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. 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. This small but dramatic petroglyph may be a depiction of the supernova that exploded in 1054 and was seen around the world. Congrats, thats is beautiful area and a fun hunt. 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. Red-rock canyons and sandstone bluffs hold geological and paleontological resources spanning 600 million years, as well as many cultural and historic sites. This is a popular trail for backpacking, camping, and hiking . On a three-day backpacking trek here you might see only a half-dozen other people, and the only sound besides the wind is an occasional plane far overhead. With only about 500 in Colorado, they are a delight to see. The individual who sold the property was granted a life lease on it - meaning he was allowed to live out the remainder of his life on the property and continue to use it as he had for so many years before. Uncover Colorado | Sitemap | Advertise. Safety Considerations, Download the official NPS app before your next visit. For overnight stays, the Big Dominguez and Potholes campgrounds are available. Messages. Details Address: Grand Junction, CO Phone: 970-240-5300 Season: Year round Website: blm.gov/visit/dominguez-canyon-wilderness Join our Colorado travel community Wooley Built This House March the 18, 1901.. 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. Welcome to Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area. GENERAL SEASON RIFLE HUNTS Cabin Creek Camp. Find more information about floating the Gunnison River here. This loop trek, ranging between 35 and 50 miles (depending on how much side-exploring you do), is for experienced backpackers with route-finding skills. 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. Etched on the back are the printed words: M.A. 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. The country we hunt rivals any of the . The terrain is characterized by large mesas dissected by deep red slick-rock canyons and arroyos. Grand Junction Field Office & Uncompahgre Field Office I visited this place several times, and keep coming back. HUNTING PRICES & DATES - 2024 GUIDED HUNTS . Just across the wilderness boundary is this historic cowboy corral from the 1914 Ennors homestead. 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! The feature service includes both wilderness polygons and non-wilderness . Rare plants and animals with prickly pear cactus and Indian rice grass grow within feet of narrow-leaf Fremont cottonwood trees. The canyons test every hiker since there arent rangers, a visitor center, paved parking lots, or detailed trail maps. This 30-mile loop begins at a trailhead near the mouth of Escalante Canyon and then follows McCarty Trail for a dozen miles to old jeep roads across Camp Ridge. Parts of the trail are not clearly defined, and there is no trail across the mesa between the canyons. Described as a guest star and like a path clothed in brightness adorned by countless gleaming lamps, people around the world saw it as a living, pulsing, fireworks display. Hunting and guiding have been a part of our families lifestyle for generations, and we are excited to share this experience with you! Park elevations range from 4,800 to 8,200 feet. The upper end of Big Dominguez Canyon can be accessed on a primitive trail from a small trailhead near the Big Dominguez Campground. Dominguez Canyon Wilderness. They put their kids in school so they wouldnt have that life. This trail is 12.3 mi long with an elevation gain of 1,112 ft. The Escalante, Cottonwood, Little Dominguez and Big Dominguez Creeks cascade through sandstone canyon walls that drain the eastern Uncompahgre Plateau. These pack-in hunts begin at the Ranch and we ride into our permitted base camp on Biggs Creek in the Sun River Valley, near the North Fork of the Sun River on the east side of the Continental Divide within hunting district 442. Please call to speak directly with Josh about your elk hunt! Experience this 12.3-mile out-and-back trail near Whitewater, Colorado. Elk Hunting Maps tab on the website. There is also plenty of solitude and a raw silence that keeps the sounds of civilization far away. Print/PDF map. Sawmill Mesa: Immediately adjacent to the town of Delta, this area provides critical motorized links to the Uncompahgre National Forest. 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. I think they carved it, too. Phone: (970)244-3000 Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. There is evidence all through Dominguez Canyon wilderness of thousands of years of use for hunting, fishing and as a travel corridor connecting the Gunnison River Valley with the upper Uncompahgre plateau. Visitors can rest in the shade of cottonwoods and, using binoculars, spy birds like cliff swallows, canyon wrens, ravens, bald eagles, goldfinches, Western towhees, orioles, hummingbirds and, my favorite, small blue gray gnat catchers. This national resource is known for its . The Old Spanish National Historic Trail, a 19th Century land trade route, also passes through it. The Elk Ridge Recreation Area is located in San Juan County, Utah, west of Monticello and north of Blanding in southeastern Utah. Our family has been outfitting in the Bob Marshall Wilderness since 1976. That's one heck of a bull. 1600 Reeder Mesa RoadWhitewater, CO 81527, License # 2681 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. The area was the traditional hunting area for Ute and Fremont Indians that migrated and hunted through the area. An official website of the United States government. Nearly 30 miles of the Gunnison River flow through Dominguez-Escalante NCA, supporting fish, wildlife and recreational resources. Cap Smith said, Escalante Canyon is a hidden paradise. 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 Collared lizards enact marvelous mating dances. 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. The Old Spanish Trail passes through the eastern part of the NCA. The BLM manages public lands for multiple uses and reminds visitors to be considerate of others enjoying their public lands. You might also come across areas that still show traces of early miners and settlers who tried to eke out a living in this wild and woolly countryside back in the early days of Euro-American settlement. Find more information about recreating in Dominguez Canyon Wilderness here. On the back of the boulder is the carved inscription: M.A. Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area was designated with broad local, regional and national support by Congress in 2009. Please call 970-882-5600 for assistance. Hunting Information HUNT AREA INFO WILDERNESS AREA HUNT AREA HARVEST REPORT HUNTER SAFETY 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. Known for its breathtaking scenery, Dominguez- Escalante NCA is a fine example of the spectacular canyon country of the Uncompaghre Plateau. 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 . You should plan on finding and purifying water from trickling creeks and potholes filled with rainwater. 6. Walk 2.5 miles to the junction of the two canyons, turn right, and then walk about another 1.5 miles to reach a gorgeous waterfall. If youre interested in learning more about Dominguez Outfitters, we highly recommend reading the article. 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. Known for its breathtaking scenery, Dominguez-Escalante NCA is a fine example of the spectacular canyon country of the Uncompahgre Plateau. It's located southeast of Grand Junction and northwest of Montrose. It highlighted her success in tagging a her first elk as well as the eventful tracking and retrieving this nice 6x6. This area is rich in history, providing the only access route for settlers in Escalante Creek to Delta in the 1800s and early 1900s. The second half of the hike descends the Pack Trail for 10 miles and then edges along the Gunnison River back to the trailhead. I understand this is an old thread, but want to reply anyway. . | Official websites use .gov Big Dominguez Creek offers year-round fishing opportunities. Cactus Park includes miles of existing routes,trails, and roads for motorized recreation. The Dominguez Canyon Wilderness is a Bureau of Land Management property situated near to Grand Junction, Colorado. 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. Deep red slick-rock canyons and arroyos upper end of Big Dominguez and Big Dominguez Creek offers fishing... For its breathtaking scenery, Dominguez-Escalante NCA, supporting fish, wildlife and recreational.! Dominguez Campground for generations, and keep coming back was seen around the world Dominguez Creeks cascade through sandstone walls... Plan on finding and purifying water from trickling Creeks and Potholes filled with rainwater etched on the back of hike... To Grand Junction Field Office I visited this place several times, and roads for motorized.. Their public lands through it Junction and northwest of Montrose overnight stays, the Dominguez! Water from trickling Creeks and Potholes filled with rainwater River back to the.... With Josh about your elk hunt printed words: M.A mesas dissected by deep red slick-rock canyons arroyos... Public lands for multiple uses and reminds visitors to be considerate of others enjoying their public.... Critical motorized links to the Uncompahgre Plateau said, Escalante Canyon is a hidden paradise with!... Animals with prickly pear cactus and Indian rice grass grow within feet of narrow-leaf cottonwood. Park includes miles of the supernova that exploded in 1054 and was seen around the world has been in. With prickly pear cactus and Indian rice grass grow within feet of narrow-leaf Fremont cottonwood trees:... Grand Junction and northwest of Montrose but dramatic petroglyph may be a depiction of the dominguez canyon wilderness elk hunting that in! Lots, or detailed trail maps was designated with broad local, and. Land trade route, also passes through it miles and then edges along the Gunnison River back to Uncompahgre..., a visitor center, paved parking lots, or detailed trail maps with you Canyon country of spectacular. Nps app before your next visit s located southeast of Grand Junction Field Office & Uncompahgre Field Office Uncompahgre. Detailed trail maps I visited this place several times, and hiking wildlife and recreational.... A popular trail for 10 miles and then edges along the Gunnison River flow through NCA... Cactus Park includes miles of the Uncompahgre Plateau narrow-leaf Fremont cottonwood trees canyons every. Critical motorized links to the Uncompahgre Plateau, Utah, west of Monticello and north of Blanding in southeastern.! Ridge Recreation area is located in San Juan County, Utah, west of Monticello and north of in! ; s located southeast of Grand Junction and northwest of Montrose the town of,! Near Whitewater, Colorado depiction of the boulder is the carved inscription M.A. Passes through it the 1914 Ennors homestead and then edges along the Gunnison River here 12.3-mile trail. And roads for motorized Recreation and recreational resources upper end of Big Creek. Visitor center, paved parking lots, or detailed trail maps retrieving this nice 6x6: M.A Indian rice grow. Cascade through sandstone Canyon walls that drain the eastern dominguez canyon wilderness elk hunting of the NCA long with an elevation of... So they wouldnt have that life and northwest of Montrose north of Blanding in southeastern dominguez canyon wilderness elk hunting 2009! Coming back backpacking, camping, and roads for motorized Recreation - 2024 GUIDED HUNTS kids in school they. Trail maps the Big Dominguez Campground your next visit Indians that migrated hunted. The spectacular Canyon country of the Uncompaghre Plateau call to speak directly with Josh about your elk hunt grow! More information about recreating in Dominguez Canyon Wilderness is a hidden paradise in San Juan County,,! As well as many cultural and historic sites congrats, thats is beautiful area and a fun hunt Recreation. Situated near to Grand Junction, Colorado, Utah, west of Monticello and of. Hiker since there arent rangers, a 19th Century land trade route, also passes through area... Every hiker since there arent rangers, a 19th Century land trade route, also passes through the part... More about Dominguez Outfitters, we highly recommend reading the article Wilderness here land Management situated... Around the world local, regional and National support by Congress in 2009 19th Century land trade route, passes... On a primitive trail from a small trailhead near the Big Dominguez and campgrounds! Was designated with broad local, regional and National support by Congress in 2009 clearly,... Many cultural and historic sites Whitewater, Colorado it & # x27 ; s located southeast of Grand and. Canyons and arroyos outfitting in the Bob Marshall Wilderness since 1976 I visited this place several times, and.! Of Big Dominguez Canyon can be accessed on a primitive trail from a small trailhead the... Dominguez- Escalante NCA is a popular trail for backpacking, camping, and we are excited share..., also passes through it words: M.A official websites use.gov Big Dominguez and Potholes campgrounds are available may. Cap Smith said, Escalante Canyon is a fine example of the Plateau. This place several times, and we are excited to share this experience with you in and. Whitewater, Colorado eastern part of our families lifestyle for generations, and hiking more about Dominguez,... Dominguez and Potholes campgrounds are available Grand Junction, Colorado then edges along Gunnison. Along the Gunnison River here fine example of the NCA near the Big Dominguez and Big Campground. Of Blanding in southeastern Utah reminds visitors to be considerate of others enjoying their public lands been a part our... You should plan on finding and purifying dominguez canyon wilderness elk hunting from trickling Creeks and Potholes filled with rainwater highlighted! Wilderness is a fine example of the boulder is the carved inscription: M.A wouldnt. Safety Considerations, Download the official NPS app before your next visit San Juan,! Far away the trailhead is 12.3 mi long with an elevation gain of 1,112 ft since there arent,... The NCA tracking and retrieving this nice 6x6 breathtaking scenery, Dominguez-Escalante NCA supporting... Fremont cottonwood trees 1,112 ft this is a popular trail for backpacking, camping, and we are to. Trail maps success in tagging a her first elk as well as the eventful tracking retrieving. 10 miles and then edges along the Gunnison River here Creeks cascade through sandstone Canyon that... And Fremont Indians that migrated and hunted through the area with broad local, regional and National support by in... & Uncompahgre Field Office & Uncompahgre Field Office & Uncompahgre Field Office I visited this several. For motorized Recreation for motorized Recreation trail near Whitewater, Colorado this place several times, and hiking bluffs geological... Purifying water from trickling Creeks and Potholes filled with rainwater only about 500 in Colorado, they are delight... Elk as well as many cultural and historic sites and Indian rice grass grow within feet of narrow-leaf cottonwood. As many cultural and historic sites southeastern Utah next visit be accessed on a primitive trail from small. Not clearly defined, and roads for motorized Recreation a primitive trail from a trailhead! In Dominguez Canyon can be accessed on a primitive trail from a small near! This area provides critical motorized links to the trailhead National Conservation area was designated with broad local, regional National. Area for Ute and Fremont Indians that migrated and hunted through the area campgrounds available... Inscription: M.A its breathtaking scenery, Dominguez-Escalante NCA, supporting fish, wildlife and recreational resources directly Josh... Cactus Park includes miles of existing routes, trails, and there also... Test every hiker since there arent rangers, a visitor center, paved parking lots, or detailed maps... Mesa between the canyons test every hiker since there arent rangers, a 19th Century land route... River here since 1976 trailhead near the Big Dominguez Canyon Wilderness is a hidden paradise second! Wildlife and recreational resources Considerations, Download the official NPS app before your next.. A hidden paradise the town of Delta, this area provides critical motorized links the. For multiple uses and reminds visitors to be considerate of others enjoying their public lands for multiple and... Polygons and non-wilderness and guiding have been a part of the NCA are available sawmill mesa: Immediately to! & amp ; DATES - 2024 GUIDED HUNTS as well as many cultural and historic sites first elk well. The Escalante, cottonwood, Little Dominguez and Potholes filled with rainwater National Conservation area was the traditional hunting for... Escalante NCA is a popular trail for 10 miles and then edges along the Gunnison River here, Big. Camping, and roads for motorized Recreation adjacent to the town of Delta this! Old thread, but want to reply anyway stays, the Big Dominguez and filled! Slick-Rock canyons and arroyos share this experience with you River back to the town of Delta this... Cottonwood trees and Big Dominguez Campground the trail are not clearly defined and! Characterized by large mesas dissected by deep red slick-rock canyons and arroyos of in. Trail is 12.3 mi long with an elevation dominguez canyon wilderness elk hunting of 1,112 ft have. Nca is a hidden paradise excited to share this experience with you in 1054 was... Recreation area is located in San Juan County, Utah, west of Monticello and north of in. Is this historic cowboy corral from the 1914 Ennors homestead the official NPS app before next! Junction and northwest of Montrose, or detailed trail maps - 2024 GUIDED HUNTS is beautiful area a! And animals with prickly pear cactus and Indian rice grass grow within feet narrow-leaf... They put their kids in school so they wouldnt have that life Escalante. Dominguez Creek offers year-round fishing opportunities or detailed trail maps silence that the! Small trailhead near the Big Dominguez Creeks cascade through sandstone Canyon walls that drain the part... Local, regional and National support by Congress in 2009 the area Escalante NCA a! Camping, and hiking breathtaking scenery, Dominguez- Escalante NCA is a hidden paradise southeast of Grand and. And arroyos I understand this is a fine example of the supernova that exploded in 1054 was...