Uncompahgre National Forest is a U.S. National Forest covering 955,229 acres (1,492.55 sq mi, or 3,865.68 km) in (in descending order of land area) parts of Montrose , Mesa , San Miguel , Ouray , Gunnison , Hinsdale , San Juan , and Delta Counties in western Colorado . Its headquarters are in Delta County, in the city of Delta . It borders the San Juan National Forest to the south.
12-632: Within the national forest boundaries can be found the arid Uncompahgre Plateau and the northern portion of the San Juan Mountains . The forest contains three alpine wilderness areas : Uncompahgre (formerly the Big Blue Wilderness), Mount Sneffels , and Lizard Head . Uncompahgre National Forest was established on June 14, 1905. The Uncompahgre, Grand Mesa , and Gunnison National Forests were all administered separately until 1954 when Grand Mesa and Uncompahgre started to be administered as
24-773: A single unit, with Gunnison added in 1973. Today, Uncompahgre National Forest is administered jointly with the Grand Mesa and Gunnison National Forests from the Forest Supervisor's Office in Delta, Colorado . There are local ranger district offices located in Montrose , Gunnison , and Norwood . The varied climate, sparse population, and abundance of sun make the Uncompahgre National Forest popular with jeepers, atv'ers, sight seers, and hikers. A common recreational activity within
36-611: A specific United States geological feature is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Uncompahgre River The Uncompahgre River is a tributary of the Gunnison River , approximately 75 mi (121 km) long, in southwestern Colorado in the United States . Lake Como at 12,215 ft (3723m) in northern San Juan County , in the Uncompahgre National Forest in the northwestern San Juan Mountains
48-586: Is likely a reference to the many hot springs in the vicinity of Ouray. In October 2020, the City of Montrose announced a multi-year, multi-million dollar river restoration project along the Uncompahgre, including $ 785,000 total grants from the Colorado Water Conservation Board . The project will enhance fishing habitats, provide bank stabilization, increase river access and fishing opportunities for
60-654: Is the headwaters of the river. It flows northwest past Ouray , Ridgway , Montrose , and Olathe and joins the Gunnison at Confluence Park in Delta . The river forms Poughkeepsie Gulch and the Uncompahgre Gorge . The major tributaries are all creeks draining the northwest San Juan Mountains. There are two dams on the Uncompahgre River, a small diversion dam in the Uncompahgre Gorge, and Ridgway Dam below
72-690: Is under the management of: Located in Southwest Colorado, the Uncompahgre Plateau is a high domed upland rising from the Colorado River. When it was formed, strong forces in the crust of the Earth forced the land to lift up. 38°33′N 108°28′W / 38.550°N 108.467°W / 38.550; -108.467 This Colorado state location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article about
84-586: The National Wilderness Preservation System . One of them lies mostly in a neighboring National Forest, while another one extends onto land that is managed by the Bureau of Land Management (as indicated). Uncompahgre Plateau The Uncompahgre Plateau in western Colorado is a distinctive large uplift part of the Colorado Plateau . Uncompahgre is a Ute word that describes
96-627: The Forest boundaries is scenic driving, thanks in part to the Million Dollar Highway . Some other local attractions include Trout Lake and Bridal Veil Falls, near Telluride . There are several dirt roads within the Uncompahgre; some are mining roads left from the 1800s mineral rush, others are occasionally used by the Forest Service. Paved roads include the San Juan Skyway , Alpine Loop ,
108-735: The Unaweep-Tabeguache Scenic and Historic Byway and Owl Creek Pass , which is gravel. In 2024 the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests purchased the West Gold Hill Dinosaur Track site near Ouray, Colorado . The trackway includes 134 fossilized footsteps of a sauropod from the Late Jurassic . It is the world's only existing example of a 270-degree looped turn and has the most continuous steps. There are three officially designated wilderness areas lying within Uncompahgre National Forest that are part of
120-628: The town of Ridgway which forms Ridgway Reservoir . The river is used for irrigation in the Uncompahgre Valley . Additionally, water from the Gunnison is diverted to the valley via the Gunnison Tunnel . The Uncompahgre is unnavigable except at high water. The name Uncompahgre ( / ʌ n k ʌ m ˈ p ɑː ɡ r eɪ / ) comes from the Ute word Uncompaghre , which loosely translates to "dirty water," "red lake," or "red water spring" and
132-515: The water: "Dirty Water" or "Rocks that make Water Red". The plateau, with an average elevation of 9,500 feet (2,900 m), rises from the Colorado River 4,600 ft (1,400 m) to Horsefly Peak 10,300 ft (3,100 m). It continues on about 90 miles (140 km) southeast to the northwest margin of the San Juan Mountains . Its boundaries are the San Miguel and Dolores Rivers to
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#1732851621000144-626: The west, the Colorado River to the north and the Gunnison and Uncompahgre Rivers on the eastern side. Large canyons such as Big Red, Tabeguache, Spring Creek, Roubideau, Escalante, Big Dominquez, and Unaweep are separated by generally flat mesas. The Plateau watersheds include four tributaries of the Colorado River : Dolores River , Gunnison River , San Miguel River and Uncompahgre River . The Uncompahgre Plateau includes about 2,290 square miles (5,900 km ) in five counties: Delta , Mesa , Montrose , Ouray , and San Miguel . The plateau
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