Sandhill cranes pass through the San Luis Valley each spring and fall

One of the great wildlife events of the San Luis Valley is the sandhill crane migration. Twice a year, tens of thousands of these tall gray birds stop in the valley’s wet meadows and grain fields to rest and feed as they move between southern wintering grounds and northern breeding grounds.

The cranes are easiest to enjoy at the edges of the day. At dawn they leave their roost ponds for the fields, and at dusk they return, often calling as they fly. That rolling, rattling call carries a long way across the flat valley floor.

The main viewing places are a short drive north of Conejos County. The Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge has a wildlife drive built for this, and Colorado Parks and Wildlife state wildlife areas such as Rio Grande and Russell Lakes also host cranes. Each spring a long-running crane festival brings people to Monte Vista to watch.

Timing shifts a little each year with the weather, and refuge hours and any closures can change. Check the current viewing season, hours, and access rules with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Colorado Parks and Wildlife before you plan a morning out.