Nature
The park is a mosaic of low grasslands, rocky foothills, soaring granite cliffs, and lush stream corridors. The combination of more than 2,000-feet elevation gradient, a broad variety of terrain and the presence of water features in the park has resulted in an extensive diversity of vegetation communities and wildlife within the park.
Portions of the park have been given protective designations. These are non-regulatory designations that are intended to promote the conservation of sensitive resources through voluntary measures and proactive partnerships.
Please help protect the wonderful resources of Staunton State Park by practicing Leave No Trace principles, such as: traveling on durable surfaces and not short cutting trails, disposing of waste properly by packing out your trash and cleaning up after your pets, respecting wildlife by viewing them from a distance and being considerate of other visitors by keeping pets on a leash at all times.
We are the beneficiaries of this resource, we have been entrusted to enjoy, protect and treasure this park.
Plants
The variety of terrain and soils of Staunton State Park supports extensive vegetation diversity and complexity typical of Colorado Front Range Mountains. In the upper montane forests, which cover the vast majority of the Park, there are ponderosa pine, douglas-fir, lodgepole pine, Englemann spruce, limber pine and aspen scattered throughout the park.
Interspersed with the forest are several lush meadow wetlands and drier montane grassland communities. Riparian trees and shrubs and wetland vegetation dominate the stream corridors.
Wildflowers are abundant throughout the park. Join one of our naturalist led wildflower hikes to learn more about the plant life in the park. To help preserve their beauty for future generations, please do not pick the wildflowers or plants.
Wildlife
The mammal inhabitants of Staunton State Park are common throughout the mountains and Front Range. The elk herd is a distinguishing feature for visitors and the deer enjoy slowly meandering throughout the park. Abert’s squirrel, red fox and coyote can often be seen in the park. Predators, such as mountain lions, bobcat and Black bear also make their home in the park.
There are abundant and diverse avian habitats in Staunton State Park. Mixed conifer forest stands contain many different tree species and the dense diverse forest conditions are excellent habitat for common forest birds and a variety of woodland raptors. Several wetland birds such as the great blue heron, American dipper and the belted kingfisher can be seen at the park. Rocky outcrops and cliffs are habitats for falcons, hawks and an occasional golden eagle.
Please respect the wildlife by viewing them from a distance and keeping your pets on a leash at all times.
Geology
Most of the Park lies on a large granite formation called the Pikes Peak batholiths. Formed as the Earth’s crust was pushed up from below its hot liquid core, this batholith intruded into Precambrian metamorphic rocks. Millennia of uplift and erosion exposed the granite and eroded away most of the Precambrian rocks. Different rates of erosion created spectacular groupings of granite cliffs and outcrops like Lions Head, Chimney Rock, Elk Creek Spires and Staunton Rocks.
The rock found throughout the park has unique colors, shades and sparkles. Please leave rocks where you found them and do not take them home for your own collection.