Official office
CPW Northwest Region Office — Grand Junction
711 Independent Ave, Grand Junction, CO 81505
Report conflicts, sick/injured wildlife, and pick up hunting/fishing licenses. Staffed weekdays.
Grand Valley Nature Hub
Living with Wildlife
& Grand Valley Nature
Real Mesa County guidance for coexisting with bears, snakes, mountain lions, and the wild horses roaming the Book Cliffs — plus live updates from Colorado Parks & Wildlife.
Latest Colorado Parks & Wildlife Updates
Live feed from cpw.state.co.us — refreshes every 10 minutes.
Featured Program
🐻 BearWise®: Protecting Your Flock & Living Safely with Bears
⚠️ Important Colorado Law Notice (HB26-1342)
CPW officers can now issue immediate $200+ fines (scaling into thousands for repeat offenses) for knowingly leaving food, trash, or livestock feed open to bears — without a prior warning. Secure your attractants now.
PDF Bulletin
Raising Chickens in Bear Country
Electric fence specs: 6,000V+, 0.5+ joules, 3–6 strands.
(Opens PDF from bearwise.org in a new tab) PDF BulletinElectric Fences Keep Bears Out
Grounding, energizer selection, wire layout, and maintenance.
(Opens PDF from bearwise.org in a new tab) PDF BulletinSix At-Home BearWise Basics
Trash, bird feeders, pet food, grills, neighbor alerts.
(Opens PDF from bearwise.org in a new tab)Electric Fence Specs
- • Minimum 6,000+ volts · 0.5+ joules output.
- • 3–6 strands of metal wire or polywire.
- • Lowest wire 7–9″ off ground; highest 36–42″.
- • Test voltage weekly; keep vegetation off the wires.
Six At-Home Basics
- • Never feed or approach bears.
- • Secure food, garbage & recycling in bear-resistant bins.
- • Remove bird feeders April–November.
- • Never leave pet food outdoors.
- • Clean & store grills after every use.
- • Alert neighbors when bears are active.
BearWise® & CPW Flyer Gallery
Select any flyer to open a full-size view.
Local Mesa County Wildlife Safety
Know before you go — trailhead and neighborhood realities on the Western Slope.
🐍 Rattlesnakes on the Trail
Prairie rattlesnakes are common on Mt. Garfield, the Bangs Canyon network, and throughout McInnis Canyons NCA from April through October — especially at dawn and dusk on sunny slickrock ledges.
- Keep dogs on a 6-ft leash; most snake bites happen off-leash.
- Step on logs and rocks, never blindly over them.
- Give any snake at least 5 ft of clearance and let it retreat.
- If bitten: keep calm, remove tight clothing/jewelry, and drive to St. Mary's ER — do NOT ice, cut, or tourniquet.
- Consider a rattlesnake avoidance clinic for your dog (offered spring/fall in Grand Junction).
Wildlife Directory
Local vet clinics and exotic-animal care, wildlife rescues and rehabilitators, gear shops carrying bear spray and optics, and licensed guides and outfitters.
Mesa County Wildlife Guide
Seasonal migrations, viewing spots from Glade Park to the Grand Mesa and Book Cliffs, and a CPW license & permit checklist.
Open the guide →Local Wildlife Resource Map
Trusted Mesa County viewing areas, ranger offices, and rescue contacts. Tap any card to open directions.
- CPW office
- Ranger station
- Vet / animal care
- Outfitter & gear
- Viewing area
Little Book Cliffs Wild Horse Range — Cameo Trailhead
Cameo Rd, Palisade, CO 81526
Primary access to the federally protected mustang range. Coal Canyon closed to vehicles Dec 1–May 31 for foaling.
- Viewing area
McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area
2815 H Rd, Grand Junction, CO 81506
Prime rattlesnake, desert bighorn, and raptor habitat. Stay on trail; keep dogs leashed.
- Official office
Colorado National Monument — Saddlehorn Visitor Center
1750 Rim Rock Dr, Fruita, CO 81521
Ranger-led wildlife programs, mountain lion advisories, and current trail closures.
- Viewing area
Grand Mesa Visitor Center
Highway 65 at Cobbett Lake, Cedaredge, CO 81413
Elk, moose, black bear, and mule deer viewing tips for the Grand Mesa National Forest.
- Viewing area
Highline Lake State Park
1800 11 8/10 Rd, Loma, CO 81524
Waterfowl, bald eagles, and shorebirds. Free CPW binoculars available at the visitor center.
- Rescue / rehab
Nature's Educators — Raptor & Reptile Rescue (Sedalia CO)
Serving Western Slope — call before transporting
Licensed rehabilitator for injured raptors and reptiles. Call CPW first: (970) 255-6100.
Report a Wildlife Sighting
Non-emergency reports go straight to the Explore Mesa County inbox. For an injured or aggressive animal, call CPW at (970) 255-6100 first.
Report wildlife conflicts or a sick/injured animal to CPW Grand Junction: (970) 255-6100