The Mountain Plover Festival will be held Friday, Saturday and Sunday, April 28, April 29 and April 30, 2023 in Karval, Colorado

Mountain Plover Festival – Karval CO Bird Watching Festival

Find all the details at https://mountainploverfestival.com/

Birders visit this area from all over the world to spot the rare Mountain Plover. Often referred to as the “ghost of the prairie,” plovers blend in with the environment. The Mountain Plover Festival is a terrific time to travel the area in groups searching for nests that are tended by both female and male plovers. Third generation ranchers, the sons and daughters of Colorado homesteaders, lead day and evening tours on public and private land including through a historic area where the Goodnight–Loving Cattle Trail ran in the late 1860s, driving the large-scale movement of Texas Longhorns north to Colorado.

Is it in the mountains? NOPE…the birds fly from California over the mountains to one of the United States’ largest breeding grounds in tiny Karval, Colorado so they were named “Mountain” Plover.

Is it a festival? NOPE…Not the kind you are thinking of!

Will you see lots and lots of Mountain Plovers milling around? NOPE… This bird is called the ghost of the prairie so you have to hunt for them. You will see around 80 different species of birds including plovers.

Can you just show up day of? NOPE...If you show up after the school buses leave the community building on the morning or afternoon tour to see birds and historic sites, you will feel like you are in a ghost town.

Is it conveniently located? NOPE … You drive for what seems like forever from Denver or Colorado Springs or Fort Collins, Greeley, Pueblo, Trinidad, etc. and you should fill your gas tank in Hugo or Limon on the way there.

Are there hotels, restaurants or gas stations? NOPE … Karvel is home to some of Colorado’s big cattle ranches so it is surrounded by prairie and a reservoir with migrating birds plus dark skies with lots, and lots of beautiful stars.

Then where do you stay? With families on their ranches or you can bring an RV and they’ll hook you up or give you tent camping spots. Another option is to book a hotel in Limon or Hugo and drive in each day.

Do I have to go for the entire weekend? NOPE …You can just visit for a day.

Why on earth do people want to attend? Because this is one of the coolest things you might ever experience in Colorado if you like unbelievably dark skies with lots and lots of stars, birds, good food, down to earth people who are third generation ranchers, the sons and daughters of Colorado homesteaders, seeing historic areas such as where the Goodnight–Loving Cattle Trail ran in the late 1860s, driving the large-scale movement of Texas Longhorns north to Colorado and baby calves. They also provide cool entertainment during the Saturday night chuck wagon dinner. Big Bonus…This is very family friendly.

Unlike a traditional festival, visitors do not just arrive the day of. Reservations are required because there are no gas stations, hotels or restaurants in Karval, Colorado. Instead, festival organizers provide all meals and entertainment and help to arrange home stays on historic Colorado ranches. It’s the perfect time of year to visit this part of Colorado because in addition to seeing lots of birds, it is calving season.

“We bring the plover lovers to the bird,” Karval Community Alliance President Dan Merewether said. “Along with bird watching, our guests get the chance to mingle with farmers and ranchers who have lived on this land for generations, eat home style food including a chuck wagon dinner with authentic western entertainment and learn about conservation practices and the history of this unique part of Colorado.”

Birders, nature lovers and families will enjoy unique bird watching on ordinarily inaccessible private land, wildlife viewing, entertainment, history and lots of great food. Local museums open for the weekend so travelers can get a true glimpse of life on the prairie during their visit to Lincoln County, Colorado.

The Mountain Plover is a bird that begins arriving on Colorado’s central plains in early April. Plovers find the short grass prairie and fallow fields in the area to be excellent habitat and Karval, Colorado is one of the largest nesting grounds in the nation. Mountain Plovers migrate over the Rocky Mountains from California, hence the name “mountain,” and stay in the area usually through late summer.

Birders visit this area from all over the world to spot the rare Mountain Plover. Often referred to as the “ghost of the prairie,” plovers blend in with the environment. The Mountain Plover Festival is a terrific time to travel the area in groups searching for nests that are tended by both female and male plovers. Third generation ranchers, the sons and daughters of Colorado homesteaders, lead day and evening tours on public and private land including through a historic area where the Goodnight–Loving Cattle Trail ran in the late 1860s, driving the large-scale movement of Texas Longhorns north to Colorado.