Ah, look, it's a dam on Dominguez creek used to fill the orchard irrigation ditch. 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 | The management plan for Dominguez-Escalante NCA specifically allows for hunting under state game laws. This trail is 12.3 mi long with an elevation gain of 1,112 ft. For more information on hunting seasons, how to get your hunting license, and more, please visit the Colorado Parks and Wildlife website. 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 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. Also, its a good idea to use a canister to protect your food from black bears. Details Address: Grand Junction, CO Phone: 970-240-5300 Season: Year round Website: blm.gov/visit/dominguez-canyon-wilderness Join our Colorado travel community ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Over the last 10,000 years, ancient Native Americans left a rock art legacy including petroglyphs of bear tracks, deer, bighorn sheep, and strange human-like figures. We bring several years of experience and in-depth knowledge of the area to each fair chase hunt. Thanks to Chinese astronomers, we have a date. The Dominguez Canyon Wilderness is a Bureau of Land Management property situated near to Grand Junction, Colorado. Known for its breathtaking scenery, Dominguez-Escalante NCA is a fine example of the spectacular canyon country of the Uncompahgre Plateau. Dominguez Canyon Wilderness within the Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area is a special place. Big game, upland bird and migratory waterfowl hunting contributes millions to the regional economy and is a valued activity in the NCA. 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. Featured image provided by BLM / Bob Wick. If youre interested in learning more about Dominguez Outfitters, we highly recommend reading the article. 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. You are using an out of date browser. Located in western Colorado in Mesa and Delta counties. Unaweep Canyon on the northern boundary of the NCA contains globally significant geological resources. Where is the best place to hike in Dominguez Canyon Wilderness? The Dominguez Canyon Wilderness is a U.S. Wilderness Area located southeast of Grand Junction in western Colorado.The 66,280-acre (268.2 km 2) wilderness area established in 2009, the largest BLM roadless area in the state of Colorado, includes two major canyon systems that drain the northeastern corner of the Uncompahgre Plateau.The Wilderness Area is a portion of the larger Dominguez . It's located southeast of Grand Junction and northwest of Montrose. The area possesses outstanding geological features, spectacular scenery, ecological diversity, two cascading mountain streams and opportunities for solitude and primitive unconfined recreation. Please close gates behind you, beware of sheep dogs and avoid interfering with livestock operations. L.O. 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 . Sawmill Mesa: Immediately adjacent to the town of Delta, this area provides critical motorized links to the Uncompahgre National Forest. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. The BLM manages public lands for multiple uses and reminds visitors to be considerate of others enjoying their public lands. When Big Dominguez Creek is in full flow, waterfalls cascade off the ancient rocks into wading pools below. Grand Junction Field Office & Uncompahgre Field Office This would be my first time in NMwhat a gorgeous unit, filled with tremendous elk habitat. 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. LockA locked padlock Sycamore Canyon Wilderness and Red Rock - Secret Mountain . 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. Hikers enter the wilderness where a gate post is an upturned wagon axle installed by pioneers, who lived by the adage of use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without., Walking up the canyon, visitors see a corral from the Herbert Bert Ennors homestead, though the house has burned and no traces of it remain. You will encounter picturesque views, fascinating historical artifacts, as well as unique plants and geologic features. Congrats, thats is beautiful area and a fun hunt. Nearly 30 miles of the river flow through the NCA. They left the wilderness and all that hard work. Cactus Park includes miles of existing routes,trails, and roads for motorized recreation. We are 15 miles from the nearest trailhead, a three-hour drive beyond that from the nearest stoplight, and two days' drive beyond that from home. It lies west of Cottonwood Road to Elk Ridge, west to the Dark Canyon Wilderness boundary, and from the north Forest boundary to the south Forest boundary. Expect Class I and II water. Experience this 12.3-mile out-and-back trail near Whitewater, Colorado. Dominguez Canyon is a popular stop along the way, with primitive camping, a hike up Big Dominguez Canyon, hidden rock art, and a breathtaking waterfall. 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. There are 115 miles of streams and rivers in the NCA, and there is habitat suitable for 52 protected species of animals and plants. Geologists call this missing strata The Great Unconformity. Sounds like a great hunt. 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. However, she recruited her fellow Minneapolis firefighter, Ben Pena, to join me. Official websites use .gov Grand Junction, CO 81505 Written by Stewart Green for RootsRated Media in partnership with Delta County Colorado. Park elevations range from 4,800 to 8,200 feet. The Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area 2) National Conservation Area located in western Colorado southeast of Grand Junction and northwest of Montrose. The areas contain canyon and dry meadow habitat and produce elk observations throughout the fall hunt period. It now provides private ranch access. 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. 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. Scenic auto touring, bouldering and multi pitch climbing occur along East Creek. Restrooms and picnic tables are available for day-use recreation as well. D-E NCA offers outstanding opportunities to hunt for deer, elk, bear, mountain lion, waterfowl, turkey, and chukar. Unit 61 has a very limited number of licenses and requires preference points to draw. If youre looking to have a great time while hunting big game, get in touch with us today! Known for its breathtaking scenery, Dominguez-Escalante NCA is a fine example of the spectacular canyon country of the Uncompahgre Plateau. Please call 970-882-5600 for assistance. GENERAL SEASON RIFLE HUNTS Cabin Creek Camp. Becky Wolfe was kind enough to write a piece about us which was published in Huntin Fool Magazine. Yet the visible cliffs are 300 million-year-old Chinle sandstone.. Please call 970-882-5600 for assistance. There are 115 miles of streams and rivers in the NCA, and there is habitat suitable for 52 protected species of animals and plants. Water runs through Little Dominguez Creek year-round, creating a great habitat for many birds, mammals, and reptiles. As the snow piles up, I think of warm desert hikes. Extreme Long Range Hunting & Shooting (ELR). 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 . You should plan on finding and purifying water from trickling creeks and potholes filled with rainwater. A public wilderness feature service can be added in ArcGIS online or to other online maps. We look forward to your visit; here's hoping that you are inspired to linger a little while longer with us. Etched on the back are the printed words: M.A. This wilderness, which is characterized by diverse ecosystems, features two major canyon systems which drain the northeastern corner of the Uncompahgre Plateau. The 142-mile Tabeguache Mountain Bike Trail, which connects Grand Junction to Montrose, goes from Cactus Park on its ascent from Grand Junction to the top of the Uncompahgre Plateau. Escalante Canyon: Escalante Canyon includes the Potholes Recreation Area, popular with extreme kayakers in the spring and picnickers in the summer. Email him at gulliford_a@fortlewis.edu. Created by, Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area. 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. This trip can take several days to a week, depending on how much exploring you plan to do. The 66,280 acres of Dominguez Canyon Wilderness are wholly contained within the boundaries of Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area. Traces of the early miners and settlers who lived and worked there are also evident. Nearly 30 miles of the Gunnison River flow through Dominguez-Escalante NCA, supporting fish, wildlife and recreational resources. Nice bull and very good write up congrats!! Official websites use .gov The terrain is characterized by large mesas dissected by deep red slick-rock canyons and arroyos. Unlike many of the better known wilderness areas that are part of National Forest lands, Dominguez Canyon Wilderness occupies land controlled by the BLM. McCarty was headed for a canyon hideout, but instead, he and his brother died in the dust of Deltas dirt streets. 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. The Wenaha-Tucannon Wilderness was created by the Endangered American Wilderness Act of 1978. Miles of trails wind within the NCA provide access to the Uncompahgre National Forest, which manages a successful multi-recreational trail system. 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. It took a special kind of woman to make an Escalante Canyon ranchers wife, Marshall wrote. Photos and wilderness maps courtesy of the Bureau of Land Management. The most common access point is from the Bridgeport Trailhead or from the Gunnison River at the mouth of Big Dominguez Canyon. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS Hunting and guiding have been a part of our families lifestyle for generations, and we are excited to share this experience with you! 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