Frogs in Colorado: identification guide and best places to start

1. Where are people most likely to notice frogs in Colorado?

Your best odds are in and around still or slow-moving water below 8,000 feet. Look for frogs at the edges of ponds, marshes, irrigation ditches, and beaver ponds. The Front Range, from Colorado Springs to Fort Collins, holds strong populations. I’ve had great luck at Walden Ponds in Boulder and the wetlands of Barr Lake State Park.

2. What season or weather patterns help with frog spotting?

Spring is prime time. Once daytime temps hit the 60s and evening lows stay above 40°F, frogs become active. Heavy spring rains trigger mass breeding events. Warm, damp evenings from March through June produce the most frog activity. On a misty May evening, frogs often call by the dozens.

See our Frogs guide for the next step.

3. Simple ID cues that separate Colorado frogs from lookalikes

Colorado’s true frogs have smooth, moist skin and long legs built for jumping. They usually have two prominent dorsolateral ridges running down their backs. Toads have warty, dry skin and shorter legs. Tiger salamanders, sometimes mistaken for frogs, have distinct spots and a tail. If it’s hopping and has webbed feet, it’s a frog.

See our state animal guide for the next step.

4. What are the most common frog species in Colorado?

The Northern Leopard Frog is widespread, green or brown with round spots. The Boreal Chorus Frog is tiny (1 inch) with three dark stripes. The Wood Frog lives in mountain wetlands and has a dark mask. The Plains Leopard Frog looks similar to the Northern but has a pointed snout. Learn their calls to separate them.

5. Where are the best spots to find frogs in Colorado?

Try the wetlands at Barr Lake State Park, the South Platte River near Denver, or the San Luis Valley’s extensive marshes. For a mountain experience, hike to beaver ponds in the Roosevelt National Forest. Many front range open spaces, like Boulder’s Sawhill Ponds, are reliable year after year.