!” The kids were clearly repulsed as I wantonly picked up piece after piece of what looked like elk scat, holding it out for them ...
Read More Beautiful and Blue: The Colorado State Flower, The Columbine
July 11, 2016
If you’ve been out hiking recently, you have probably seen this striking flower blooming in the summer wind. The pale-blue to lavender sepals, the delicate ...
Read More Little Brown Birds: Pine siskin, Dark-eyed Junco & the House Sparrow
May 9, 2016
Birding is a great hobby that everyone can take part in, but most birders (myself included) tend to be drawn to the flashy or colorful ...
Read More Stories in the Trees: Scars On Aspen Trees
April 4, 2016
Aspens form the backdrop to so many of our recreational activities here in Colorado. Hiking, skiing, camping and snowshoeing seem to be much more enjoyable ...
Read More Douglas-Fir – A Case of Mistaken Identity
February 29, 2016
It’s difficult to see the forest for the trees, especially when most of those trees are conifers. After all, conifers all tend to look the ...
Read More The Secretive Pine Marten: How to Spot One
February 8, 2016
If you’ve had the opportunity to explore the trails this season, you have probably seen a network of footprints decorating the blanket of snow around ...
Read More Animals Keeping In Winter
January 11, 2016
Each morning when I go out and brush the snow off my car, the temperature seems to be a little colder. As humans, we heavily ...
Read More Pine Nuts: A Do-it-Yourself Guide for the Perfect Fall Treat
October 5, 2015
What is a pine nut? Pine nuts come from pine trees, which are conifers, or cone producing trees. But pine nuts aren’t actually nuts at ...
Read More Choking Down Cherries: The Chokecherry
August 17, 2015
Roses are red and so are their fruits! And some of my favorite fruits to forage for in the Rose family are chokecherries! Chokecherries? A ...
Read More Walking Mountains Science Center Purchases Sweetwater Property from Vail Mountain School
August 12, 2015
Avon, Colo. August 12, 2015 – Walking Mountains Science Center has purchased 224 acres of property along Sweetwater Creek near Dotsero, CO from Vail Mountain School. ...
Read More Mountain Goat Viewing and Habitats in Colorado
July 14, 2015
Mountain goats were first introduced to Colorado in the collegiate mountain range in the 1940’s and have had a stable population ever since. Originally there ...
Read More Baby Birds in Colorado
June 1, 2015
Spring in Colorado is here and I am sure most of you would agree that it doesn’t seem as though summer is right around the ...
Read More The Wonderful Wild Strawberry
May 14, 2015
Backpacking the steep and rugged trails of the Gore Range my first summer in the valley, I recall my feet aching from the blisters forming ...
Read More Northern Flicker: An Exception to the Rule
May 11, 2015
If you have heard the drumming in the past month or seen the swooping flight of this brown and red woodpecker, you know it’s true: ...
Read More Cute Little Bandits
April 20, 2015
Raccoons (Procyon lotor) have been a part of our livelihood and pop culture for a while – Meeko was Pocahontas’s faithful sidekick; Rocket Raccoon is ...
Read More Taming the Wild Pea
April 13, 2015
Some of my best memories from childhood are of sneaking into my mom’s garden to gorge myself on sweet peas. As I now watch my ...
Read More Ode to the Catkin
March 30, 2015
Look! Up in the sky! It’s a bird, it’s a plane, no, it’s a catkin! A what? Yes, the catkins are coming, but what are ...
Read More Detective Work in the Cold
January 21, 2015
Sometimes being a naturalist is a lot like being a detective. One of the main requirements is to be overly observant of the world around ...
Read More Walking Mountains Adds Third Program Arm – Sustainability and Stewardship
November 13, 2013
Kim Langmaid, JohnRyan Lockman and Melissa Kirr will be joining the Walking Mountains team You may or may not have seen the recent news about Walking ...
Read More Nature Scavenger Hunts for Kids
July 9, 2012
The natural world is the ideal place for scavenger hunts of all shapes, sizes, and formats. See below for a series of easy fun scavenger ...
Read More Nature Nook Mural Update
October 27, 2011
More nature nook mural photos – hope you all are enjoying this process as much as we are! We continue progress to build and open ...
Read More Nature Nook at Walking Mountains Science Center Begins to Take Shape
October 25, 2011
We are so exited to see the Nature Nook taking shape on campus. While the exhibits are well underway and being built in Denver, our ...
Read More Winter Preparations – Learning From The Utes
October 7, 2011
As the summer winds down and we begin to prepare for the winter, I think about wildlife making their preparations. Bears are busy eating for ...
Read More Colorado Springtime Wildflowers
May 10, 2011
Greek mythology has given us the Anemoi, whose English translation means “wind.” The Greek Anemoi are four wind gods who each represent a cardinal direction. ...
Read More Achieving LEED Platinum Certification in Avon, CO
March 25, 2011
The LEED program (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is an internationally recognized green building certification system developed by the US Green Building Council. This rating system seeks ...
Read More New Walking Mountains Science Center “Drys-In”
March 14, 2011
Today Walking Mountains Science Center celebrated a “drying-in” ceremony with RA Nelson and Associates, Builder of the Buck Creek Campus. RA Nelson’s team has been concentrating ...
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