The most recognizable feature of The Palisade photo © CEC

Click here for a detailed (and printable) overview of this proposed wilderness area.

The proposed Palisade Wilderness sits astride the edge of the Uncompahgre Uplift, forming an ecological bridge between the red slickrock tributaries of the Dolores River and the lush aspen and ponderosa forests of Unaweep Canyon. The Palisade itself is a narrow fin of sandstone surrounded on all sides by vertical walls of Wingate Sandstone and capped with the carved slickrock of the Entrada Formation. Peregrine falcons have at times nested on the sheer cliffs. Stands of Douglas fir dot the north slopes of this fin, and hoodoos line its western slopes. Running parallel with a portion of The Palisade’s eastern boundary, at the lower end of Unaweep Canyon, is West Creek.

This creek and its immediate surroundings represent an ecological anomaly; cold air descending Unaweep Canyon carries with it a microclimate derived from much higher elevations. Consequently, the plant life along the creek is representative also of the higher terrain, with such trees as ponderosa pine, narrowleaf cottonwood, and others growing at elevations far lower than is typical in other parts of the state. The stream itself also exhibits this characteristic; it is cold enough to support a population of trout down to 5,000 feet elevation, much lower than one would normally expect. Unaweep Seep, the collective name for a group of springs, perches on the northwest bank of West Creek. The seep is perhaps the most outstanding natural botanical display in Colorado and is listed on the register of Colorado State Natural Areas.

Visit our Palisade photo albums on facebook and flickr.

To learn more about this special wild place please visit Colorado’s Canyon Country Wilderness Proposal web site.