Based on discussions with local community members and our on the ground knowledge, CEC, as a member of the Dolores River Coalition, believes that a multiple-use, conservation-based, National Conservation Area (NCA) designation, like McInnis Canyons or Dominguez-Escalante, would best suit this landscape. Below you'll find a preliminary map of our proposal depicting how 'primitive wilderness areas' and 'mulitple-use backcountry areas' might co-exist within the NCA. Click here for a printable proposal and here to submit any feedback.

Please click here to show your support and sign our NCA petition today!

Proposed Primitive Wilderness Areas (depicted in green) Using inventory data and user desires, these proposals identify those area's of the watershed's culturally rich and ecologically diverse primitive landscapes which are appropriate for long term protection as Wilderness.

Maverick Canyon This landscape houses four riparian canyons which drain the Uncompahgre Plateau and are home an array of rare species including the peregrine falcon and the canyon tree frog, as well as unique geologic features like Juanita Arch and various paleontological sites.  Climbing from the river to the cliff rim, this proposal will permanently protect the scenic views afforded to all NCA visitors, whether hiking, riding an ATV or mountain bike, or simply traveling the Scenic Byway below.

The Palisade This proposal forms an ecological bridge between the red slickrock tributaries of the Dolores River and the lush aspen and ponderosa forests of Unaweep Canyon. As such it is home to a uniquely visible geologic timeline showcasing million of years of history, in addition to a variety of globally rare plants and animals.

Sagebrush Pillows Wilderness designation for these unusual, low elevation shrub plains adjacent to the Palisade Wilderness Study Area will extended needed protections to the rare species found along the river corridor and better conserve the range of elevational ecosystems found in the watershed. This will also conserve the quiet and remote experience that many boaters enjoy as they float the Dolores River and head for the popular state-line rapid.

Granite Creek At the heart of this proposal lies Granite Creek. This rich high-desert riparian ecosystem, filled with mature cottonwoods and a gushing creek, is incredibly remote and provides an ideal setting for escaping into the old west, engaging in nature photography, and backpacking whether on foot or by horse. Upland portions of the area, around Renegade Point, are home to the extremely rare Gunnison sage grouse. Protecting that portion can help reduce the need for future federal regulation.

Unaweep This proposal would protect a headwaters area, portions of CDOW game unit 61, and the most dramatic portions of Unaweep Canyon! Not to mention the stunning views one sees while traveling along Highway 141.

Sewemup Mesa  In addition to housing an array of rare plant and animal species, this landscape, including Sinbad Valley and Cottonwood and Cave Canyons, is also home to some of western Colorado’s most rich outlaw and ranching history. Wilderness designation will ensure that this landscape stays the way it is enabling future generations to experience, in their original state, the landscapes that shaped the region’s rich history.

Proposed Multiple-Use Backcountry Areas (depicted in beige) Many mechanized and motorized users, like many wilderness advocates, want the opportunity to 'get away from it all!' and as such are passionate about exploring and preserving this area's uniquely rural backcountry. Using ecological data and user desires, these proposals outline areas where enjoyable and ecologically sustainable motorized and mechanized recreation opportunities can be found.

Mining Mesas (proposal specific description pending)

Dolores Point (proposal specific description pending)

Lost Canyons (proposal specific description pending)

Long Mesa (proposal specific description pending)

The photo and text below depict how these 'areas' could relate to one another and the landscape.

View of the Dolores River & Scenic Byway 141 from atop Conception Point. photo © JoAnn Moon

A landscape designation, such as an NCA, would protect both wilderness & backcountry opportunities. Further, with strategic planning, the experiences themselves can be permanently enhanced. For example backcountry trails, within the proposed Mining Mesas multiple-use area, could trace the canyon rims along the mesa tops – visible to the left of the this photo – accessing breathtaking views of the iconic western landscape below. The undeveloped state of these iconic lands, and the subsequently amazing views they provide,  would be forever conserved in their current state through the inclusion of wilderness areas, such as the Maverick Canyon proposal - which includes the canyons on the left side of this photo as they rise from the river to the mesa rims, in an NCA. 

Please click here to show your support and sign our NCA petition today!

If you are interested in learning more about this exciting campaign, joining FOND, or coming along for an upcoming adventure into this unique landscape please check out FOND on facebook and contact Kate Graham at 970.243.0002 or kate@cecenviro.org.