Pawnee Ranger District
Sweeping eastward from the Rocky Mountains is a land of grass: the Great Plains of America. The windswept Plains have witnessed the pageant of the frontier, the tragedy of the "Dust Bowl", and the wonders of modern agriculture. Animals and plants evolve together, adapting to environmental conditions. The whole complex of interactions between species and their environment makes up the ecosystem. The shortgrass prairie ecosystem evolved from a climate where annual precipitation is low, between 12 and 15 inches. Most of it comes as rain from April through June. This semiarid climate has low humidity, high winds, high rates of evaporation, and periodic severe drought.

Permit Information
No permit needed.

Directions
The Pawnee National Grassland lies 90 miles northeast of Denver in Weld county, near Briggsdale, CO. It includes 193,060 acres of public land in two units located 30 miles east of Fort Collins and 20 miles northeast of Greeley.

Information Center
The Pawnee Ranger Station offers maps, trail guides, and rangers ready to assist you in planning your adventure.

Activities