The Plains Conservation Center preserves shortgrass prairie in Aurora

Southeast Aurora opens onto the high plains. The Plains Conservation Center protects a large piece of shortgrass prairie inside a county better known for suburbs.

The center protects shortgrass prairie, the low, tough grassland that covers much of eastern Colorado. On the grounds are a replica sod homestead village, with simple buildings like a school and a blacksmith shop, and a replica tipi camp. Together they help visitors picture two ways of living on these plains in the late 1800s. Trails let you walk the prairie and see the grasses, birds, and wide sky that shaped life out here.

The prairie is a real part of the county, not just a backdrop. It comes with its own weather, wind, and wildlife, and the homestead sites offer a calm way to understand how people once made a living from this dry, open land. The trails are also a quiet outdoor option close to the metro.

The center is run by the City of Aurora, and hours and programs change with the seasons. Check the City of Aurora’s Plains Conservation Center page before you visit.