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 — cached for 15 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).
Local Wildlife Resource Map
Trusted Mesa County viewing areas, ranger offices, and rescue contacts. Tap any card to open directions.
- 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