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Nature reserve · Colorado

West Big Dry Natural Area

West Big Dry Natural Area from directly overhead

West Big Dry Natural Area is a nature reserve in Colorado, at a modelled elevation of 1,854 m. Devils Head stands 2,936 m to the south-southwest, 20 miles off. The nearest named place is East Fork Natural Area, a nature reserve 0.5 miles away. Lariat Loop Scenic and Historic Byway passes 16 miles off.

Visiting

What to expect

Operated by
Highalnds Ranch Metro District
Getting there

How to reach it

Driving directionsPlan a drive around it
Coordinates39.51565, -104.94512

Overlooks nearby

Around it

Named places within 25 miles

Parks
  • Spearwood Park: 0.6 mi
  • Firelight Park: 0.7 mi
  • Paintbrush Park: 0.8 mi
  • Red-tail Park: 0.8 mi
  • Dad Clark Park: 1.3 mi
Peaks
  • Highlands Point: 0.7 mi
  • Racoon Knob: 4.4 mi
  • Cherokee Mountain: 4.6 mi
  • Cann Hill: 7.4 mi
  • Waterton: 8.0 mi
Gardens
Artworks
Historic sites
  • Cherokee Castle: 4.0 mi
  • Denver Tech Center: 7.7 mi
  • Clarke Farms: 8.1 mi
  • Clarke Farms: 8.1 mi
  • Air Life Memorial Park: 8.2 mi
Attractions
  • Pirates Cove Family Fun Aquatic Center: 8.1 mi
  • MTB Feature: 9.2 mi
  • Wall of Healing: 9.4 mi
  • Ring of Remembrance: 9.4 mi
  • Bike Jump: 9.7 mi
Museums: 51
Picnic sites: 48
  • Elk River Park Picnic Area: 4.7 mi
  • Pat Gallagher Park Picnic Area: 4.9 mi
  • Plum Creek Picnic Area: 6.0 mi
  • Riverside: 6.6 mi
  • Marina Point: 6.6 mi
Nature reserves: 38
Cliffs: 6
Beaches: 6
Waterfalls: 3
  • Lee Gulch: 5.4 mi
  • The Chutes: 15.2 mi
  • Maxwell Falls: 23.3 mi
Ghost towns: 3
Natural arches: 1
  • Keyhole Rock: 17.6 mi
On the horizon

Summits around it

The highest named summits within 19.8 miles of West Big Dry Natural Area. Elevation from each summit’s own record; bearing measured between the two coordinates.

SummitBearingElevationDistance
Devils HeadSSW 205°2,936 m19.5 mi
Riley PeakW 263°2,854 m18.0 mi
Berrian MountainW 278°2,785 m18.7 mi
Legault MountainW 274°2,757 m17.1 mi
Doublehead MountainW 281°2,711 m17.1 mi
Campbell MountainSSW 212°2,707 m18.9 mi
Long Scraggy PeakSW 229°2,681 m18.2 mi
Crow HillW 272°2,638 m16.0 mi
Conditions

When to go

Light through the year

DateSunriseGolden hourSunset
March equinox07:0418:3719:12
June solstice05:3319:5120:31
September equinox06:4818:2318:59
December solstice07:1715:5716:40

Local time (America/Denver).

Climate normals

Months averaging 50–80 °F: May–Oct.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Avg °F323341475667737163503931
Precip in0.40.41.01.92.02.01.82.31.31.00.50.3

1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, NOAA NCEI — Denver Centennial AP, 6 mi away.

Sources

Where this comes from

Location and category confirmed against OpenStreetMap.

OpenStreetMap

OpenStreetMap element way/45096142

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