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Wind River → Colorado grizzly corridor options
| Mainlining the $ecret Truth of the Univer$e | 08/28/25 |
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Date: August 28th, 2025 6:38 PM Author: Mainlining the $ecret Truth of the Univer$e (You = Privy to The Great Becumming™ = Welcum to The Goodie Room™) Grizzlies in Colorado – Current Status
No resident grizzlies remain in Colorado. The last confirmed bear was killed in 1979 in the San Juan Mountains.
Only black bears are officially recognized as present in Colorado today.
Possibility of a Grizzly Reaching Colorado from Wyoming
Male grizzlies can disperse very long distances (dozens of miles, sometimes over 100). Females move only short distances and tend to stay close to their natal range.
Because of this, a lone male could plausibly wander from Wyoming into northern Colorado.
However, founding a breeding population would require females to make similar moves, which is extremely unlikely without human-assisted relocation.
Major Barrier – Interstate 80
I-80 in southern Wyoming is the single greatest physical barrier. It runs east–west across the state and fragments habitat.
Crossing it would be rare and dangerous, but not impossible for a dispersing male.
Most Plausible Natural Corridors
Corridor A – Divide to Zirkel (Most Plausible)
Route: Southern Wind River Range → South Pass/Red Desert → cross I-80 near Rawlins/Wamsutter → Sierra Madre Mountains → Mount Zirkel Wilderness (northern Colorado).
Strengths: Connects directly into large, secure public-land forest blocks (Sierra Madre and Zirkel).
Weaknesses: Requires crossing open, arid basins and I-80.
Corridor B – Ferris to Snowy Range to Rawah (Viable but weaker)
Route: Southern Wind River → Ferris/Seminoe Mountains → cross I-80 near Arlington/Elk Mountain → Snowy Range → Rawah Wilderness (Colorado).
Strengths: Good habitat south of I-80 (Snowy Range and Rawah).
Weaknesses: Involves more fragmented “island” mountains and longer legs of open ranchland.
Corridor C – Western Swing via Wyoming Range and Uintas (Long Shot)
Route: Southern Wind River → Wyoming Range → Uinta Mountains (UT/WY) → Browns Park/Dinosaur National Monument → Yampa Valley → Mount Zirkel.
Strengths: Avoids I-80 entirely.
Weaknesses: Much longer distance, drier habitat gaps, and no existing grizzlies in the Uintas. Extremely unlikely.
Summary
Grizzlies no longer live in Colorado.
A lone wandering male from Wyoming could potentially make it, especially via the Sierra Madre → Zirkel route.
Establishing a true breeding colony is highly improbable because females don’t disperse far and the highway barrier is severe.
Without deliberate reintroduction or major connectivity improvements, Colorado will not naturally regain a grizzly population. |