Pawnee Buttes
Pawnee Buttes, Colorado
Grover, CO
Two lonely sandstone towers standing out of an endless sea of grass, marking a horizon that runs uninterrupted for miles.
The Pawnee Buttes are two striking sandstone buttes that rise abruptly out of the flat shortgrass prairie of northeastern Colorado, visible from far across the plains. In a landscape defined by its emptiness and its endless horizon, the buttes are landmarks, remnants of an older, higher land surface that has largely eroded away, leaving these two capped towers standing alone.
A trail leads out across the grassland to the base of the buttes, one of the finest short hikes on the eastern plains, passing crumbling bluffs and offering a real sense of the scale of this open country. It is a place of raptors and wide skies, of solitude and distance, and it rewards travelers willing to venture off the beaten path into Colorado's quiet prairie.
What Guests Love
- Twin buttes standing out of a vast, empty grassland
- A quiet, uncrowded trail leading out to their base
- Enormous skies, dark nights, and total open-plains silence
- Watching hawks, eagles, and falcons ride the winds along the bluffs
Worth Knowing
- Part of the cliffs closes seasonally to protect nesting raptors, so heed the signs
- It is remote with no services, so bring water, fuel, and everything you need
- There is no shade on the trail, so plan for sun, wind, and heat
- Roads out here are dirt and can turn to slick mud when wet
Details
Grover, CO
Learn about Pawnee Buttes
How the buttes came to stand alone
The Pawnee Buttes are made of soft sedimentary rock, sandstone and clay laid down over millions of years, capped by a harder, more resistant layer that has protected them from the erosion that wore down the land around them. As the surrounding plains washed and blew away over the ages, these two capped remnants were left standing, monuments to a land surface that once reached far higher.
The bluffs and badlands near the buttes are rich in fossils, and the region has long been of interest to paleontologists studying the ancient life of the plains. Erosion continues to shape the buttes and the nearby cliffs, slowly and steadily, so the landscape you see is a snapshot of a very old, very gradual process still at work.
The trail and the walk out
The Pawnee Buttes Trail sets out from a small parking area and crosses the open grassland toward the buttes, running for a few miles round trip. It is mostly level and straightforward, though the sun, wind, and lack of shade make water and preparation essential, and it delivers big rewards for modest effort.
Along the way the path passes crumbling clay bluffs and the West Butte, with the taller East Butte standing beyond on private land. The walk gives you time to absorb the scale of the plains, the layered colors of the eroding cliffs, and, if you are lucky, the sight of hawks or an eagle drifting along the rimrock ahead of you.
Nesting raptors and the closures
The cliffs of the Pawnee Buttes are important nesting habitat for birds of prey, including hawks, falcons, and eagles, which favor the ledges and overhangs of the eroding bluffs. Because of this, part of the trail and cliff area closes each year during the nesting season to protect the birds during a sensitive time.
Those seasonal closures are clearly posted, and honoring them is part of visiting responsibly, since a disturbed nest can mean lost young. Even when the cliffs are closed, the buttes and the grassland reward a visit, and watching a prairie falcon or golden eagle work the winds along the bluffs is one of the great sights of this remote corner of Colorado.
The prairie, the sky, and the seasons
This is the land of the shortgrass prairie, a subtle ecosystem that reveals its riches to those who slow down: pronghorn out on the flats, prairie dogs in their towns, and a wealth of grassland birds. It is also the homeland of Plains peoples including the Cheyenne and Arapaho, whose history is woven through this landscape. The dark night skies out here, far from any city glow, are magnificent.
Spring and fall are the best times to visit, mild and often stirring with bird activity and, in spring, wildflowers among the grass. Summer is hot and exposed, with the ever-present risk of afternoon storms and lightning on the open plains, so early starts are wise. Winter is cold, windswept, and stark, but a snow-dusted butte under a huge quiet sky has its own austere beauty.
Closest Boutels
The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is an independently owned, editorially selected place to stay.
Things to Do Near Grover
Pawnee National Grassland
All around
The vast federal grassland the buttes stand within, a haven of shortgrass prairie, birdlife, and open plains.
Grover
About 15 miles southwest
A tiny plains town, the nearest community, with a historic depot museum recalling the region's railroad days.
Crow Valley Recreation Area
Near Briggsdale
A shady campground and picnic area in a cottonwood grove, a green oasis and a noted birding spot on the grassland.
Fort Collins
About 60 miles west
A lively college city at the edge of the plains, gateway to the northern Front Range and Rocky Mountain National Park.