PLEASE NOTE: THIS TRIP IS SOLD OUT AND THE WAITLIST IS FULL.
Leaders: Chris Pague and Caitlyn Kelly of The Nature Conservancy
Date: 3 Nights: Thursday, Oct. 5 (check in starting at 2 PM) to Sunday, October 8, 2023
Fees: $1,200 per room (not per person), double occupancy, all gourmet meals included
Limited to 14 people, location is Zapata Ranch
Registration: Please see How to Register for an Interludes Trip to register.
Zapata Ranch, photo courtesy of TNC Colorado
We are offering this very special opportunity, perhaps a once-in-a-lifetime chance, to spend 3 nights and 2 full days on this exclusive property. Zapata Ranch, encompassing over 100,000 acres, was purchased by The Nature Conservancy in 1999 to preserve an area of great biological diversity and as TNC states, “to demonstrate how cattle and bison operations can co-exist with conservation efforts”.
Zapata Ranch is located in the San Luis Valley, adjoining Great Sand Dunes National Park. We will explore its varied habitats led by Chris Pague, recently retired Senior Conservation Ecologist, and Caitlyn Kelly, Colorado Land Steward, for TNC. Sandhill Cranes will still be present in early October, as will a wealth of other wildlife and a herd of 2000 free-roaming bison.
Photo courtesy of TNC Colorado
The $1200 fee is per room (not per person) for 3 nights (Thursday, Friday, and Saturday). Two people maximum per room. Meals include dinner on Thursday night, breakfast every morning, and sack lunches on Friday and Saturday to enjoy in the field.
Depending on the route, travel to the ranch takes approximately 4 ½ hours from Boulder, 4 hours from Denver and 2 ½ to 3 hours from Colorado Springs. There are hiking trails on the ranch and nearby. Temperatures in the San Luis Valley are variable - always be prepared for a sudden change in weather. The summer months are generally hot and sunny. Spring and Fall bring moderate to cool daytime temperatures. Layers are recommended for all seasons.
Additional details will be provided to registered participants.
This trip is part of the Interludes with Nature field trip series. These trips are led by the area’s most knowledgeable birders and naturalists who take participants to places they wouldn’t often get to see. Monies raised by this important fundraising tool send our Teen Naturalists to birding camps.