Plains Conservation Center
Mountains are great, but the prairie is just as fun
By Liz Jurkowski; photos courtesy of the PCC website
True enough, the mountains of Colorado are majestic and adventurous.
Vacation seekers, locals, and skiers all flock west for the abundant
winter fun found in the small towns and resorts scattered through the
Rockies. Few, however, give a slight look east. The Colorado prairie
is packed with adventures waiting to happen and why not begin at the
Plains Conservation Center (PCC), less than a forty-minute drive away?
If you have kids like mine, a day trip involving Native Americans,
cowboys, old log cabins, and tipis is like hitting the jackpot! The PCC
covers all of the above, and lets the kids play around a little in the
dirt too.
Located at 21901 East Hampden Avenue in Aurora, the PCC website
states, “The Plains Conservation Center is a true-to-life homestead
stretching across 8,894 acres of dedicated open space. Historic ranch
houses, a schoolhouse, a blacksmith shop and barn, plus an heirloom
garden and chicken coop, and a Cheyenne camp with tipis bring the
experience to life.”
Along with the Cheyenne camp and homestead sites, the facilities
include a museum and nature center, a kid’s hands-on area where
“Children can investigate like a scientist, dig like a prairie dog, pump
water like a pioneer, engineer like a beaver, and build like a Plains
Indian.”
The PCC is, in fact, a land conservation effort. It aims to conserve
the natural prairie habitat for the local flora and fauna, like
rattlesnakes and cactus, among others.
There are interactive programs, wagon rides, tours, and seasonal
programs available. Check the website and plan a morning of fun and
adventure down on the prairie and be home by lunch.
To get there, travel east on E-470. Exit at Quincy, then turn
right. Turn left (north) on Gun Club Road, then turn left (west) on
Hampden. The PCC will be on the right side.
To learn more, visit www.plainscenter.org or call 303-693-3621 to plan your visit. It is open year-round, Monday
through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4p.m. There is no admission fee.
