Events
Jean Smith Celebration of LifeSaturday, May 9, 2:00 - 4:00 PM
Palmer Lake Town Hall
Join us in honoring Jean Smith, founder of Wild Connections, who dedicated 30 years to protecting Colorado's wild places.
Jean founded Wild Connections at age 62 and led the organization until her passing at 91, working until her last day. Through her vision and leadership, Jean mobilized over 100 volunteer mappers, protected 2.78 million acres of public lands, and built "the little organization with outsized impact."
We invite Wild Connections members and the conservation community to share memories, stories, and celebrate Jean's extraordinary legacy of advocacy, dedication, and love for wild connections.
The afternoon will feature light hors d'oeuvres and beverages in a setting that celebrates the life and legacy of Jean Smith.
RSVP at forms.gle/L2NpLdSCGognPqht7.
We invite Wild Connections members and the conservation community to share memories, stories, and celebrate Jean's extraordinary legacy of advocacy, dedication, and love for wild connections.
The afternoon will feature light hors d'oeuvres and beverages in a setting that celebrates the life and legacy of Jean Smith.
RSVP at forms.gle/L2NpLdSCGognPqht7.
Pikes Peak Birding and Nature FestivalMay 14 - 17
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Registration is closed for the 2026 Pikes Peak Birding and Nature Festival.
Wild Connection's is sponsoring the festival and we will be celebrating with fellow bird and nature lovers at the festival’s Birds, Bites & Brews social event on May 16 from 5:00-7:00 pm. Look for our table at the social event!
Wild Connection's is sponsoring the festival and we will be celebrating with fellow bird and nature lovers at the festival’s Birds, Bites & Brews social event on May 16 from 5:00-7:00 pm. Look for our table at the social event!
Browns Canyon National Monument Hike
Colorado Public Lands Day,
Saturday, May 16, 2026 | 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Celebrate Colorado Public Lands Day with Friends of Browns Canyon and Wild Connections!
Join us for a moderate 4.5-mile round-trip hike to Chloride Camp and Quartz Mountain in the Forest Service’s Aspen Ridge Roadless Area of Browns Canyon National Monument. Beginning from Turret Road, this scenic outing features sweeping views of the Monument, including the iconic “Old Man in the Canyon” rock formation and the stunning Sawatch Range and Collegiate Peaks across the Arkansas River Valley.
Along the way, you’ll learn about the rich history of Browns Canyon and Chloride Camp, what makes this landscape especially resilient in the face of climate change, and why protecting public lands is more important than ever.
Colorado was the first state to establish a state holiday dedicated to public lands, recognizing the importance of its 22 million acres of federal and state public lands. This year marks the 10th anniversary of Colorado Public Lands Day!
Logistics: Participants will meet in Salida and carpool/caravan to the trailhead (approximately a 1-hour drive).
Registration & Info: Contact John Sztukowski at (817) 939-4239 or john@wildconnections.org to learn more and sign up.
Join us for a moderate 4.5-mile round-trip hike to Chloride Camp and Quartz Mountain in the Forest Service’s Aspen Ridge Roadless Area of Browns Canyon National Monument. Beginning from Turret Road, this scenic outing features sweeping views of the Monument, including the iconic “Old Man in the Canyon” rock formation and the stunning Sawatch Range and Collegiate Peaks across the Arkansas River Valley.
Along the way, you’ll learn about the rich history of Browns Canyon and Chloride Camp, what makes this landscape especially resilient in the face of climate change, and why protecting public lands is more important than ever.
Colorado was the first state to establish a state holiday dedicated to public lands, recognizing the importance of its 22 million acres of federal and state public lands. This year marks the 10th anniversary of Colorado Public Lands Day!
Logistics: Participants will meet in Salida and carpool/caravan to the trailhead (approximately a 1-hour drive).
Registration & Info: Contact John Sztukowski at (817) 939-4239 or john@wildconnections.org to learn more and sign up.
Scenic view of the Swatch Range from the Turret Road at Browns Canyon National Monument. Photo Dave Beaulieu.
Colorado Get Outdoors Day in Colorado SpringsSaturday, June 6, 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM
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Wild Connections will be tabling again at Colorado Parks and Wildlife's annual Colorado Springs Get Outdoors Day for kids and families to engage with organizations and learn about ways to explore our great outdoors.
The event will be held 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM on June 6 at Prospect Lake in Memorial Park in Colorado Springs.
This event is FREE and will have games and giveaways!
Find more info here. Thanks to the event hosts for organizing: Colorado Parks and Wildlife, the City of Colorado Springs and Pikes Peak Outdoor Recreation Alliance.
The event will be held 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM on June 6 at Prospect Lake in Memorial Park in Colorado Springs.
This event is FREE and will have games and giveaways!
Find more info here. Thanks to the event hosts for organizing: Colorado Parks and Wildlife, the City of Colorado Springs and Pikes Peak Outdoor Recreation Alliance.
Previous Event Info
January 28 Colorado Wolverine Reintroduction Webinar
We had over 106 RSVPs and 68 attendees to learn about the Colorado Wolverine Reintroduction from experts Kaitie Schneider with Defenders of Wildlife and Kaitlyn Reed with the CSU Center for Human Carnivore Coexistence!
Due to technical difficulties we were unable to record the webinar as planned, however Kaitie and Kaitlyn provided plenty of follow-up info, including a similar presentation that they did a few weeks ago...
Due to technical difficulties we were unable to record the webinar as planned, however Kaitie and Kaitlyn provided plenty of follow-up info, including a similar presentation that they did a few weeks ago...
- March 6 Defenders of Wildlife Restoring Wolverines to Colorado video recording (35 min).
- CPW Wolverine Restoration Plan Press Release with overview and link to the full plan.
- Defenders of Wildlife new Wolverine Blog with wolverine fun facts!
- Defenders of Wildlife Wolverine Report from 2025 outreach series.
- Recent CPW Commission Meeting Where they present the Reintroduction Plan (beginning 3:05:00).
Photo: Wolverine by National Park Service.
January 29 Public Lands Presentation Recording
We were honored to co-host a presentation recently with our friends at the San Luis Valley Ecosystem Council on 'Meeting Public Land Challenges in 2026' at the La Veta Library in Huerfano County!
The La Veta Library recorded the presentation and the 90 minute video is now available on their YouTube channel here. Stay tuned for another Wild Connections public lands video, recently presented by WC board members Alison Gallensky and Claude Neumann to the Friends of Mountain Evans and Lost Creek Wildernesses.
The La Veta Library recorded the presentation and the 90 minute video is now available on their YouTube channel here. Stay tuned for another Wild Connections public lands video, recently presented by WC board members Alison Gallensky and Claude Neumann to the Friends of Mountain Evans and Lost Creek Wildernesses.