Mountain Chicken Chase Grouse Tour
Mountain Chicken Chase Grouse Tour Overview
Highlights: Rare Birds • Photography • Conservation • Thoughtfully Curated Experience
Each spring, Colorado’s diverse landscapes come alive with one of North America’s most extraordinary wildlife spectacles: the courtship displays of its native grouse. This 7-day journey is designed to encounter five species of Colorado’s mountain grouse while exploring alpine tundra, montane and subalpine forests, sagebrush basins, and pinyon-pine canyon country.
With early-morning lek visits, carefully secured viewing access, and strategic routing across multiple ecosystems, this expedition blends rare species, breathtaking scenery, and thoughtful interpretation into one unforgettable wildlife experience.
Tour Features
Price per Guest:
$2,000 USD ($400 single supplement)
What to Expect on This Tour
The Colorado Mountain Chicken Chase Grouse Tour is an active, immersive expedition designed around the rhythms of spring courtship. On lek mornings, we rise before dawn to quietly position ourselves for extraordinary wildlife behavior — booming, strutting, stamping, and sparring in golden light.
Between lek visits, we travel through dramatically different landscapes in search of additional target species. Expect several long travel days, scenic drives, frequent birding stops, and time for photography. Dinners are relaxed and social; mornings are early and electric.
Participants should be prepared for variable mountain weather and elevations ranging from high plains (4,000 ft) to high alpine passes (12,000 ft).
A Day-by-Day Look At the Journey
We begin the day high in the alpine, traveling over Loveland Pass in search of one of Colorado’s most sought-after species: the White-tailed Ptarmigan. From there, we descend into the Blue River Valley, where well-known feeders in Silverthorne can attract an exciting mix of mountain finches and winter specialties, including Rosy-Finches, Evening and Pine Grosbeaks, Cassin’s Finch, and Canada Jay.
By midday, we make our way north into the wide-open landscapes of North Park, arriving in Walden to explore the wetlands and expansive parklands of Arapahoe National Wildlife Refuge. Here, we scan for a diversity of waterfowl, shorebirds, and raptors against a backdrop of snow-capped mountain views. We’ll enjoy a relaxed dinner in Walden before settling in for the night, preparing for the next morning’s early start in prime grouse country.
Overnight: Antlers Inn (Walden, CO)
Targets: White-tailed Ptarmigan, Brown-capped, Gray-crowned & Black Rosy-Finches, Evening & Pine Grosbeaks, Cassin’s Finch, Canada Jay
We start the day before dawn with one of the highlights of the trip: an early morning visit to a Greater Sage-Grouse lek, where males display in the quiet light of sunrise. After this unforgettable experience, we’ll explore the open waters of Walden Reservoir, scanning for waterfowl, grebes, and other wetland species typical of North Park.
From there, we head west over Rabbit Ears Pass, birding through subalpine forests in search of high-elevation specialties before descending into the Yampa Valley. The afternoon offers a mix of habitats and birdlife as we make our way toward Steamboat Springs, where we’ll enjoy a relaxed group dinner and settle in for the night at the Nordic Lodge.
Overnight: Nordic Lodge (Steamboat Springs, CO)
Targets: Greater Sage-Grouse, Sage Thrasher, Mountain Bluebird, Golden Eagle, Horned Lark, Western Meadowlark, Cinnamon Teal, California Gull, Eared Grebe, Yellow-headed Blackbird, Pine Grosbeak, Brown Creeper, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Barrow’s Goldeneye
We begin the morning with another unforgettable lek experience, this time with Sharp-tailed Grouse as males dance and display in the soft early light. Afterward, we bird through the Yampa Valley, where open meadows and wetlands can hold breeding Sandhill Cranes along with a variety of other spring migrants.
From here, we transition south and west, crossing into the rugged landscapes of the Colorado Plateau. As we make our way toward Grand Junction and the dramatic canyons of Colorado National Monument, we’ll watch for desert and canyon species before continuing on to Montrose, where we’ll settle in for the night.
Overnight: Quality Inn and Suites (Montrose, CO)
Targets: Sharp-tailed Grouse, Dusky Grouse, Sandhill Crane, Mountain Bluebird, Common Merganser, Canyon Wren, Juniper Titmouse, Bushtit, Gambel’s Quail, Bewick’s Wren, White-throated Swift, Pinyon Jay, Black-throated Sparrow, Sagebrush Sparrow
We begin the day in the dramatic landscapes of Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, where we search for Dusky Grouse among the pinyon-juniper slopes and canyon rims. The rugged scenery here provides a striking backdrop as we look for additional foothill and canyon species in this unique habitat.
From there, we travel east past Blue Mesa Reservoir and through Curecanti National Recreation Area, gradually gaining elevation as we make our way to Gunnison. We’ll spend time exploring montane habitats north of town for a variety of forest birds before continuing on to Waunita Hot Springs, where we can relax in the hot springs and unwind for the evening.
Overnight: Waunita Hot Springs (Gunnison, CO)
Targets: Dusky Grouse, Wilson’s Snipe, American Dipper, Say’s Phoebe, Spotted Towhee, Red-naped Sapsucker
Traveling Responsibly: Climate & Conservation Impact
A portion of every grouse tour directly supports the conservation of the species and habitats we explore. We donate 5% of each tour to leading organizations including the North American Grouse Partnership, Pheasants Forever, and The Nature Conservancy – groups working on the ground to protect sagebrush ecosystems, native grasslands, and critical breeding habitat across North America. By joining us in the field, you’re not only witnessing one of wildlife’s most remarkable spectacles—you’re helping ensure it endures for generations to come.
Past Trips & Proven Experiences
Real experiences from recent Birding Man grouse tours
Our April 2026 trip through Colorado was a huge success, tallying a total of 100 species, including all five species of mountain grouse. Sagebrush Sparrow, Pinyon Jay, Lewis’s Woodpecker, Williamson’s and Red-naped Sapsuckers, Golden Eagle, Pine and Evening Grosbeaks, and Barrow’s Goldeneye were other trip highlights.
Our April 2025 trip through Colorado consisted of gorgeous views, exciting wildlife encounters, and amazing group comradery. We tallied 105 species, including all five species of mountain grouse. All three species of Rosy-Finch, Pinyon Jay, Lewis’s Woodpecker, Northern Saw-whet and Boreal Owls, Golden Eagle, Evening Grosbeak, and American Three-toed Woodpecker were other trip highlights.
Optional Extension
Dates: April 8 – 12, 2027
Duration: 5 days, 4 nights
Description: Step into one of North America’s most overlooked and rapidly disappearing ecosystems—the shortgrass prairie. This 4-day extension takes you across vast, open landscapes in search of both Greater and Lesser Prairie-Chickens, where the ancient spectacle of lekking still unfolds each spring. Along the way, you’ll meet ranchers who are playing a vital role in conserving these habitats, offering a powerful glimpse into how working lands and wildlife can coexist.
Beyond grouse, these prairies teem with life—longspurs, sparrows, buntings, plovers, raptors, and owls all adapted to this windswept world. Thoughtfully designed to reveal both the ecological richness and conservation importance of the Great Plains, this experience invites you to see beauty in a landscape many have overlooked—and to leave with a deeper appreciation for its fragility and value.
What Our Guests Are Saying
“Birding Man proved themselves to be a well organized company with a very knowledgeable guide, which resulted in a very successful and enjoyable trip. The bird species and their locations were well scouted, and the trip was nicely orchestrated. My only concern is that I took so many photos it will take me forever to go through and do any post-processing on them”
-Bill B., Mountain Chicken Chase 2025
“This was an energetic trip from the start. There are several early morning starts in pursuit of fantastic birds. The scenery is outstanding. We saw all of the major species we set out to observe and, ultimately, over 100 species. Ryan is a genial, energetic, and considerate guide. All the accommodations were good and reliable. Participants need to be able to pop in and out of the van and to manage both rocky and snowy trails. It was a fantastic trip and we recommend it highly!”
-Peter J., Mountain Chicken Chase 2025
This is just one of many five-star experiences.
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