Shell Rock

Location:    Baca County
Size:   640 acres
Designated:   2002
Landowner:   State Land Board

Shell Rock Natural Area contains one of the largest known Colorado populations (800+ plants) of Frasera coloradensis (Colorado green gentian). This site also contains a wonderful example of shortgrass prairie in good condition.  The area is part of the Greenhorn Limestone Outcrops cluster of conservation sites identified in 1998 by The Nature Conservancy in "Ecoregion-Based Conservation in the Central Shortgrass Prairie." These sites were delineated based primarily on rare plant occurrences.