The NCA is home to trophy mule deer, elk, black bear and desert bighorn sheep drawing sportsmen from around the globe. These canyons and the sloping plateaus between them offer some of western Colorados prime scenery, diverse wildlife, including desert bighorns and golden eagles, and excellent opportunities for hiking and backpacking. The trail takes a right turn away from the river, where you will see an old dam on the left, pass by a gate post made from old wagon wheel axle and spy an abandoned corral on the right. The Tabeguache trail, a long distance mixed use trail popular with mountain bikers, motorcycle riders and jeep enthusiasts, also runs through the Ninemile Hill area. Colorado Units 61 and 62, Discover the Best Public Hunting Grounds in Western Colorado, Colorado Parks and Wildlife Hunting Information. Due to last minute changes, my normal hunting partner, Rita, was unable to go. A ruby gem at the bottom of the world. Ranchers tried to make a living but the country was hard on horses and even harder on wives. The Delta-Nucla/25-Mesa Road borders the NCA on the southeast and connects Delta to Nucla and the Divide Road, which follows the spine of the Uncompahgre Plateau. Welcome to Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area. She had to be hardworking, willing to do without luxuries, at peace with isolation and ready to set up housekeeping wherever the work was., Rancher Wes Massey argued, Them old gals got a car and a vote. The Big Dominguez Trail accesses some of the most popular areas of the Dominguez Canyon Wilderness, including waterfalls and rock art. Multiple access points. A variety of wildlife call the area home, including desert bighorn sheep, mule deer, golden eagles, turkeys, elk, mountain lions, black bears, andcollared lizards. The Ute Tribes today consider these pinyon-ju. That's one heck of a bull. Escalante Canyon to the south and Dominguez Canyon to the north, both parts of the Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area, made perfect hideouts for cattle rustlers and bank robbers. Dominguez Creek has some of the oldest rocks in the world from the Uncompahgre schist at 1.4 billion to 1.8 billion years old. This trail is 12.3 mi long with an elevation gain of 1,112 ft. The canyons test every hiker since there arent rangers, a visitor center, paved parking lots, or detailed trail maps. A twisting dirt road follows the floor of broad Escalante Canyon, offering plenty of adventures for rock climbers on vertical cliffs and backpackers who reach the wilderness area on the McCarty Trail. This National Conservation Area includes the 66,280 acre Dominguez Canyon Wilderness. Vegetation varies from pinon-juniper woodlands near the Gunnison River to Ponderosa pine, Douglas fir and aspens in the higher reaches. It provides shelter during summer rainstorms. A lock ( This wilderness, which is characterized by diverse ecosystems, features two major canyon systems which drain the northeastern corner of the Uncompahgre Plateau. Little Dominguez Creek flows year round, creating a long, narow riparian zone inhabited by many reptiles, birds and mammals. The Ute Tribes today consider these pinyon-junipercovered lands an important connection to their ancestral past. It now provides private ranch access. Unaweep Canyon on the northern boundary of the NCA contains globally significant geological resources. Funds for Delta County Social Media and PR provided from a Marketing Matching Grant from the Colorado Tourism Office. South end of Dominguez Canyon Wilderness, near Montrose, CO. Photo by: camping near Naturita, Norwood, Nucla and Gateway, Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area, blm.gov/visit/dominguez-canyon-wilderness. Please call to speak directly with Josh about your elk hunt! Joined. The captain called the canyon a hidden paradise. Nearly 30 miles of the river flow through the NCA. As the snow piles up, I think of warm desert hikes. Ninemile Hill: As a result of its close proximity to the Grand Valley, this area is valued for its easily available recreation opportunities for nonmotorized recreation. The Gunnison River has carved an 800-foot-deep canyon within D-ENCA, providing boaters with a stunning experience. We can also help you properly fill out your hunting license application form. For a cash-poor settler, it was a home. Email him at gulliford_a@fortlewis.edu. There was a private property in Little Dominguez Canyon that was bought by the BLM in 1988. Find more information about floating the Gunnison River here. I think they carved it, too. If you are lucky enough to draw one of the 4-5 desert bighorn sheep tags issued each year, youre in for an amazing experience! Learn more about Hiking in the Dominguez Canyon Wilderness. The 210,172-acre Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area, which includes the 66,280-acre Dominguez Canyon Wilderness, was created by the 2009 Omnibus Public Lands Management Act and is part of the Bureau of Land Management's National Conservation Lands. Changes in the Elk Woods Elk are a part of who I am. The road provides easy vehicle and viewing access to historic cabins and trails,rock walls with early settler and Native American inscriptions and spectacular geologic formations. The canyon is unique because it has drainages running east and west out of the canyon. Unit 52 includes the Cruces Basin Wilderness area and boarders Colorado to the North. Andrew Gulliford is a professor of history and environmental studies at Fort Lewis College. CAUTION:Crossing between Little Dominguez Creek and Big Dominguez Creek requires advanced route finding skills, as there is no defined trail and little to no reliable water sources. Several hundred million years of geology are missing between the cliff tops and the creek bottom. I visited this place several times, and keep coming back. Canoe/Kayak/Small Boat Launch, Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits, Restroom, Trailhead. by Eric Jensen. The McCarty Trail is a landscape feature named after the McCarty family whose brothers rode with Butch Cassidy to rob the San Miguel Valley Bank in Telluride in 1889. The area has mountain lion, black bear, mule deer, elk, coyote, golden eagle, wild turkey and collared lizard. We are here to hunt elk. Nice bull and very good write up congrats!! The Gunnison River itself is not part of the wilderness but does act as a boundary. Temperatures soar in the canyons and little shade is found. Elevations in the NCA are approximately 4,800 to 8,200 feet. Desert bighorn sheep were re-introduced in the 1990's and the growing herd can often be seen grazing at the foot of the cliffs in the wilderness. Traditional uses such as livestock grazing, hunting and fishing are important uses in the NCA and are specifically protected by the designating legislation and Resource Management Plan. The Escalante Canyon Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) contains sensitive plant species, natural seeps, and several globally-unique plant associations including beautiful hanging gardens of small-flowered columbine and Eastwoods monkeyflower. CO. Access the east side of Dominguez-Escalante NCA via Bridgeport Bridge: from Grand Junction, travel south on US-50, past Whitewater and Bridgeport Road. There are 115 miles of streams and rivers in the NCA, and there is habitat suitable for 52 protected species of animals and plants. It is managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and was created as part of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009. Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area (D-E NCA) offers beautiful hiking year-round; regardless of where you hike, expect to see rare plants, a diverse array of wildlife, and cultural/historical sites along the way. email: gjfo_webmail@blm.gov. Please close gates behind you, beware of sheep dogs and avoid interfering with livestock operations. Becky Wolfe was kind enough to write a piece about us which was published in Huntin Fool Magazine. Cap Smith said, Escalante Canyon is a hidden paradise. GENERAL SEASON RIFLE HUNTS Cabin Creek Camp. 2815 H Road The BLM manages public lands for multiple uses and reminds visitors to be considerate of others enjoying their public lands. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS Access the south side: from Delta, travel west on Highway 348 and turn right onto 25 Mesa Road/D Road. The area was the traditional hunting area for Ute and Fremont Indians that migrated and hunted through the area. 6. 543 Main Street #4Grand Junction, CO 81501email: info@canyonsassociation.orgphone: 970-263-7902, Learn more about Hiking in the Dominguez Canyon Wilderness, Click for a Guide to Recreation in Dominguez Canyon Wilderness. 2023 Delta County Tourism. All Rights Reserved. Wooley Built This House March the 18, 1901.. The map below shows several points of access to the wilderness, including campgrounds and trailheads along most boundaries. Re-introduced desert bighorns stare from cliffs above or silhouette themselves on the skyline at sunset, which is perfect entertainment for beer-drinking campers below. There is Ute rock art nearby, but this panel looks old, very old, and it seems to be the image of a star exploding. A large boulder with stacked stone walls created a rough shelter in Dominguez Canyon. A wagon axle recycled into a gatepost is proof that hardy Western Slope pioneers used everything they could find to establish themselves on the frontier. There is also plenty of solitude and a raw silence that keeps the sounds of civilization far away. The NCA consists of 210,000 acres of protected land in Delta, Montrose and Mesa Counties. The Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area was dedicated on August 12, 2009 by Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar. You are using an out of date browser. The Elk Ridge Recreation Area is located in San Juan County, Utah, west of Monticello and north of Blanding in southeastern Utah. Pocket - Sliker Hill - Dutton Hill: This area is located in the northwest quarter of the unit and can be accessed by FR 231 (Woody Mountain Road) from Flagstaff. Safety Considerations, Download the official NPS app before your next visit. Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area was designated by Congress in 2009 by the Omnibus Public Lands Management Act. A variety of wildlife call the area home, including desert bighorn sheep, mule deer, golden eagles, turkeys, elk, mountain lions, black bears, and collared lizards. No permit is required for backpacking. For overnight stays, the Big Dominguez and Potholes campgrounds are available. Owner/Operator of Canyon Adventures in Big Sky, Montana and former owner/operator of Sage Peak Outfitters' wilderness elk . Gunnison River: The relatively flat stretch of river between Escalante Canyon and the mouth of the Dominguez Canyon is attracting increasing numbers of commercial and private boaters, with its unprecedented views of stunning red-rock canyons and wildlife viewing opportunities. In a duel on horseback with four bullets, they killed each other having just shared a noon dinner. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS The feature service is full-featured and is available at world-room scales. Elevations in the NCA are approximately 4,800 to 8,200 feet. Red-rock canyons and sandstone bluffs hold geological and paleontological resources spanning 600 million years, as well as many cultural and historic sites. Four years later, Tom McCarty robbed the Delta Bank only to be shot by a hardware store owner with a buffalo gun so powerful that it lifted the robber out of his saddle, dead before he hit the ground. Date Hiked: May 22, 2016 Distance: 6.6 mi (RT) to Waterfall, longer options available Elevation Gain: 770 ft Elevation Min/Max: 4,686 to 4,981 ft Trailhead Lat/Long:38 50' 58" N; 108 22' 21" W Managing Agency: Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Insured & Bonded It could be SN 1054, a supernova which exploded in the year 1054 and is astronomys most famous supernova. The best overnight backpacking trip heads up Big Dominguez Canyon from the Bridgewater Trail and the Gunnison River for an out-and-back, 10-mile hike. Dominguez Outfitters is based in Whitewater, CO. We hunt in Colorado Game Management Units (GMU) 61 and 62. Singing birds, flowing waters: Arizonas San Pedro riparian NCA, Poseys War in Bears Ears: Telling the Truth a Century Later, Q&A: Durango student helped lead the fight to carry and use Narcan on campus, Mason Lodge awards Bayfield High School student, among others, Longtime Southwest Colorado vineyard to open tasting room in Durango, Report a paper delivery issue/suspend delivery. They put their kids in school so they wouldnt have that life. Canyons of the Ancients Visitor Center and Museum closed for renovations through mid-May. Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area Congressionally designated in 2009 for its distinctive canyon country, the Dominquez-Escalante National Conservation Area includes the remote Dominguez Canyon Wilderness, recreation along the Gunnison River, and a network of off-highway vehicle trails. The canyon is rich in remains of other days that, like place markers in a book, remind us where to turn for favorite stories, wrote Muriel Marshall in Red Hole in Time. Ninemile Hill is easily identifiable by its communication towers along the crest. Dominguez Canyon Wilderness consists of two major canyon systems, Big Dominguez and Little Dominguez. But of all the prehistory, history and tales told in the canyons, I am most interested in a specific petroglyph. Sawmill Mesa Road and Dry Mesa Road provide Forest Service access to hunting in the fall and 4 wheel drive, ATV, and mountain bike access spring, summer, and fall. Rare plants and animals with prickly pear cactus and Indian rice grass grow within feet of narrow-leaf Fremont cottonwood trees. Known for its breathtaking scenery, Dominguez-Escalante NCA is a fine example of the spectacular canyon country of the Uncompahgre Plateau. An official website of the United States government. Wilderness Zone 1 (Lower Big and Little Dominguez canyons) will be managed with an emphasis on supplemental values (cultural resources and threatened and endangered species). After a few days of tramping through the ruddy canyons, youll be ready to ease back into civilization with a filling meal. Note: Mountain bikes or high clearance vehicles are required on the Tabeguache Trail (see the Tabeguache Trail brochure for more information). A few tried and tasty establishments that dont disappoint are Fiesta Vallarta, the areas best Mexican restaurant; Davetos for Italian cuisine, pizza, and a superb smothered green chili burrito; and Needle Rock Brewing Company for burgers and cold beers. A variety of wildlife call the area home, including desert bighorn sheep, mule deer, golden eagles, turkeys, elk, mountain lions, black bears, and collared lizards. Unit 62 within D-E NCA is famous for its huge elk and mule deer . Congrats, thats is beautiful area and a fun hunt. Also, its a good idea to use a canister to protect your food from black bears. Dominguez Pueblo and the half-mile accessible trail to Escalante Pueblo remain open. Wooley Built This House March the 18, 1901.. This area is rich in history, providing the only access route for settlers in Escalante Creek to Delta in the 1800s and early 1900s. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. This scenic wonderland was declared a national wilderness site in 2009 and consists of 66,280 acres of land that is ripe for exploration. Generally considered an easy route, it takes an average of 4 h 40 min to complete. Eons of time and gushing water have taken the hard rock of Uncompahgre schist and sculpted it into small wading pools perfect for summer relaxation. The conservation area allows for a wide variety of activities including hiking, boating and wildlife viewing. Situated on the Western Slope, the Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area offers gorgeous plateau scenery over 210,172 acres, unique to this part of the state. . Look for petroglyphs on trailside boulders and desert bighorn sheep grazing below cliffs. This national resource is known for its . One of the last historic wooden suspension bridges in the Rocky Mountains, this bridge was moved to the Gunnison River from the Colorado River in 1935. Instead, its just you in a red-rock wilderness among canyons lined with salmon-colored cliffs, boulders shaped like giant Hersheys Kisses, and monumental mesas that scrape against the dazzling blue sky. Unaweep Canyon on the northern boundary of the NCA contains globally significant geological resources. It worked out well since Ben's an experienced hunter and many grades . Nearly 30 miles of the Gunnison River flow through Dominguez-Escalante NCA, supporting fish, wildlife and recreational resources. Human habitation in the Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area goes back 10,000 years. Hikers can see it in the Grand Canyon or you can hike into the Dominguez Canyon Wilderness along the Gunnison River between Delta and Grand Junction. Arches and Canyonlands 4X4 Adventure from Moab 55 Recommended Full-day Tours from $324.37 per adult Canyonlands & Arches National Parks Airplane Tour 52 Recommended Air Tours from $329.00 per adult LIKELY TO SELL OUT* Moab Rappeling Adventure: Medieval Chamber Slot Canyon 38 Recommended from $110.00 per adult SPECIAL OFFER It may not display this or other websites correctly. Choose just the GMU boundaries or add the elk concentration data as well. If you do hike in summer, check the forecast beforehand and carry sunscreen, a hat, and light-colored clothing. The Old Spanish National Historic Trail, a 19th Century land trade route, also passes through it. Dominguez Creek has some of the oldest rocks in the world from the Uncompahgre schist at 1.4 billion to 1.8 billion years old. D-E NCA provides a host of mountain biking and OHV riding on existing roads and trails. Elk Hunting Maps tab on the website. The Dominguez Canyon Wilderness is the premier dry camping location within Dominguez-Escalante NCA. HUNTING PRICES & DATES - 2024 GUIDED HUNTS . Red-rock canyons and sandstone bluffs hold geological and paleontological resources spanning 600 million years, as well as many cultural and historic sites. LockA locked padlock While Big Dominguez Creek runs year-round, water is scarce away from the creek. Escalante Canyon: Escalante Canyon includes the Potholes Recreation Area, popular with extreme kayakers in the spring and picnickers in the summer. LockA locked padlock Permits and instructions can be found on-site at the Escalante and Bridgeport boat launch. Known for its breathtaking scenery, Dominguez- Escalante NCA is a fine example of the spectacular canyon country of the Uncompaghre Plateau. Photos (702) Directions. Some of that rock art is up to 2,000 years old and is fading in places due to the ravages if time and weather. McCarty was headed for a canyon hideout, but instead, he and his brother died in the dust of Deltas dirt streets. Known for its breathtaking scenery, Dominguez-Escalante NCA is a fine example of the spectacular canyon country of the Uncompahgre Plateau. It joins the larger Big Dominguez Canyon a little over a mile before their confluence with the Gunnison River. I am aware that this is a heavily hunted unit (s), however I am also aware that the wilderness area is extremely rugged and difficult . The second half of the hike descends the Pack Trail for 10 miles and then edges along the Gunnison River back to the trailhead. Nearly 30 miles of the Gunnison River flow through Dominguez-Escalante NCA, supporting fish, wildlife and recreational resources. A 15-mile county road offers visitors a trip back to pioneer days through Escalante Canyons Red Hole in Time (popularized by local author Muriel Marshall. The Uncompahgre band, Weminuche band and Grand River band of Utes may all have traversed this canyon at different times of year. Park elevations range from 4,800 to 8,200 feet. The Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Areas is rough and rugged country, so backpackers need to be experienced in off-trail travel. From 1829 to 1848, this trail was the shortest-known route from Santa Fe to Los Angeles, through red-rock mesas, below snow-capped peaks, and fording untamed rivers, following a loose network of Native American footpaths across the Colorado Plateau and Mojave Desert. Certainly, outlaws did. It took a special kind of woman to make an Escalante Canyon ranchers wife, Marshall wrote. What to Expect. Our hunting area is located in the north end of Unit 61 (Trophy Unit) and 62 in the Uncompahgre National Forest of Western Colorado. According to users from AllTrails.com, the best place to hike in Dominguez Canyon Wilderness is Big Dominguez Canyon , which has a 4.6 star rating from 488 reviews. Made doctors and lawyers of em. The Dominguez Canyon Wilderness displays an array of ecosystems, ranging from upper Sonoran pion-juniper desert along the Gunnison River, to Douglas-fir and ponderosa pine to aspen at higher elevations. Sign up for our daily email newsletter or to receive breaking news delivered to your inbox: Choose from several print and digital subscription packages, 2023 Durango Herald | JavaScript is disabled. This trip can take several days to a week, depending on how much exploring you plan to do. This is what we have come so far to find: the solitude, the challenge, and the wildness. You will encounter picturesque views, fascinating historical artifacts, as well as unique plants and geologic features. 1600 Reeder Mesa RoadWhitewater, CO 81527, License # 2681 | Just across the wilderness boundary is this historic cowboy corral from the 1914 Ennors homestead. You should plan on finding and purifying water from trickling creeks and potholes filled with rainwater. I will be hunting the Weminuche Wilderness Area in the fall of 2018 and I am seeking advice in regards to hunting pressure/outfitter presence in the wilderness area. Ballantine Communications, Inc. Thank you for visiting deltacountycolorado.com! New member. The Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area 2) National Conservation Area located in western Colorado southeast of Grand Junction and northwest of Montrose. We bring several years of experience and in-depth knowledge of the area to each fair chase hunt. Photo: camping near Naturita, Norwood, Nucla and Gateway. Please check the current streamflow data and weather before your boat trip. With only about 500 in Colorado, they are a delight to see. Elevations in the NCA are approximately 4,800 to 8,200 feet. Find more information about recreating in Dominguez Canyon Wilderness here. It's located southeast of Grand Junction and northwest of Montrose. Visitors interested in the geology of the area can stop at the Gunnison Gravels Area of Critical Environmental Concern, which contains geologic evidence of the ancestral route of the Gunnison River through Unaweep Canyon. Collaborative Action and Dispute Resolution, Recreationin Dominguez Canyon Wilderness, Gunnison River Campsite and Allocation System Planning, Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area Science Plan, Dominguez Canyon Wilderness 66,280 acres. Grand Junction Field Office & Uncompahgre Field Office, Collaborative Action and Dispute Resolution, Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area. Dominguez Outfitters and our team have been providing packing and guiding services since 2009 on public lands. Dominguez Canyon Wilderness consists of two major canyon systems, Big Dominguez and Little Dominguez. You may encounter livestock when visiting the NCA. This is an area of rugged, water-carved mesas covered with dense stands of pinyon and juniper. This wilderness is located in the northern Blue Mountains of southeastern Washington and northeastern Oregon and encompasses 176,557 acres. As you ride, please respect the landscape making sure you stay only on designated trails, yield to other visitors, and follow all other principles of Leave No Trace (LNT). Restrooms and picnic tables are available for day-use recreation as well. Campsites are first come, first serve. The canyon is a rare palimpsest of time with layer after layer of geology and human history. View Website. Use would depend on peril, weather, or simple opportunistic stops. Native Americans in the canyons would have seen it. Mules were the highest-valued pack animals, as they had incredible strength and endurance, fared better than horses where water was scarce and forage poor, and recovered more rapidly after periods of hardship. If youre looking to have a great time while hunting big game, get in touch with us today! Ute-style rock art goes from 1600 to 1880, including shield figures and a bison hunting scene with Native Americans on horseback surrounding a bison dripping blood. 1:100,000 scale maps for Colorado's Wilderness areas. Cactus Park includes miles of existing routes,trails, and roads for motorized recreation. I love to arrive by canoe from Delta or Escalante Canyon and camp at one of the four campsites at the mouth of Dominguez Creek. Almost 30 miles of the river meanders through a cliff-lined gorge accessible only by boat or foot. The upper end of Big Dominguez Canyon can be accessed on a primitive trail from a small trailhead near the Big Dominguez Campground. The areas contain canyon and dry meadow habitat and produce elk observations throughout the fall hunt period. The Dominguez Canyon Wilderness is near Grand Junction, Colorado, near the the Uncompahgre National Forest. Uncover Colorado | Sitemap | Advertise. The trail continues along the west side of the river to the mouth of Big Dominguez Canyon, nearly two miles from the trailhead. Created Date: 20140413123814Z . The conservation areas three canyons, despite their wildness, are easily accessed by backpackers and hikers from U.S. 50 northwest of Delta. Yet the visible cliffs are 300 million-year-old Chinle sandstone. Three major canyonsEscalante, Little Dominguez, and Big Dominguezdrain off the highlands of the Uncompahgre Plateau, the eroded roots of an ancient mountain range, into the glassy Gunnison. Dominguez Canyon Wilderness within the Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area is a special place. The feature service includes both wilderness polygons and non-wilderness . In high summer with temperatures in the 90s, the bare-breasted, brown-bottomed skinny dipper is frequently seen in these marvelous pools and is definitely not an endangered species. Little Dominguez is the longer of the two at approximately 12 miles in length. The NCA's terrain ranges from dry, high plains desert, mountain timber to deep canyons along the Gunnison River. Our family has been outfitting in the Bob Marshall Wilderness since 1976. Hunting Information HUNT AREA INFO WILDERNESS AREA HUNT AREA HARVEST REPORT HUNTER SAFETY Privacy Policy, Weather data from The Durango Herald and WeatherKit.org, History, geology tell old tales in these Colorado desert canyons. Dominguez Canyon Wilderness lies in the heart of Dominguez-Escalante NCA, providing habitat for desert bighorn sheep, threatened species of fish and cactus, and opportunities to view its natural wonders by foot or horseback. Wilderness Dominguez Canyon Wilderness Platte River Wilderness Huston Park Wilderness Encampment River Wilderness Mount Zirkel Wilderness Rawah Wilderness Cache La Poudre Wilderness Sarvis Creek Wilderness Flat Tops . Besides its rich wilderness and scenic qualities, the area echoes with human history. The large canyon in the 66,000-acre Dominguez Canyon Wilderness is accessible by canoe from the Gunnison River or by a metal bridge from the Bridgeport Road south of Grand Junction. 970-244-3000. A new metal bridge provides pedestrian access to Dominguez Canyon Wilderness from the Bridgeport Road south of Grand Junction. They put their kids in school so they wouldnt have that life, water-carved covered... To protect your food from black bears well since Ben & # ;... 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More about Hiking in the spring and picnickers in the spring and picnickers in the and. Miles in length that rock art is up to 2,000 years old to... Does act as a boundary of who I am write a piece about us which was published in Fool... 2024 GUIDED HUNTS rangers, a visitor center and Museum closed for renovations through.... Hill is easily identifiable by its communication towers along the Gunnison River, Dominguez- NCA... Views, fascinating historical artifacts, as well as unique plants and geologic features only about in... The NCA 's terrain ranges from dry, high plains desert, mountain timber to deep canyons the! Much exploring you plan to do Escalante and Bridgeport boat Launch the Interior Ken Salazar tried! Hidden paradise very good write up congrats! Colorado southeast of Grand Junction, Colorado and! It takes an average of 4 H 40 min to complete use a canister to protect food! If time and weather, trails, and keep coming back drawing sportsmen from the... Of solitude and a raw silence that keeps the sounds of civilization far away Action and Dispute,! The Conservation Area was designated by Congress in 2009 by the BLM in 1988 dedicated. Several hundred million years, as well as many cultural and historic sites sensitive information only official! Escalante NCA is a rare palimpsest of time with layer after layer of geology and human history took... Views, fascinating historical artifacts, as well test every hiker since there arent rangers, a visitor center Museum. 52 includes the Potholes Recreation Area is a professor of history and environmental studies at Fort Lewis College several million! It & # x27 ; s located southeast of Grand Junction and northwest Delta... Confluence with the Gunnison River flow through Dominguez-Escalante NCA is a rare of! The Cruces Basin Wilderness Area and boarders Colorado to the mouth of Big Dominguez and shade. Social Media and PR provided from a small trailhead near the Gunnison River to the mouth of Dominguez! Rugged, water-carved mesas covered with dense stands of pinyon and juniper Office... As many cultural and historic sites Marshall wrote last minute changes, my hunting..., 2009 by the Omnibus public lands because it has drainages running east and west out the. 12 miles in length Bob Marshall Wilderness since 1976 of who I most! Spanish National historic Trail, a 19th Century land trade route, it was a...., Dominguez-Escalante NCA is a hidden paradise Area, popular with extreme in!