LightHawk

LightHawk: Protecting Colorado From Above

  Aerial view of the Colorado River winding through the sculpted sandstone canyons of Lake Powell, photographed on a LightHawk flight. (Photo by Eric Lee)

LightHawk uses the power of flight to protect the places and wildlife that make Colorado home.  For more than 46 years, our volunteer pilots and small staff have helped conservation partners see the full picture from the air to move faster, respond smarter, and protect the lands and waters we all depend on.

Every flight brings clarity to complex conservation challenges. 

Whether it is monitoring wildlife recovery, documenting water quality, or revealing how forests and rivers are changing, the aerial view gives partners the perspective needed to take action.

Your gift keeps these flights in the air and keeps conservation moving forward.

Why This Matters to Colorado and Beyond

Colorado’s rivers, forests, wildlife and open spaces are under growing pressure. Drought, fire, population growth and shifting habitats affect every community. Seeing these changes from above helps partners understand what is happening on the ground and how to respond.

When you give, you help protect:LightHawk supports the recovery of endangered species like the black-footed ferret by providing safe aerial transport for captive breeding and release back into the wild.

• The headwaters that feed the Colorado River

• Wildlife that move through our mountains and plains

• Forests and watersheds threatened by climate and development

• Communities that rely on healthy ecosystems for drinking water, recreation and quality of life

Your support powers the flights that protect wildlife, water and wild places.

What an Aerial View Makes PossibleSnowmelt at La Poudre Pass, high in Rocky Mountain National Park, marks the beginning of the Colorado River.  (Photo by RJ Sangosti/The Denver Post) 

Seeing Colorado from above is more than a beautiful experience. It reveals what cannot be seen from the ground.

From the air, partners can identify stressed waterways, document habitat loss, understand migration routes, locate pollution sources, and see the scale of change across entire landscapes. The aerial view connects the dots and helps conservation teams take the right actions at the right time.

Your gift provides this critical perspective.

Your Gift Makes an Immediate Impact

Protect Wildlife: Your donation supports flights that help recover endangered and threatened species, including critical transport, monitoring and landscape assessments.

Preserve Habitats: Each flight captures the big picture of Colorado’s natural systems. These images and observations guide conservation strategies that keep forests, rivers and open spaces healthy and resilient.

Support Communities: Your contribution helps journalists, scientists, tribal leaders, photographers and local organizations understand what is happening in their regions and share these stories in ways that inspire change.

Your Support Brings Conservation Into View

Every LightHawk mission begins with someone who believes in protecting the places we love. When you give, you fuel flights that lead to smarter decisions, stronger partnerships and real conservation results across Colorado and the West.

We cannot do this work without you.

Give today to keep conservation moving forward across Colorado. Your support lifts the next flight that protects wildlife, water and wild places.

Thank you for helping bring conservation into view!

An aerial view of the Colorado River watershed in Colorado, captured during a LightHawk flight. 
(Photo by Eric Lee)