Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge

Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area)
Mule deer in Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge; downtown Denver is visible in the background.
Map showing the location of Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge
Map showing the location of Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge
Map showing the location of Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge
Map showing the location of Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge
LocationAdams County, Colorado, U.S.
Nearest cityCommerce City, Colorado
Coordinates39°50′0″N 104°50′30″W / 39.83333°N 104.84167°W / 39.83333; -104.84167
Area15,988 acres (64.70 km2)
Established1992
Visitors300,000 (in 2013)
Governing bodyUnited States Fish and Wildlife Service
WebsiteRocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge

The Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge is a 15,988-acre (24.981 sq mi) National Wildlife Refuge located adjacent to Denver and Commerce City, Colorado, in the United States. It is approximately 8 miles (13 km) northeast of downtown Denver. The refuge is on the grounds of the former Rocky Mountain Arsenal, a United States Army chemical weapons manufacturing facility. The site was designated a national wildlife refuge in 1992 by the United States Congress, and underwent a costly environmental cleanup in order to remove pollutants. The refuge is managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. More than 330 species of wildlife inhabit the refuge, including raptors, deer, raccoons, coyotes, white pelicans, black-footed ferrets, black-tailed prairie dogs, and bison.