On a frosty morning in April, a distinctive sound rises above the crunch of boots in frozen grass. In the early morning hours, beginning in the pre-dawn light and continuing on to mid-morning, the Greater Sage Grouse are shaking their tail feathers, preening and dancing in the cool mountain air. Grouse can travel as far as ten miles to meet up at these leks, or mating grounds. 

For one month a year, the greater sage grouse gather to mate. Females return to their range to nest and forage for food, while the males disperse, waiting patiently for their return next year. A coveted event among nature photographers, bird watchers, and ecologists alike, not only is lekking crucial to the survival of the species, but it might also be an indication of the overall health of the land. 

The North Park Chamber of Commerce hosts an annual tour of several greater sage grouse leks in Jackson County, CO which draws wildlife enthusiasts, birders, and photographers from all around.

What is the Greater Sage Grouse?

Greater sage grouse are a species of large grouse which inhabit the grasslands, ranges, and prairies of the western half of North America. They forage for seeds and other vegetation, with their food source mostly coming from native grasses as well as the ubiquitous sagebrush shrubs that give them their name. 

Males have distinctive plumage, which scientists believe might be predominantly used to demonstrate health and genetic prowess during mating. With a fan of spearlike tailfeathers, spiky white chest feathers, and tufted head plumage, the males are almost garish. Compared to females which take on a more utilitarian appearance which helps them blend in with their surroundings, you might not even realize they were the same species!

The most recognizable features of the males are large air sacs which they inflate, percuss, and deflate with a distinctive sound that can be heard for up to two miles by female grouse. They make these sounds while parading around leks to draw the attention of potential mates in spring, enticing them to an elaborate spectacle of dancing and breeding.

The males can repeat the air sac cycle around ten times per minute and gulp about a gallon of air by volume each time. It’s not just a dance-off either. Males aggressively force out their weaker competitors, buffeting them with their wings and body-checking them with their chests until they leave the leks. The dominant males mate with several females, who go off to build nests several miles away. The leks remain the same, and are used again and again for countless generations. 

Sage Grouse Habitat

The greater sage grouse once covered extensive areas throughout North America. However, their habitat has shrunk to about half of what it once was, pushing them close to being on the endangered species list. Over hunting during the western expansion and settlement of the western US was just the beginning of changing their environment. 

In more recent years, urban sprawl, livestock grazing, invasive species such as rabbit grass (and ensuing wildfires from their presence), and destruction of rangeland have contributed to their decline. Without the protection of sagebrush, the greater sage grouse is more vulnerable to predation from domesticated animals, coyotes, raptors, and even gray wolf reintroduction.

Hunting season for the greater sage grouse has been less of a threat, since the season is open only for a few days, and grouse are very elusive due to their coloring. And frankly grouse aren’t nearly as popular with hunters as big game.

Industry vs. Habitat

Perhaps one of the biggest threats to their habitat has been the development of oil and natural gas production in remote rural areas that would otherwise allow the grouse to have free range. Truck traffic, building and earthworks, and even diversion of water sources to provide infrastructure for industry have disrupted these once pristine habitats.

Throughout the western states, sage grouse counts have consistently been dropping in their range and lek habitats since around 2002. Disruption of the area around a lek is detrimental to whether or not the lek is used. If the range surrounding a mating area is unstable, polluted, or difficult to live in, the grouse will simply abandon the leks and move on, or even just die off. 

A Delicate Balance

The greater sage grouse are what is known as an indicator species. Their presence and activity can be a telltale sign of a healthy environment, just as their sudden absence can indicate problems. Since the leks provide a predictable theatre for observation, researchers can get accurate counts of the numbers and health of sage grouse, which can reflect how healthy the ecosystem is for the area. 

The numbers and behavior grouse are a good way to gauge the health of animals such as deer, elk, and other big game animals; all of which are a significant part of the economy of rural Colorado.

What one person might see as a silly bird, might be the proverbial canary in the coal mine when it comes to determining the health of the environment, purity of water, and stability of the land itself. All of which contribute not only to the fish and wildlife of North Park, but its human residents as well. Acid deposition, droughts, water quality, and the presence of heavy metals in the environment are all factors at play that will almost immediately be reflected in the numbers of sage grouse as well as their health.

Environmental Concerns

Droughts in the western states have been a major concern for a few decades now. Weather and climate patterns have been yielding lower precipitation all year long. As seen with the pine borer beetles in the early 2000s, mild winters were allowing invasive species to survive the colder months and flourish during the rest of the year. The result was catastrophic to already weakened forests. 

With growing cities in the west needing more water to support thirsty populations downstream, rural mountain communities are seeing less water being kept in reserve—or simply selling water rights off down the river, or to oil and gas companies. 

This effect of diminishing returns becomes harder and harder to recover from. Our towns are affected, as well as livestock and the livelihood of farmers and ranchers throughout the Rocky Mountain West. We are just beginning to see the results of the environmental impact. As deserts thousands of miles away become greener with golf courses and lawns, the fields and wetlands of Colorado are drying up. 

The greater sage grouse are providing the data in their declining numbers as we argue about it in political theatre.

Impacted by Radical Climate Shifts

We’ve been seeing a lot of fluctuation in weather trends over the last several years. A ten year drought and subsequent beetle infestation in the early 2000s threw a hard punch into the face of Colorado timber and tourism. 

One out of every ten pine trees are dead, and aside from being an eyesore along a scenic drive, they become dangerous during ever-increasingly dry summers and more destructive fire seasons. In the summer of 2020 the result was some of the largest wildfires in Colorado forests ever recorded. 

And now another drought might be coming.

Fires decimated our forests and hard hitting rains washed out plenty of mountain roads. The water had nowhere to go but downhill, taking topsoil with it. The resulting destruction silted many creeks and lakes in northern Colorado, killing off most of the fish. The damage to property and infrastructure between floods and fires has taken its toll, but the long range impact of these catastrophic events is incalculable and still unable to be seen. 

The recent Year Without Winter in Colorado might be a sign of another multi-year drought, just as forests and grasslands were beginning to recover. Extra care must be taken in these precarious times, and awareness of just how delicate this situation is should be ringing some warning bells.

How You Can Help

One of the ways you can help is to practice sustainable eco-friendly tourism. Pack out your trash, reduce your impact on ground cover and forests by sticking to roads and campgrounds, and being extremely careful when it comes to fire. 

Even a lit cigarette tossed out of the window can wreak havoc on animal habitat and where people live with one careless moment. Report smoke to local fire and rescue or National Forest offices. Poor campfire practices and lightning strikes can get out of control quickly, resulting in generational damage to our wildlife and their habitats.

Even if Colorado experiences a wet spring, it will still be lacking the snowmelt it needs throughout the summer months. Right now, it’s just not there. 

Sage Grouse Tours

This year’s greater sage grouse tours were open for two weekends in April, but unfortunately if you are just now learning about it, tickets have already sold out for 2026! This is great for the event, and maybe an opportunity to plan your visit for 2027. 

Tours start early in the morning and visitors are shuttled around to various known leks between 6am and 10am for optimal viewing. Weather conditions can range from chilly to more extreme with sleet or snow, so be sure to dress for the volatile North Park Weather. Each group will have a knowledgeable and professional tour guide to help ensure your front row seats to one of the biggest spectacles of wildlife in the lower 48!

Hotels and vacation rentals often sell out, so be sure to book your accommodations well in advance once you secure your tickets through the North Park Area Chamber of Commerce website. If hotels and cabins aren’t your thing, there are also several RV Parks available in the area if you want to bring along your home away from home.

Seats for grouse tours are limited, and unfortunately, we don’t know how much longer we will get to enjoy being a sanctuary for the greater sage grouse in Colorado. Part of doing your part to protect this incredible species is through sustainable eco-tourism and spreading awareness about them.

Places to Stay

Book a hotel, VRBO, or AirBnB vacation rental property and make it a weekend photo trip. Check out this article on rental cabins, or these articles on the Old Homestead and Powderhorn Cabins for some ideas on some truly unique and iconic North Park places to stay.

To be right in the heart of moose country, book a reservation with Yonder Yurts in the Colorado State Forest State Park. 22 West will put you within striking distance of the Park Range via Rainbow Lakes Trails.

Some of our most popular accommodations:

• Antlers Inn: 970-723-8690
• Caribou Crossing Motel: 970-501-6076
• Sleepy Moose Inn: 970-440-1614
• North Park Inn and Suites: 970-723-4271
• Chedsey Motel: 970-723-8201
• Lake John Resort: 970-723-8201
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Plan Your Trip Now!

It’s never too early to start daydreaming about planning your next adventure in North Park. Jackson County is Colorado’s best kept secret when it comes to outdoor activities, fishing, and wildlife watching. Whether it is hiking, climbing, mountain biking, or just taking a long drive to pass the weekend away from the city, add the Walden, CO area to your itinerary of places to discover the real Colorado. And leave the crowds behind.

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