Ready to embark on the path less traveled and experience an unconventional yet unforgettable adventure through Colorado's most beautiful landscapes? On this awe-inspiring journey, we will search for all five of Colorado’s mountain grouse species. This tour will take you from the great plains to intermountain valleys and high alpine tundra looking for White-tailed Ptarmigan, Sharp-tailed Grouse, Greater Sage-Grouse, Gunnison Sage-Grouse, and Dusky Grouse. Many mornings we will rise before dawn to settle down near breeding leks where we can observe the bizarre, yet magnificent courtship displays of these wonderful birds. Along the way, we'll stop to search for additional unique birds of the mountains such as Barrow's Goldeneye, Pinyon Jay, Brown-capped, Gray-crowned, and Black Rosy-finches, Williamson's Sapsucker, and Pine Grosbeak, to name just a few.  

We will be staying at a combination of 2- and 3-star hotels and lodges throughout this tour. Our first night in Dillon, we will stay at the Comfort Suites. The following day we will transfer to Walden, where we will stay at the Antlers Inn. After an action-packed day starting with Greater Sage-Grouse, we will travel to Steamboat Springs, where we will stay the Nordic Lodge. The next day we will travel down through Grand Junction to Montrose, CO where we will stay at the Super 8 by Wyndham. Later, we will head to Gunnison, where we will stay at the relaxing Waunita Hot Springs Ranch. Our final night, we will stay near the airport in Denver at La Quinta Inn and Suites. Each accommodation has been diligently vetted for quality and assurance.  

Arrival to Denver International Airport

Transfer to Dillon, Colorado

Loveland Pass (White-tailed Ptarmigan)

Silverthorne (Rosy-finches)

Walden Reservoir

Check into Anters Inn, Walden

Optional nocturnal owling on Cameron's Pass

Greater Sage Grouse lek

Arapahoe National Wildlife Refuge 

Rabbit's Ears Pass

Free afternoon in Steamboat Springs

Stay at the Nordic Lodge

Sharp-tailed Grouse Lek

Search areas for Dusky Grouse

Colorado National Monument

Transfer to Quality Inn in Delta, CO

Black Canyon of the Gunnison for Dusky Grouse

Transfer to Crested Butte

Mountain birding near Crested Butte

Transfer to Inn at Tomichi Village in Gunnison

Gunnison Sage-Grouse lek

Transfer to Buena Vista

Transfer to La Quinta Inn and Suites, Denver Airport

Transfer to airport

Departure