Animals and Plants
of the
Sand Creek Regional Greenway
The Sand Creek Greenway is home to a fantastic diversity of plants and animals! The Sand Creek provides essential habitat for local wildlife and a continuous water supply for the trees, shrubs, and other plants that border its banks. The Greenway is an urban oasis in the middle of various bustling cities. While walking, biking, or running our 13 miles of trail, you may see prairie dogs, red foxes, coyotes, deer, jackrabbits, bullsnakes, insects big and small, and more!
Riparian ecosystem
The Greenway’s riparian ecosystem is the perfect spot for waterfowl such as the Wood Duck, Snowy Egret, and Cinnamon Teal to name just a few. The Greenway is also home to large birds of prey, such as Bald Eagles, Red-tailed Hawks, and American Kestrels. Look for these high up in the Cottonwood Trees that line the trail. Many birds can be seen year-round, while others only during migratory times. Keep your eyes open for larger animals like mule deer, red foxes, beavers, and coyotes around dawn and dusk on the Greenway. For a full list of animals, you can spot along the Greenway, visit the Morrison Nature Center’s Wildlife Checklist or CPW’s Species of Concern page.
High Plains Prairie Ecosystem
Due to the high plains prairie corridors that the Greenway offers, a variety of plants can thrive here. Such vegetation includes Prickly-Pear Cacti, Cattails, Sunflowers, Coyote Willow, Showy Milkweed and Rabbitbrush. For more information on other plants, check out this plant checklist created by the City of Aurora.
Animals on the Greenway are wild animals, not pets. Although these animals are incredible to see and watch, please do not approach any wildlife. If you encounter wildlife such as a coyote, please make sure to take the precaution outlined in Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s “Living with Wildlife” webpage. The City of Aurora Open Space and Natural Resources Division has also created a coyote safety video to inform community members of the dos and don’ts of living with coyotes.
Pollinator gardens
Make sure to check out our two pollinator gardens along the trail! With the ever-changing urban landscape around us, pollinator gardens are essential to the continued survival of local pollinators like bees, flies, moths, and butterflies. Pollinators are critical to the health of our planet, performing the crucial ecosystem service of pollination that makes it possible for us to grow our food and local plants to flourish. Pollinator gardens supply food and habitat for these important animals, increasing the number and diversity of pollinators thriving along the Greenway.
Our two pollinator gardens are located along the Greenway at the Wetland Loop in Commerce City and Sand Creek Park in Aurora. These gardens are filled with local native pollinator friendly plants such as Showy Milkweed, Penstemon (Beardtongue), Spiderwort, Yarrow, and Mexican Hat.
When visiting our pollinator gardens take some time to look closely at the plants…what do you see? How many pollinators can you count?
Our gardens are entirely community maintained. We are always looking for more volunteers to help maintain the pollinator gardens. All folks are welcome to join our pollinator garden volunteer group. We will train you and supply all the material needed.
The Sand Creek Regional Greenway Partnership is currently collecting data on the plants and animals thriving along the Greenway through community scientist activities.
Stay tuned for updated information regarding how YOU can help us learn more about the Greenway and all the critters that live along it!
