Audubon Center at Chatfield State Park
"Connecting to nature enriches my life. I have a role in taking care of nature."
The Audubon Nature Center is open weekends. Classes and programs are offered year around.
Table of Contents
- Introduction to the Audubon Center
- The Audubon Center campus
- Phase 1 & 2 - Completed
- The Future
- Location of the Audubon Center
- Nature Programs at the Audubon Center
Nature Education at its Best
The Audubon Center fulfills an important niche in the South Platte River watershed by bringing hands-on, investigative nature programs to young children and their families.
We encourage visitors of all ages to DISCOVER, LEARN and TAKE ACTION. A full range of classes and programs are offered at the Center and throughout the South Platte Basin.
The Outdoor Classroom
The Audubon Center site provides critical habitat for an abundance of plants and wildlife. Set alongside the South Platte River - an important wildlife corridor - the site offers visitors the chance to explore forests, shrublands, grasslands, ponds and wetland ecosystems. On a hike at the Audubon Center, you may chance upon mule deer grazing, prickly pear blooms drying in the sun, red-winged blackbirds singing loudly to defend territories or raccoon tracks left in the mud. Designated as an Important Bird Area by the National Audubon Society, the park boasts a list of 345 bird species that spend part of their year at Chatfield. More than 150 types of butterflies inhabit the site, along with a wide variety of plants and other wildlife.
The Audubon Center Campus- Master Plan
The Audubon Center breathes life into old buildings that have stood dormant for many decades. Originally part of a 5,000-acre working ranch, the two stone structures were built in the early 1940's, serving as a home for the Atchison family. In 1955, the site was transformed into the headquarters for the Glen L. Martin Company - now Lockheed Martin. After the flood of 1965, the land became part of the Chatfield Dam Construction Project and, subsequently, Chatfield State Park.
In 1998, Audubon Society of Greater Denver ( ASGD ) was invited by Colorado State Parks to create a nature center at the site because of an overwhelming demand for environmental education programs. Colorado State Parks recognized that ASGD has been a leader in environmental conservation in the Denver-area since 1969 and has received numerous national awards for its environmental education programs. It was a natural fit for ASGD to begin work on a nature center at Chatfield State Park.
Phases 1 & 2 - Completed 2006
The original farmhouse has been transformed into a nature center, warmed in the winter by a large fireplace, offering classroom and exhibit space. The stone garage building was transformed into an outdoor learning lab. Large overhead doors were added to provide a unique classroom with walls that open into nature.
The classroom is outfitted with educational equipment - binoculars, aquatic sweep nets, insect nets, track molds, microscopes and more - to facilitate a hands-on approach to nature discovery. Native gardens attract butterflies and birds near the building while showcasing Colorado plants and organic gardening practices
Creation of a 200 seat outdoor amphitheater and a trail at the Chatfield Wetlands provides for outdoor programming for larger groups.
The Future
A new energy efficient facility will serve as a visitors center, provide flexible classroom and programming space, and headquarters for the Audubon Society of Greater Denver. The new building will include exhibit area and nature library. An additional habitat garden will create opportunities for visitors to watch wildlife up close.
With the realization of the vision for the Audubon Center campus complete, 10,000 children and adults will be able to experience nature education at its best each year. From toddlers to grandparents, the Audubon Center will open countless minds to the wonders of nature. Inspired by what their new awareness and understanding of nature brings to their lives, the next generation will be caretakers of the natural world.
Location of the Audubon Center
The Audubon Center is located on the southwest side of Denver in Littleton, Colorado.
- From I25 & C470, go west on C470.
- Exit onto Wadsworth, travel south on Wadsworth about 4.4 miles. (Go PAST the main entrance for Chatfield State Park.)
- Turn left on Waterton Road.
- Immediately turn left into the first parking lot at the Audubon Center sign.
