The High Lonesome Ranch - Eco Tourism
Make a difference while getting exactly as wild as you want.
 The High Lonesome Ranch brings together a community of scientists, corporate and non-profit partners, educators, students, and everyday citizens to find creative ways to contribute to conservation. Guests have the opportunity to join the exciting scientific research and ecological restoration efforts on the ranch. You might choose to sit at dawn helping count songbirds to measure biodiversity, observe elk behavior at dusk, hike among the sagebrush cloudforest on the high ranch surveying aspen communities, track wildlife with expert wildlife trackers, or help search for elusive threatened sage grouse. These and many other conservation activities on the ranch bring science to life for persons of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds. You don’t need any special skills to participate, just willingness to learn and curiosity. Learn about sustainable resource management, riparian ecology, habitat connectivity, measuring and maintaining biodiversity, and what it means to do science on a working landscape. By participating in some of the vital science taking place on the ranch, you will make a difference in conserving America’s rich western legacy of open spaces and healthy landscapes—while getting exactly as wild as you want.
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The High Lonesome Ranch will be the 2010 host for a co-sponsored event. Wine on the Fly and Fly Rod and Reel Magazine present a unique fly-fishing and wine tasting event at The High Lonesome and K-T Ranches. Join us from July 14-18, 2010 for three-days of prime-time fly-fishing and wine tasting. Fish and socialize with some of the best-known editors and writers in the industry as well as some of the premier vintners from the Napa and Sonoma Valleys. |
Ecotourism
The High Lonesome Ranch offers guests a variety of fun and educational ecotourism activities designed for a wide range of skill levels, from novice naturalists to expert birders. These activities enable our guests to get exactly as wild as they want while learning more about the fascinating ecology of this quintessential Western landscape.
Birding
With a variety of habitats and elevations ranging from 5000 to 9000 ft., The High Lonesome Ranch provides great birding opportunities. Over 100 bird species occur on the ranch with a further 200+ species recorded on lands in the greater Grand Junction area. Lower elevation grasslands and sagebrush shrublands offer guests glimpses of sage sparrow, Brewer’s sparrow and lazuli bunting. Canyonlands and rocky mesas are filled with the cascading melodies of canyon wrens and the soaring silhouettes of white-throated swifts. Higher elevation aspen and fir forests provide home to warbling vireo, black-throated gray warbler, and purple martin. These species and their habitats are located within an easy morning drive of ranch headquarters. Guests will find a bird checklist and identification guide at ranch headquarters, where they can also arrange guided birding field trips.
Mountain Biking
The High Lonesome Ranch lies in the heart of Colorado’s famous mountain biking country. For the novice cruiser to the advanced racer, the varied terrain of the ranch and its surrounding area offers enjoyment and challenge for all skill levels. Dirt roads and double-track trails within the ranch vary from gentle downhill cruises to lung-busting climbs, all the while offering spectacular scenery and ample wildlife viewing opportunities. The Bureau of Land Management lands surrounding the ranch provide hundreds of miles of mountain bike trails. Further, the world-renowned mountain biking meccas of Fruita, CO and Moab, UT are within short driving distances of ranch headquarters. Whether self-guided or accompanied by an expert naturalist, these outings provide an exciting way for guests to experience the ranch.
Wildlife Viewing and Photography
The High Lonesome ranch is home to a rich variety of native wildlife, enabling guests to experience many exciting viewing and photography opportunities. Majestic mule deer and elk roam valley bottoms and sagebrush mountaintops, while mountain lions patrol canyonlands and forest edges. During the early morning hours, guests can enjoy glimpses of black bears foraging in valley bottom riparian zones and high elevation meadows. Other viewable wildlife include coyote and bobcat, and along lower elevation ranch roads, small mammals such as rock squirrels, and reptiles such as the collared lizard. Guests can obtain a number of wildlife and track identification guides at ranch headquarters, and can also arrange guided wildlife viewing excursions.
Wildflower Walks
The High Lonesome Ranch’s varied topography supports a diverse array of plant communities and their associated wildflowers. Differences in elevation and annual precipitation rates translate into a spectacular abundance of different wildflower species blooming from early spring to fall. Spring is the best time of year for viewing wildflowers at lower elevations, while higher elevation flowers such as Indian paintbrush and Colorado columbine bloom in the early summer. Lower elevation habitats will also experience a second bloom after the onset of midsummer monsoonal rains. Guests will find a number of plant identification guides at headquarters, and also schedule guided wildflower walks.
Eco Tourism
