More about the Land

Of Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area

What Makes Gunnison Gorge NCA so special? We’re highlighting some of the NCA’s most significant features.

Natural Resources

Exploring the Gorge is like traveling through time; the geologic formations surrounding you span nearly a third of the age of Earth, from sculptural sandstone features at the rim to rugged cliffs of 1.7 billion year-old pre-Cambrian basement rock. Adobe badlands in the southwestern portion of the NCA, eroded from Mancos shale deposits, are remnants of a vast inland sea. Learn more about Gunnison Gorge NCA by visiting the Eagle Valley Trail!

Gunnison Gorge NCA is also rich with wildlife such as elk, bighorn sheep, and falcons. The Gunnison River within the NCA contains over 300 pounds of fish per acre and 10,000 trout per mile, thanks to its Gold Medal trout fishery. Although many of the fish were introduced to the river, native populations, such a roundtail chubs, bluehead suckers, and flannelmouth suckers are still abundant . Meanwhile, the land of the NCA provides important habitat for the Gunnison sage grouse. However, due to loss of habitat across the state, populations of the Gunnison sage grouse are becoming more rare. In GGNCA, there are ongoing habitat restoration efforts to preserve critical habitat.

Eagle Rock SHelter

Gunnison Gorge NCA is home to one of the oldest Native American sites in North America. Archaeological investigations at Eagle Rock Shelter indicate that it was a home and resting place for Native groups for nearly 13,000 years. Archaeologists began excavations at the site in 2007, uncovering ancient cultural deposits that lend important insight into the lives of those who occupied it. Artifacts documented at the site tell the story of Native people who for centuries forged a deep and lasting connection to this special place. Although active excavations at the site are no longer being carried out, many discoveries remain to be made in the years to come as excavated artifacts continue to be analyzed. Eagle Rock Shelter is located within the native homeland of the Ute people and it remains an important place to modern Utes. Presently, the BLM is working closely with the three Ute tribes to tell its exceptional story.

Historical Significance

In 1854, John William Gunnison led an expedition through the region in order to determine if a railroad could be constructed. Although forced to circumnavigate once they encountered the steep canyon walls of the Black Canyon, the area was officially put on the map and named the Gunnison River. Due to the difficulty of access and rough terrain, few people permanently lived in the area in the late 1800s and early 1900s. However, a few enthusiastic prospectors, John Howell and the Duncan Brothers, settled in the area hoping to find gold. The remains of their cabins and trails they used can still be found today.

Learn more!