PHOTOS COURTESY OF CITY OF LONGMONT
The Longmont
Nature Guide by Claire Lardizabal
MCINTOSH LAKE NATURE AREA The 3.5-mile loop around McIntosh Lake (at left) offers views of Longs Peak. DAWSON SILVERWOOD This aluminum sculpture (featured below) located at Lake McIntosh features inscriptions from local students.
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n the city of Longmont, residents have plenty of places to get outside and enjoy nature, including 41 parks containing a total of 2,242 acres.
“Longmont puts a lot of pride into the park system,” says Kathy Kron, Longmont Parks and Natural Resources senior project manager. “When it comes to having a variety of parks, we have neighborhood, nature and greenway parks. “It’s a neat aspect because you can get lost in nature without having to leave town.” And as long as you’re lost in nature, here are a few of the things you can do before you find your way back home: Bird watching: It’s common to see osprey, bald eagles and a wide variety of hawks and other raptors. Many species of smaller birds such as chickadees, finches, blue jays, doves and woodpeckers are also common. Near evening or early morning be on the lookout for wild turkeys. And while harder to find, rare species such as the burrowing owl, which can be found near prairie dig colonies, do appear from time to time. When water is present, expect to see cormorants, American white pelicans, great blue herons, a wide variety of ducks and Canada geese.
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