Rare High-Country Landscape Saved Near Colorado’s Continental Divide

The Conservation Fund has protected 3,314 acres of high-country habitat near Colorado’s Continental Divide — securing a rare and significant conservation win less than an hour from Denver. Working in partnership with Colorado Parks and Wildlife and Great Outdoors Colorado the property, known as Tolland Ranch, will become a new State Wildlife Area, permanently conserving critical habitat, clean water resources, and outdoor access along the Front Range. 

Large, undeveloped landscapes in this region are increasingly scarce. As growth continues to push into the foothills, opportunities to protect intact wildlife habitat east of the Divide are few and far between. Acting quickly when the property was put up for sale ensured this landscape wouldn’t be fragmented by future development. 

Located less than an hour from Denver, the land provides year-round home for elk and other big game species, as well as nearly 100 species of nesting and breeding birds. South Boulder Creek also flows through the property, supporting native trout species and contributing to drinking water supplies for communities across the Front Range, including Denver and Boulder. Its wetlands, ponds, and riparian areas play an important role in maintaining water quality and strengthening watershed resilience in the face of mounting climate pressures.