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.

Graduate Fellows

Special Spot Reflections from a Walking Mountains Educator Fellow

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 leaf icon
Sustainability

Batteries and Hard-to-Recycle Events in the Eagle Valley

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Beauty, The Magpie and The Beholder

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Share the trails:
and not just with humans

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Before you pick
up that baby bird,
read this

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 leaf icon
Graduate Fellows

A Visual Look
into life in
the Eagle Valley

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 leaf icon
Sustainability

In Times of Federal Set Back, Colorado Pushes Forward

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

How Nature Heals Our Minds

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Celebrating Women in Water this World Water Day

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Nature’s Omens

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Sustainability in Action

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

The Curious Nature of Binomial Nomenclature

“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 leaf icon
Sustainability

Where Recycling Goes

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 leaf icon
School Programs

Lessons from a Winter Hut Trip with BMHS Green Team

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Where and How to Snowshoe Safely in Eagle County

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Graceful Flyers: The Living Inspiration Behind the Kite

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

What This Winter Asks Us to Notice

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Frozen Solid: The Amphibian That Stops Time

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Winter Activities (No Skis or Snowboards necessary)

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 leaf icon
Ptarmigan
Curious Nature

Masters of Disguise

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

The importance of experiencing awe in nature

“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 leaf icon
Graduate Fellows

A Day in the Life of a Graduate Fellow

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 leaf icon
Sustainability

The Afterlife of a Christmas Tree

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Pondering Pistes

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

A Seed in the Sky: How We Plant Snow

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 leaf icon
Blue Spruce
Curious Nature

Stop and Smell the Spruce

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 leaf icon
School Programs

Wild Pedagogies in Walking Mountains Curriculum

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 leaf icon
Sustainability

How to be a sustainable skier on and off the mountain

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

The History of Corn That’s Got the World All Ears

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

A Look at Colorado’s Gemstones

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

What are hunting seasons and limited tags, and why we need them

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 leaf icon
School Programs

Burning Questions: What Wildfires Teach Us About Biodiversity

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

From Flash to Fertilizer: How Lightning Feeds Plants

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 leaf icon
Sustainability

The Truth About Styrofoam

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Living With Spiders in Eagle County

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 leaf icon
Graduate Fellows

A Cohort Preserving Memories, One Jar at a Time

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Eyes of the Wild

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Tips to Cut Light Pollution at Home

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 leaf icon
School Programs

Connecting Alaska’s Coasts & Colorado’s Mountains

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 leaf icon
School Programs

More Than Companions: Empathy Across Species

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 leaf icon
Sustainability

Solar Energy & Efficiency Tips

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 leaf icon
School Programs

Spring Site Visit to Greeley, CO

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 leaf icon
School Programs

Empowering Educators through Action Research

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

The Mystery of Wildfires and the Burn Morel Mushroom

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

The Evolution
of Dogs

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 leaf icon
trees on a window reflection
Curious Nature

Keep Birds Safe: Prevent Birds from Colliding with Your Windows

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 leaf icon
two elks head to head on a field
Curious Nature

CSI: Wildlife

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 leaf icon
winter landscape, starry night
Curious Nature

How to Honor the Winter Solstice

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

The Lewis and Clark Expedition and Consequences

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Extinct Animals and Species Conservation

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

What Sound do Male Elk Make?

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

How mycelium helps a forest ecosystem communicate underground

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

How Insects See
the World

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

How to Protect Yourself from Widowmakers

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

What the Heck are Tardigrades?

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 leaf icon
Graduate Fellows

Not Your Typical Camp Counselor

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

National Dinosaur Day

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Lunar Pareidolia: Why Do We See Shapes In The Moon?

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

What Happens to Plant Under the Snow?

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Why do you see so many aspen trees in Colorado?

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

National Cat Week – Meooooow

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Are Black Cats Bad Luck? Maybe Not for You…

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Eyeshine color and animals – Who is looking at you?

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

The Northern Saw-whet Owl: North America’s Smallest Owl

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

What is a “Murder” of Crows?

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Why do Vultures Self Defense Vomit?

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Migration of the Three Swallow Species in Colorado

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Foraging in Colorado: A Beginner’s Guide

Read More leaf icon
Curious Nature

What are the Benefits of Vetch?

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

How Do Bats See with Sound?

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Did you know Colorado’s State Fossil is the Stegosaurus?

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Mountain Goats Like Your Pee

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Cliff Hangers: How do animals live on cliffs?

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Life is Brutal!

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Love is Strange: Unique Animal Mating Rituals

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Colorado Quarries

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Ski Wax & Sustainability – With Great Powder Comes Great Responsibility

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 leaf icon
Sustainability

How to Recycle your Christmas Tree in Eagle County

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

The Ancient Bristlecone Pine

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 leaf icon
Sustainability

What is Waste Diversion?

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Largest Organisms: Aspen vs. Fungi?

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

The Rut Season

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Ursa Major: Same Constellation, Many Legends

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Eagle County Snakes

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

The Willow Trees: Nature’s Original Superfood

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Amazing Alders: One of Eagle County’s lesser-known trees

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Reintroduction of the Lynx in Colorado 20 Years Later

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 leaf icon
Sustainability

Compost Options for Eagle County

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

The Top of Colorado’s Aquatic Food Chain is the River Otter!

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

History of Lionshead Rock in Minturn, Colorado

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Subnivean Zone: Life Under the Snow

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 leaf icon
Sustainability

Composting to Make a Closed Loop System

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Romance in the Rut: Moose Mating Season is Finally Here!

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 leaf icon
Sustainability

Heat Tape & De-Icing Cables: The right way to go?

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Behold! Bountiful Edible Berries in Colorado

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 leaf icon
Sustainability

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

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 leaf icon
Sustainability

Recycling Drop-sites in Eagle County

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

It’s Almost Time to Harvest Pine Nuts

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Gardening at High Altitude in Colorado

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 leaf icon
Nature's Classroom

Backyard Nature Challenge!

Read More leaf icon
Early Childhood Programs

Early Childhood Scavenger Hunt

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Why is that Egg Blue?

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

The Original Coloradans: The Southern Ute Tribe

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Animal Tracks Tell A Story

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

More Than the Minturn Mile: Minturn’s History

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Colorado Cats – Meet the Bobcat, Lynx, and Mountain Lion

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 leaf icon
Sustainability

Eagle County Recycling Guide

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 leaf icon
Sustainability

The Environmental Implications of Recycling and Why it Matters

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 leaf icon
Sustainability

What do the Recycling Numbers Mean?

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Art and Music Inspired by Nature

“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 leaf icon
Hiking

Hiking Through History McCoy Colorado Fossil Beds

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 leaf icon
Sustainability

A Guide to Worm Bin Composting

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 leaf icon
Sustainability

A Guide for Backyard Composting In The Mountains

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 leaf icon
Sustainability

Sustainability Tip: Eat it and Keep It: Store Your Apple Core

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 leaf icon
Hiking

Hike Of The Week: Big Park via Stagg Gulch & Squaw Creek

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 leaf icon
Hiking

Hike Of The Week: Uneva Peak on Vail Pass

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Weeping Willows

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

How Colorado Wildlife Survives the Long Winter

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Edible Berries in Eagle County!

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

The Black-crowned Night-Heron in Colorado

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Spotting Yellow Warblers

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

The Coyote: A Favorite Trickster from Native American Tales

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Slope Aspect in Colorado | It All Depends on Your Perspective

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Romance is in the Air for Ravens

“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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

You Call That a Mighty Oak? The Gambel Oak in Colorado

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Swallow Your Pride: About the Swallow bird in Colorado

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Ancient Trees: The Bristlecone Pine

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Scatological Specimens: How to Identify Types of Animal Scat

“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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Beautiful and Blue: The Colorado State Flower, The Columbine

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Little Brown Birds: Pine siskin, Dark-eyed Junco & the House Sparrow

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Stories in the Trees: Scars On Aspen Trees

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Douglas-Fir – A Case of Mistaken Identity

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

The Secretive Pine Marten: How to Spot One

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Animals Keeping In Winter

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Pine Nuts: A Do-it-Yourself Guide for the Perfect Fall Treat

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Choking Down Cherries: The Chokecherry

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 leaf icon
Our History

Walking Mountains Science Center Purchases Sweetwater Property from Vail Mountain School

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Mountain Goat Viewing and Habitats in Colorado

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Baby Birds in Colorado

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

The Wonderful Wild Strawberry

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Northern Flicker: An Exception to the Rule

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Cute Little Bandits

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Taming the Wild Pea

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Ode to the Catkin

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Detective Work in the Cold

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 leaf icon
Our History

Walking Mountains Adds Third Program Arm – Sustainability and Stewardship

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Nature Scavenger Hunts for Kids

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 leaf icon
Our History

Nature Nook Mural Update

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 leaf icon
Our History

Nature Nook at Walking Mountains Science Center Begins to Take Shape

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Winter Preparations – Learning From The Utes

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 leaf icon
Curious Nature

Colorado Springtime Wildflowers

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 leaf icon
Our History

Achieving LEED Platinum Certification in Avon, CO

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 leaf icon
Our History

New Walking Mountains Science Center “Drys-In”

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 ...
Read More leaf icon