This is a list of protected areas in the U.S. State of Colorado.
Federal lands
The United States federal government owns 36.23% of Colorado's total land area.
National Park System
The National Park System includes 23 areas in Colorado. The National Park Service manages 18 of these 23 areas plus five National Wildernesses.
National Parks
The four National Parks within Colorado are: Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park near Montrose Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve near Mosca Mesa Verde National Park and UNESCO World Heritage Site near Cortez Rocky Mountain National Park near Estes Park and Grand Lake
National Monuments
The nine National Monuments in Colorado are: Browns Canyon National Monument near Nathrop (February 19, 2015, Obama) Camp Hale-Continental Divide National Monument between Red Cliff and Leadville in the Eagle River valley (October 12, 2022, Biden) Canyons of the Ancients National Monument near Cortez (June 9, 2000, Clinton) Chimney Rock National Monument near Pagosa Springs (September 21, 2012, Obama) Colorado National Monument near Grand Junction and Fruita (May 24, 1911, Taft) Dinosaur National Monument near Dinosaur (80 acres October 4, 1915, Wilson, additional 200,000 acres July 14, 1938, F. Roosevelt) Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument near Florissant (August 20, 1969, Nixon) Hovenweep National Monument near Cortez (March 2, 1923, Harding) Yucca House National Monument near Cortez (December 19, 1919, Wilson)
Two former National Monuments were elevated to National Park: Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Monument (March 2, 1933, Hoover, to October 21, 1999) Great Sand Dunes National Monument (March 17, 1932, Hoover, to September 24, 2004)
Two former National Monuments were abolished due to their remoteness: Holy Cross National Monument near Minturn (May 11, 1929, Hoover, abolished August 3, 1950) Wheeler National Monument near Creede (December 7, 1908, T. Roosevelt, abolished August 3, 1950)
National Historic Sites
The three National Historic Sites within Colorado are: Amache National Historic Site near Granada Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site near La Junta Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site near Chivington
National Recreation Areas
The two National Recreation Areas within Colorado are:: Arapaho National Recreation Area near Granby Curecanti National Recreation Area near Gunnison
National Historic Trails
The four National Historic Trails that pass through Colorado are: California National Historic Trail through Sedgwick County Old Spanish National Historic Trail through southwestern Colorado Pony Express National Historic Trail through Sedgwick County Santa Fe National Historic Trail through southeastern Colorado
National Scenic Trail
The National Scenic Trail that passes through Colorado is: Continental Divide National Scenic Trail along the Continental Divide of the Americas
National Forests
The United States Forest Service manages the 11 National Forests within Colorado. Arapaho National Forest Grand Mesa National Forest Gunnison National Forest Pike National Forest Rio Grande National Forest Roosevelt National Forest Routt National Forest San Isabel National Forest San Juan National Forest Uncompahgre National Forest White River National Forest
National Grasslands
The United States Forest Service manages the two National Grasslands within Colorado. Comanche National Grassland – southeastern Colorado Pawnee National Grassland – northeastern Colorado