Description
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.
Why The Nature 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 Nature Conservancy Has Done/Is Doing
Much of Aiken Canyon Preserve is located on Colorado State Trust Land. Through a long-term partnership with the Colorado State Land Board, conservation of the preserve helps protect important natural resources while supporting Colorado's public schools.
In 1991, TNC signed a 99-year conservation lease to manage 1,080 acres of State Trust Land. Since then, TNC has acquired another 541 acres, bringing the entire Aiken Canyon Preserve to 1,621 acres. Our management plan guides stewardship priorities across the property, helping ensure these landscapes remain healthy and resilient for people and wildlife.
Given its proximity to Colorado Springs, the preserve provides a setting for people to connect with and support TNC’s mission. In addition to public access on designated hiking trails, visitors and volunteers play a role in conservation through trail maintenance projects and stewardship activities.
