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Preserve Highlights
Striking images can be found here - the zone between the plains and mountains where dramatic red spires and outcrops collide with rich green flora.
This is a high-quality foothills ecosystem along the southern Front Range. A treasure trove of plant and animal communities call this home.
Named after ornithologist Charles Aiken, this is a great destination for birders - more than 100 species have been seen. Aiken, a U.S. surveyor, taxidermist and collector, first surveyed this region in the 1870s.
Location
Southcentral Colorado: About 16 miles south of Colorado Springs
When to Visit
The preserve is open year-round, dawn to dusk, on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday.
The Field Station/Visitor Center is open Memorial Day to Labor Day on Saturday, Sunday and Monday from 10am - 3pm. During the rest of the year, it's open on Sunday only, from 10am - 3pm.
Size
1,621 acres
What to Expect
A well-maintained, four-mile-loop hiking trail begins at the entrance. An additional 3/4 mile trail branches off from the loop and makes its way through the canyon. Interpretive signs highlight important features along the trail.
How to Prepare for Your Visit
You will encounter rocky areas with low brush and cactus - and maybe even a rattlesnake! - so please wear a pair of sturdy leather boots.
Please leave pets at home while you enjoy the native fauna at Aiken Canyon.
Directions
From Denver:
- Take Interstate 25 South toward Colorado Springs
- Take exit 135 (Academy Blvd.) west to State Highway 115
- Take 115 south 11.5 miles to Turkey Canyon Ranch Road (It's located 0.1 mile south of milepost 32.)
- Turn right (west) and drive 200 yards to the preserve parking area.
What to See: Plants
You'll find excellent examples of two globally rare plant communities:
- Pinyon pine, one-seeded juniper/Scribner needlegrass woodland
- Gambel oak-mountain mahogany shrubland.
Several native tallgrass species also occur here.
View a video of wildflowers at the Aiken Canyon Preserve.
What to See: Birds
More than 100 species of birds have been documented. The sharp-eyed birdwatcher may see one or more of the following species:
- Colorado nuthatches (three species)
- Cooper's hawks
- Golden eagles
- Hairy and downy woodpeckers
- Northern harriers
- Prairie falcons
- Sharp-shinned hawks
- Western bluebirds
- Wild turkeys
What to See: Mammals
- Black bear
- Gray fox
- Mountain lion
- Mule deer
- Rocky Mountain elk
- Spruce squirrels
- Tuft-eared squirrels
Why The Conservancy Selected This Site
Aiken Canyon is one of the last high-quality examples of the southern Front Range foothills ecosystem. The preserve is composed of a mosaic of habitat types, including shrublands, tallgrass prairie meadows, pinyon juniper woodlands and mixed coniferous woodlands.
Conservation targets include the following:
- Canyon systems
- Foothills riparian systems
- Lower montane shrublands
- Shrubland birds
- Tall grass prairie butterfly community
What The Conservancy Has Done/Is Doing
In 1991, the Conservancy signed a 99-year conservation lease, giving it exclusive right to manage 1,080 acres of state land. Since then, the Conservancy has acquired another 541 acres, bringing the entire Aiken Canyon Preserve to 1,621 acres.
Given its proximity to Colorado Springs, the preserve is a strategic location for engaging the public in the Conservancy's mission. An innovative straw-bale Field Station doubles as an educational facility for visitors and students.
We recently revised our management plan. We will more actively engage our neighbors and key public partners in conservation action in the landscape. Volunteers and researchers assist us with:
- Interacting with visitors when the field station is open
- Inventory and weed management efforts
- Leading field trips
- Maintaining trails and facilities
- Ongoing bird monitoring, and
- Teaching school programs
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