Eastern Mojave Vegetation Grampsas North Open Space (City of Golden), Jefferson County, Colorado.
 
Gazetteer

Query:

See also: Tony Grampsas Memorial Sports Complex.

Golden acquired the land now known as Tony Grampsas Memorial Sports Complex from Jefferson County in 1999. Originally developed by Coors Brewing Company for softball tournaments, the park was named in 2000 after Tony Grampsas, a former Coors employee and advocate for parks. A portion of the land was designated as open space to preserve the natural landscape. This area, known as Grampsas North Open Space, offers a natural setting for wildlife and passive visitation. Bordered by housing to the north and west, and Church Ditch to the east, the site includes grasslands and scattered trees.

ACRES: 6.46

CLASSIFICATION: Natural Area

ATTRIBUTES: Ecological, Passive Visitation, Scenic

ACCESS AND TRAILS:

DESIGNATED PUBLIC ACCESS: Yes

TRAILS: Designated

KEY FEATURES:

  • Western Great Plains grassland
  • The space is frequented by deer, elk, rabbits, and hawks

MANAGEMENT NOTES:

  • An 80-foot-wide right-of-way held by Xcel Energy crosses the southwest corner

    Latitude: 39.7823845 Longitude: -105.1878026 (° decimal)
    Elevation: 5672ft, 1729m.

    Articles that refer to this location:

     

    Area Plant Lists that contain this location:

    Full Size Image
    View of Grampsas North Open Space from the south end.         		Full Size Image
    View of Grampsas North Open Space from the north end.         		Full Size Image
    Obs. No. 4302, Juglans nigra in Grampsas North Open Space.         		Full Size Image
    Grampsas North Open Space from the southwest corner, 15 September 2025.         		Full Size Image
    Sea of “Goldy-locks” at Grampsas North Open Space.
    Full Size Image
    Composite photo of Grampsas North Open Space.

    Species collected at or near this location.

    This list summarizes plants collected or observed at this specific, named location. It does not include plants collected or observed at nearby named or unnamed locations. It may be more instructive to use the Area Lists that contain this location.

    • TAS – The plant was collected by Tom Schweich.
    • Oth – The plant was collected by someone, but not Tom.
    • Obs – The plant was observed, but not collected.

    Cupressaceae

    Juniperus scopulorum Sarg. Rocky Mountain Juniper (TAS) CC:5

    Asclepiadaceae

    Asclepias viridiflora Raf. Green Comet Milkweed (Obs) CC:6

    Asteraceae

    Anthemideae

    Artemisiinae

    Artemisia dracunculus L. Tarragon, Dragonwort (TAS+Obs) CC:3

    Artemisia frigida Willd. Prairie Sagewort (Obs) CC:4

    Artemisia ludoviciana Nutt. Silver Wormwood (Obs) CC:4

    Astereae

    Chrysopsidinae

    Heterotheca villosa (Pursh) Shinners. Hairy False Goldenaster (Obs) CC:3

    Machaerantherinae

    Dieteria bigelovii (A. Gray) D. R. Morgan & R. L. Hartman bigelovii. Bigelow's Tansy Aster (Obs) CC:3

    Grindelia squarrosa (Pursh) Dunal. Curlycup Gumweed (Obs) CC:3

    Pentachaetinae

    Ericameria nauseosa (Pall. ex Pursh) G.L.Nesom & G.I.Baird graveolens (Nutt.) Reveal & Schuyler. Goldy-Locks (TAS+Obs) CC:3

    Ericameria nauseosa (Pall. ex Pursh) G. I. Nesom & G. I. Baird nauseosa. Rubber Rabbitbush (TAS+Obs) CC:3

    Symphyotrichinae

    Symphyotrichum ericoides (Linnaeus) G. L. Nesom. White Heath Aster (TAS+Obs) CC:4

    Cardueae

    Carduinae

    Carduus nutans L. Nodding Plumeless Thistle (Obs) CC:0

    Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop. Canada Thistle (Obs) CC:0

    Onopordinae

    Onopordum acanthium L. Scotch Cottonthistle (Obs) CC:0

    Cichorieae

    Lactucinae

    Lactuca serriola L. Prickly Lettuce (Obs) CC:0

    Coreopsideae

    Thelesperma megapotamicum (Spreng.) Kuntze. Hopi Tea Greenthread (Obs) CC:5

    Eupatorieae

    Brickellia eupatorioides (L.) Shinners. False Boneset (TAS+Obs) CC:6

    Liatris punctata Hook. Dotted Blazing Star (Obs) CC:6

    Heliantheae

    Ambrosiinae

    Ambrosia psilostachya DC. Western Ragweed (Obs) CC:3

    Helianthinae

    Helianthus pumilus Nutt. Little Sunflower (Obs) CC:4

    Rudbeckiinae

    Ratibida columnifera (Nutt.) Woot. & Standl. Upright Prairie Coneflower (Obs) CC:4

    Brassicaceae

    Alyssum simplex Rudolphi. European Madwort (Obs) CC:0

    Cactaceae

    Cylindropuntia imbricata (Haw.) F. M. Kunth. Tree Cholla (Obs) CC:4

    Echinocereus viridiflorus Engelm. Nylon Hedgehog Cactus (Obs) CC:6

    Opuntia macrorhiza Engelm. Western Pricklypear (Obs) CC:3

    Cannabaceae

    Celtis reticulata Torr. Net-Leaved Hackberry (Obs) CC:6

    Chenopodiaceae

    Chenopodium album L. Lambsquarters (TAS+Obs) CC:0

    Elaeagnaceae

    Elaeagnus angustifolia L. Russian Olive (Obs) CC:0

    Fabaceae

    Astragalus flexuosus G. Don. Flexible Milkvetch (Obs) CC:6

    Lathyrus latifolius L. Perennial Pea Vine (Obs) CC:0

    Pediomelum tenuiflorum (Pursh) A. N. Egan. Slimflower Scurfpea (Obs) CC:5

    Grossulariaceae

    Ribes cereum Douglas. Wax Currant (Obs) CC:6

    Juglandaceae

    Juglans nigra L. Black Walnut (Obs) CC:0

    Lamiaceae

    Nepeta cataria L. Catnip (Obs) CC:0

    Loasaceae

    Mentzelia. Blazing Star (Obs) CC:?

    Nyctaginaceae

    Mirabilis linearis (Pursh) Heimerl. Narrowleaf Four O'Clock (Obs) CC:5

    Papaveraceae

    Argemone polyanthemos (Fedde) G.B. Ownbey. Crested Prickly Poppy (Obs) CC:3

    Plantaginaceae

    Linaria dalmatica (L.) Mill. Dalmatian ToadFlax (Obs) CC:0

    Polygonaceae

    Eriogonum alatum Torrey in L. Sitgreaves, Rep. Exped. Zuni Colorado Rivers. 168, plate 8. 1853. Winged Buckwheat (Obs) CC:5

    Eriogonum effusum Nuttall, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia. 4: 15. 1848. Spreading Buckwheat (Obs) CC:5

    Rumex crispus L. Curley Dock (Obs) CC:0

    Rosaceae

    Amygdaloideae

    Amygdaleae

    Prunus americana Marshall. American Plum (Obs) CC:6

    Prunus virginiana L. Chokecherry (Obs) CC:4

    Maleae

    Malus L. Apple (Obs) CC:?

    Rosoideae

    Potentilleae

    Potentilla recta L. Sulphur Cinquefoil (Obs) CC:0

    Scrophulariaceae

    Verbascum thapsus L. Common Mullein (Obs) CC:0

    Simaroubaceae

    Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle. Tree of Heaven (Obs) CC:0

    Solanaceae

    Physalis longifolia Nutt. Longleaf Groundcherry (TAS) CC:4

    Physalis hederifolia A. Gray. Ivy-Leaved Ground Cherry (TAS+Obs) CC:5

    Ulmaceae

    Ulmus pumila L. Siberian Elm (Obs) CC:0

    Undet.

    Undetermined. (Obs) CC:?

    Vitaceae

    Parthenocissus quinquefolia (L.) Planch. Virginia Creeper (Obs) CC:0

    Asparagaceae

    Agavoideae

    Agaveae

    Yucca glauca Nutt. Soapweed Yucca (Obs) CC:4

    Poaceae

    Andropogoneae

    Andropogon gerardii Vitman. Big Bluestem (Obs) CC:9

    Aveneae

    Koeleria macrantha (Ledeb.) Schult. Prairie Junegrass (Obs) CC:6

    Bromeae

    Bromus inermis Leyss. Smooth Brome (Obs) CC:0

    Bromus japonicus Thunb. Japanese Cheat Grass (Obs) CC:0

    Bromus tectorum L. Cheat Grass (Obs) CC:0

    Stipeae

    Nassella viridula (Trin.) Barkworth. Green Needlegrass (Obs) CC:4

    Triticeae

    Elymus elymoides (Raf.) Swezey. Squirreltail Grass (Obs) CC:4

Total number of taxa: 60
Native Taxa:
(serif, italic, bold)		 37
Exotic Taxa:
(sans-serif, italic)		20
Nativity Undetermined:
(default font, italic) 		3
Listed Weeds:
Identified as Weed 		0
FQA, CC, n=57, Mean C: 3, FQI = 22.4
If you have a question or a comment you may write to me at: tomas@schweich.com I sometimes post interesting questions in my FAQ, but I never disclose your full name or address.  

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Date and time this article was prepared:3:15:01 PM, 8/1/2026.