Colorado

The Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area encompasses Gunnison Gorge Wilderness, Flat Top-Peach Valley, and Gunnison River Recreation Area. The river cuts a wide path through the breathtaking sandstone and black granite canyon. The area, known for its exceptional and challenging whitewater boating, also features world class gold medal trout waters. The upland desert landscape of the Flat Top-Peach Valley area provides outstanding off-highway vehicle riding for enthusiasts. Visitors to Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area can also check out cultural resources, including prehistoric rock art and historic mines.

The Gunnison Gorge Wilderness offers a wild and pristine backcountry experience, with its unique black granite and colorful sandstone double-canyon system carved by the Gunnison River. Fourteen miles of the Gunnison River flow through this wilderness area, offering diverse and abundant recreation opportunities. The Gunnison Gorge Wilderness now contains a total of 17,700 acres and is managed by the Bureau of Land Management. All of the Wilderness is in the state of Colorado. In 1999 the Gunnison Gorge Wilderness became part of the now over 109-million-acre National Wilderness Preservation System. In wilderness, you can enjoy challenging recreational activities and extraordinary opportunities for solitude. Please follow the regulations in place for this area, and use Leave No Trace techniques when visiting to ensure protection of its unique natural and experiential qualities. For more information, contact the Gunnison Gorge NCA or Uncompahgre Field Office.

Gunnison Gorge Wilderness