Are There Opossums in Colorado?
Opossums are extremely rare and barely established in Colorado. While the Virginia opossum's range has gradually expanded westward and northward, Colorado's elevation and cold winters create harsh conditions for these cold-sensitive marsupials. A few opossums may occur in the warmest portions of eastern Colorado and isolated lower-elevation areas, but they are not found throughout the state.
By Tim, founder of Easy Street Markets. I maintain the wildlife database and verify every animal and source myself. Updated July 22, 2026.
Virginia Opossum · Public domain CC0
Virginia Opossum · Public domain CC0
Eastern Virginia Opossum · Millie Basden CC BY
- 19
- GBIF records
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Opossums are extremely rare and barely established in Colorado. While the Virginia opossum's range has gradually expanded westward and northward, Colorado's elevation and cold winters create harsh conditions for these cold-sensitive marsupials. A few opossums may occur in the warmest portions of eastern Colorado and isolated lower-elevation areas, but they are not found throughout the state.
Geographic Range and Colorado's Limitations
The Virginia opossum's range has expanded dramatically across North America, but Colorado remains at the cold northern margin of where these animals can survive. Opossums are now common throughout most of the United States, from the Atlantic Coast to California, but they have not established viable populations across most of Colorado. The few opossums recorded in Colorado occur primarily in the eastern portions of the state at lower elevations, particularly along the Colorado Front Range near Denver and Boulder. These individuals likely represent transient animals dispersing from established populations in Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. Confirmed opossum sightings in Colorado are rare and often involve injured or displaced animals found in urban areas. Whether breeding populations exist anywhere in the state remains uncertain. The state's elevation averages roughly 6,800 feet, far higher than the regions where opossums thrive. Most of Colorado is simply too cold and high for opossum survival. Mountain valleys and plateau regions average elevations above 4,000 feet where winter temperatures regularly drop below negative ten degrees. These conditions exceed opossum cold tolerance. For information about Colorado's actual wildlife, visitColorado wildlife resources.
Cold and Elevation as Barriers
Colorado's primary barrier to opossum establishment is extreme cold combined with high elevation. Opossums have never evolved mechanisms for surviving sustained freezing temperatures. Their thin fur provides minimal insulation, their hairless tail and ears are vulnerable to frostbite, and their metabolic rate cannot generate sufficient heat for survival in harsh winters. Winter temperatures in Denver regularly drop to fifteen degrees Fahrenheit or lower, with mountain areas experiencing much colder extremes. Northern mountain regions see temperatures routinely reaching negative ten to negative twenty degrees Fahrenheit. Such cold is lethal to opossums. Their thin ears and tail would suffer frostbite damage. Food availability becomes severely limited during Colorado winters as insects disappear, plant material freezes, and carrion becomes scarce beneath snow. Unlike true cold-adapted animals such as marmots, badgers, and foxes, opossums cannot accumulate sufficient body fat to survive hibernation or torpor. They must forage every night for food, but Colorado winter conditions make this impossible. Elevation compounds the problem. High altitude magnifies cold effects and reduces oxygen availability. Vegetation at high elevations remains scarce and sparse even in summer. The combination of extreme cold and high altitude creates environmental conditions that fundamentally exceed opossum physiological tolerances. For more on opossum in Colorado, see ourColorado opossum guide.
How to Identify an Opossum
Virginia opossums are distinctive enough to be readily identified. Adult opossums weigh 8 to 14 pounds and are roughly cat-sized. They have unmistakable white faces with black noses, dark eyes, and large hairless ears. The body is covered in grayish-white fur. The tail is hairless, pinkish, and roughly as long as the body. Males are larger than females and may show yellowish stains on fur from marking glands. When threatened, opossums open their mouths in a hiss or snarl. If extremely stressed, they enter a catatonic state where the body goes rigid, the mouth hangs open, and the tongue protrudes. Juveniles are smaller versions of adults with identical coloring. Opossums are marsupials, meaning females carry young in a pouch for roughly two months. This characteristic places them in the same family as kangaroos and koalas. Opossums are the only marsupials occurring north of Mexico. The white facial pattern is the most distinctive feature that separates opossums from all other North American mammals. Anyone observing an animal with a completely white face and grayish body can identify it as an opossum with certainty. You can also browseColorado wildlife.
Where Sightings Concentrate in Colorado
If opossums do occur in Colorado, they would concentrate in the very warmest areas at the lowest elevations. The Colorado Front Range near Denver and Boulder is the most likely location. Lower elevation areas along the South Platte River valley, particularly in the Denver metropolitan area, have warmer microclimates. Cherry Creek, which runs through downtown Denver, provides riparian habitat that might theoretically support opossums. However, confirmed opossum sightings in these areas are extremely rare and scattered. The western slope of Colorado, including areas like Grand Junction, experiences slightly milder winters than mountain regions but remains cold relative to opossums' range. The San Luis Valley in south-central Colorado is high and cold, unsuitable for opossums. The southeastern corner of Colorado, particularly areas near the Oklahoma panhandle, experiences slightly warmer winters and might theoretically provide marginal habitat. However, even these warmer areas remain too cold for regular opossum survival. Opossums might theoretically be found in rare shelter sites such as heated buildings, compost piles, or areas receiving direct southern exposure. Any Colorado opossums would be isolated individuals far outside their natural range. They would likely be displaced animals searching for suitable habitat or lost transients. VisitColorado wildlife resourcesto learn about the animals truly established in your state.
Colorado's Native Mammalian Area
Colorado hosts an extraordinary array of cold-adapted and high-altitude mammals. Mule deer and white-tailed deer inhabit forests and grasslands. Elk range across high mountain meadows and valleys. Black bears occupy forested regions. Mountain lions maintain territories in remote mountains. Bighorn sheep thrive at extreme elevations. Rocky Mountain goats inhabit cliff faces above timberline. Coyotes are ubiquitous across all habitats. Foxes including red foxes and kit foxes inhabit lower elevation areas. Badgers, weasels, martens, and minks occupy diverse habitats. Beavers, muskrats, and river otters inhabit waterways. Ground squirrels, prairie dogs, and marmots are diurnal burrowing rodents. Porcupines are herbivorous and nocturnal but far better adapted to cold than opossums. Raccoons occupy riparian areas at lower elevations. Skunks are found in lower elevation regions. Colorado's fauna represents millions of years of adaptation to extreme elevation, intense cold, and seasonal extremes. No part of this mammalian area includes the opossum. Learn more about Colorado's actual wildlife atColorado wildlife information.
Dispersal and Range Expansion
Opossums have expanded their range significantly over the past century, moving northward and westward across North America. This expansion follows human settlement, agricultural development, and increasingly, climate warming. Opossums have colonized regions from the Great Plains to the Pacific Coast. The establishment of suburban areas with moderate microclimates, artificial structures for shelter, and abundant garbage and pet food has facilitated range expansion into historically unsuitable areas. However, Colorado's fundamental climatic limitations present an obstacle to further northward expansion. While climate warming has allowed opossums to persist in slightly colder areas, warming would need to be dramatic and sustained for decades to create viable opossum habitat across Colorado. Temperature increases of ten degrees Fahrenheit or more would be necessary. Even then, the state's high elevation would continue to present challenges. Additionally, geographic isolation from established populations in adjacent states limits opportunistic dispersal. Opossums might be transported to Colorado via human commerce or as escapes from captivity, but they would not establish. Any opossum reaching Colorado would likely perish within the first winter. Range expansion, while significant, has defined limits. Colorado represents one of those limits, a frontier region where opossums encounter insurmountable environmental barriers.
Species Confusion in Colorado
Although opossums are not established in Colorado, several native Colorado mammals might be confused with opossums or other animals. Raccoons are nocturnal omnivores with black facial masks and ringed tails. They are more aggressive and destructive than opossums would be. Porcupines are the only other nocturnal mammal in Colorado with some behavioral similarity to opossums, but porcupines are covered in sharp quills and are far more dangerous. Foxes including red foxes and kit foxes are predatory carnivores with pointed faces and bushy tails. Coyotes are much larger than opossums. Badgers are stocky burrowing mammals with short tails and distinctive facial markings. Marmots and groundhogs are diurnal burrowing rodents. Skunks are easily identified by their bold stripes and distinctive odor. If an opossum were actually encountered in Colorado, its white face, grayish body, and hairless tail would make it unmistakable. The animal's catatonic defense response would confirm its identity. Such an encounter would be extremely unusual and noteworthy because opossums are not established in Colorado.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are opossums found anywhere in Colorado? Opossums are not established in Colorado. Rare, individual opossums have been documented in eastern Colorado, but breeding populations do not exist. Could opossums survive in Colorado shelters? Perhaps, in heated buildings or deep cave systems, but they could not survive outdoors through a Colorado winter. What if someone released an opossum in Colorado? It would likely perish before spring. The state's winter temperatures are lethal to opossums. Are there any other marsupials in Colorado? No, opossums are the only marsupials that occur north of Mexico, and they do not inhabit Colorado. Where can I see opossums in nearby states? Opossums are found throughout Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and especially Texas. Traveling to those states offers the best opportunity for opossum observation. Could climate change bring opossums to Colorado? Extensive long-term warming might theoretically allow opossums to establish at the very lowest elevations of eastern Colorado, but this remains speculative. What native Colorado animals are most similar to opossums? Raccoons are perhaps most similar in size and nocturnal habits. Porcupines are another nocturnal mammal. VisitColorado wildlife informationto explore the animals truly present in your state.
Plan your opossum sighting in Colorado
19 verified opossum records have been logged in Colorado, most recently in 2026. See the GBIF records.
Where to look in Colorado
- Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site · Wildlife Watching, Birdwatching · Find hotels
- Black Canyon Of The Gunnison National Park · Wildlife Watching, Birdwatching · Find hotels
- Colorado National Monument · Wildlife Watching · Find hotels
- Curecanti National Recreation Area · Wildlife Watching, Birdwatching · Find hotels
- Dinosaur National Monument · Wildlife Watching, Birdwatching · Find hotels
- Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve · Wildlife Watching, Birdwatching · Find hotels
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