VISIT HPEC
OUR LOCATION
HPEC is comprised of 76 acres of land surrounding 199 acres of lakes. Together they create a 275 acre natural preserve in the midst of the 3,500 acre master-planned community of Centerra, in Loveland, CO.
What is on site?
Our trails and gardens are open to the public from dawn to dusk daily. This is where you’ll find our exhibits including native plant demonstration gardens, interpretive signage, and even videos embedded within the signs! Grab a trail map out front and enjoy your stroll. Our office is open by appointment because our staff is so often out and about. The visitor’s center contains our staff offices, a small museum, and our classroom.
The native plant nursery is not open to the public with the exceptions of tours, volunteers, and the end of season plant sale in September.
Gardens & Trails
Open Daily, Dawn to Dusk
Building Hours
Monday – Friday, 9am – 4pm
Address
2698 Bluestem Willow Drive
Loveland, CO 80538
Walk through our Demonstration Gardens to get inspired for your own native plantings.
NATIVE PLANTINGS
All of our landscaping contains a great diversity of Rocky Mountain and prairie region native plants selected for water usage, shade preference, and soil type.
Our gardens highlight the benefits of landscaping with native plants, which support pollinators, wildlife, and wetland habitats while promoting water conservation and biodiversity. By using plants adapted to Colorado’s unique climate and soil, you can enhance soil health, reduce the need for pesticides, and help create essential habitats for birds, bees, and other native species, contributing to the restoration of habitat connectivity in urban and suburban areas.
FRONT GARDEN
Our front garden contains native plants specifically selected for their affinity for moisture. As rain water drains from the parking lot into our landscaping it pools in this area for a few days before passing into larger drainage ditches, then eventually into the reservoir. Bioswales are effective ways of providing wetland habitat and sequestering nutrient runoff that would otherwise end up in waterways.
MEDICINE WHEEL
The Medicine Wheel Garden is an ethnobotanical garden that highlights native plants used by Plains Native American tribes for food, medicine, and ceremony. Established with the help of local volunteers, including Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado, the garden’s first phase created a permanent space for the Thompson School District’s annual 3rd grade powwow and the Lakota Ride. Later phases feature a variety of plants labeled with their common, scientific, and Lakota names, honoring the traditional territory of the Lakota tribes, which includes the Front Range, known as He Ska, or the shining mountains.
WILD ZONE
The Wild Zone at High Plains Environmental Center is an evolving, volunteer-supported outdoor classroom where children can engage in self-directed learning and unstructured play, fostering a love of nature. Inspired by Richard Louves Last Child in the Woods (2007), which highlights the connection between nature and healthy childhood development, the Wild Zone aims to combat the rise of obesity, attention disorders, and depression by encouraging children to explore and connect with the outdoors using all their senses.
HERILOOM FRUIT ORCHARD
In the early 20th century, Northern Colorado, especially Larimer County, was a major fruit-growing region, with cherry production leading the industry. The first cherry tree was planted in the Big Thompson Valley in 1864, and by the 1900's, the fruit industry had flourished. At the High Plains Environmental Center, heirloom varieties of apples, plums, cherries, peaches, and blackberries are now cultivated in the Heirloom Fruit Orchard to celebrate and preserve Colorado’s rich agricultural heritage dating back to the 1860’s.
OLD CANAL PARK
As developers built the area that would become High Plains Environmental Center’s natural area, they took care to avoid disturbing the areas of highest ecological value. A park was built, which included a gazebo, concrete walkways, and irrigated landscaping. The park was named Old Canal Park because it was built on an island between an irrigation ditch (abandoned in 1907) and Equalizer Lake.
WETLAND ECOLOGY AT OLD CANAL PARK
In the early 20th century, Northern Colorado, especially Larimer County, was a major fruit-growing region, with cherry production leading the industry. The first cherry tree was planted in the Big Thompson Valley in 1864, and by the 1900's, the fruit industry had flourished. At the High Plains Environmental Center, heirloom varieties of apples, plums, cherries, peaches, and blackberries are now cultivated in the Heirloom Fruit Orchard to celebrate and preserve Colorado’s rich agricultural heritage dating back to the 1860’s.
Grass Test Plots At Chapungu sculpture park
We are often asked which native grasses we recommend in place of traditional turf. To better answer that question we decided to do an experiment. We installed 13 grass species by a major intersection at Chapungu Sculpture Park in Loveland, CO. Roadsides in Northern Colorado endure harsh conditions, such as heat from asphalt, road salts, and snow piles. We used several installation methods (seed, sod, plugs, divisions) per species and carefully tracked each variable. The trial aimed to identify the best-suited species for these conditions. The High Plains Environmental Center maintained the plots under typical landscape practices with appropriate irrigation and mowing schedules. Data collection is ongoing. Results can be found here. Plots can be viewed here.
HPEC invites you to visit our trails and experience the slice of nature we have restored.
Trail Regulations
- Trails open dawn to dusk
- All pedestrians and bicyclists must stay on established trails
- No walking on shoreline
- Dogs must be on a leash at all times
- No swimming or wading, including dogs
- Dispose of pet waste properly
- Dispose of trash in bins or pack out
- No alcohol or drugs
- Obey all posted signage
- Harassment of wildlife is not allowed at any time
- No unauthorized vehicle access
- No Drones
- No ice skating
- No firearms
Fishing Regulations
- All Colorado state fishing regulations apply
- Fish only within designated areas, see map and signage
- Do not rely on information that is not published by HPEC, the landowner
- Dispose of lines, hooks, lures (etc) in provided tubes
- No ice fishing
- No boats
- No bow fishing
- No swimming or wading, including dogs
- Dogs on leash at all times
- Dispose of pet waste properly
- No alcohol or drugs
Boating Regulations
- Boating is allowed on Houts Reservoir (no boating on Equalizer Lake) by reserving an
- HPEC-owned kayak.
- Open seasonally from 8am – 3pm
- No personal watercraft.
- Must be a resident of Lakes at Centerra or Lake Vista Apts.
- Must be 18+ to rent kayak. Minors must be accompanied by parent/guardian. No children under 3.
- Must be able to swim
- No fishing from kayak
- No shore access, dock only
- Must wear lifejacket and carry safety whistle at all times
- No pets
- No swimming or wading