Spring Is Here, but What Does That Mean?

So long, Winter: Spring is here to stay! Though, let’s be honest: the change of seasons doesn’t mean much here in Colorado. In the past few weeks, we’ve been absolutely hammered with dozens of inches of snow, with some areas seeing record highs in snow totals, and it’s quite possible that we’ll see even more in the coming weeks! But alas, Spring has officially arrived, thanks to the passing of the “vernal equinox”. This turning point in our solar system takes place early in our Earth’s calendar in mid-March, and a couple of things are all going on at once when this change happens. To start, the Earth’s axis is in a state of equilibrium, meaning the poles are perfectly parallel, resulting in an equal amount of daylight and darkness, regardless of latitude. In the Spring, this means that every day after the vernal equinox will be longer; that means more time to enjoy the sunshine each and every day up until the autumnal equinox in September! Those “long days” peak during the summer solstice, but we’ll cover that more in-depth when we get there in June. If you’re curious to learn more about how the Earth’s tilt affects daylight and temperature, the National Weather Service has an awesome breakdown of it here on their website.

Longer days and more sunlight mean warmer temperatures and emerging life! Here in the Garden, we’ll see many of our native animals come out to enjoy the beautiful weather, from birds to reptiles, and even the occasional bear! With that said, be sure to watch your surroundings on the trails and practice your Leave No Trace principles, especially as the summer months approach; the Spring marks the end of the brumation period for snakes! Be sure to give our resident animals some space, and just let them enjoy the Park as you do!

That aside, we can’t wait to see what the Park will look like this year! Last Summer brought tons of rain and moisture, allowing the Park to bloom in ways not seen by many in years! And who knows: with all the snow we’ve had recently, maybe we’ll see more of that green return this year? Time will tell, but in the meantime, be sure to check out the Garden soon, and we’ll be here for you!