This is a popular trail for backpacking, camping, and hiking . Grand Junction Field Office & Uncompahgre Field Office Collared lizards enact marvelous mating dances. Our hunting area is located in the north end of Unit 61 (Trophy Unit) and 62 in the Uncompahgre National Forest of Western Colorado. Little Dominguez is the longer of the two at approximately 12 miles in length. Written by Stewart Green for RootsRated Media in partnership with Delta County Colorado. Yet the visible cliffs are 300 million-year-old Chinle sandstone.. Big Dominguez Creek offers year-round fishing opportunities. After a few days of tramping through the ruddy canyons, youll be ready to ease back into civilization with a filling meal. It's located southeast of Grand Junction and northwest of Montrose. Made doctors and lawyers of em. Red-rock canyons and sandstone bluffs hold geological and paleontological resources spanning 600 million years, as well as many cultural and historic sites. 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. The upper end of Big Dominguez Canyon can be accessed on a primitive trail from a small trailhead near the Big Dominguez Campground. 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. There are 115 miles of streams and rivers in the NCA, and there is habitat suitable for 52 protected species of animals and plants. Unaweep Canyon on the northern boundary of the NCA contains globally significant geological resources. 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. I understand this is an old thread, but want to reply anyway. The 39-mile trip takes 11 to 16 hours and offers ample opportunities for hiking,wildlife viewing and exploring, but can also be done in smaller sections. In 2009 66,280 acres (26,820 ha) were also designated as the Dominguez Canyon Wilderness. The areas contain canyon and dry meadow habitat and produce elk observations throughout the fall hunt period. Grand Junction BLM District We typically hunt elk and deer, but we also offer opportunities to pursue other animals such as bears and desert bighorn sheep. Permits and instructions can be found on-site at the Escalante and Bridgeport boat launch. The wilderness was designated by Congress in 2009 and is made up of most of what was previously the Dominguez Canyon Wilderness Study Area. The area provides valuable wildlife habitat for desert bighorn sheep, deer, elk, mountain lion, black bear, wild turkey and chukar. Extreme Long Range Hunting & Shooting (ELR). 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. This trip can take several days to a week, depending on how much exploring you plan to do. 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. Ah, look, it's a dam on Dominguez creek used to fill the orchard irrigation ditch. 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. Unit 62 within D-E NCA is famous for its huge elk and mule deer . The majority of the wilderness is characterized by rugged basaltic ridges and outcroppings separated by deep . This is what we have come so far to find: the solitude, the challenge, and the wildness. Details Address: Grand Junction, CO Phone: 970-240-5300 Season: Year round Website: blm.gov/visit/dominguez-canyon-wilderness Join our Colorado travel community This wilderness, which is characterized by diverse ecosystems, features two major canyon systems which drain the northeastern corner of the Uncompahgre Plateau. The route takes three to five days. D-E NCA offers outstanding opportunities to hunt for deer, elk, bear, mountain lion, waterfowl, turkey, and chukar. The Elk Ridge Recreation Area is located in San Juan County, Utah, west of Monticello and north of Blanding in southeastern Utah. Safety Considerations, Download the official NPS app before your next visit. Multiple access points. L.O. Where is the best place to hike in Dominguez Canyon Wilderness? Photo: camping near Naturita, Norwood, Nucla and Gateway. 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. The Gunnison River itself is not part of the wilderness but does act as a boundary. Official websites use .gov The easiest access is from SR-95. Created Date: 20140413123814Z . Uncover Colorado | Sitemap | Advertise. Dominguez Canyon Wilderness consists of two major canyon systems, Big Dominguez and Little Dominguez. You are using an out of date browser. 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. 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). Where the schist has been carved by millions of years of water runoff from the Uncompahgre Plateau to the west, there are pour-offs and pools as smooth as a newborns bottom. Colorado Units 61 and 62, Discover the Best Public Hunting Grounds in Western Colorado, Colorado Parks and Wildlife Hunting Information. Please call 970-882-5600 for assistance. Peregrine falcons have nested nearby. Grand Valley Ranger District Adventurous travelers can make a large loop using Big and Little Dominguez Canyons. The 66,280 acres of Dominguez Canyon Wilderness are wholly contained within the boundaries of Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area. Canyons of the Ancients Visitor Center & Museum is closed to the public through mid-May 2023 for major floor renovations. New member. . Scenic auto touring, bouldering and multi pitch climbing occur along East Creek. Vegetation varies from pinon-juniper woodlands near the Gunnison River to Ponderosa pine, Douglas fir and aspens in the higher reaches. Use would depend on peril, weather, or simple opportunistic stops. 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. Elevations in the NCA are approximately 4,800 to 8,200 feet. This wilderness is located in the northern Blue Mountains of southeastern Washington and northeastern Oregon and encompasses 176,557 acres. Featured image provided by BLM / Bob Wick. For a classic backpacking trip, head up Big Dominguez Canyon from the Gunnison River, and then traverse sagebrush flats to the return hike down Little Dominguez Canyon. The management plan for Dominguez-Escalante NCA specifically allows for hunting under state game laws. Print/PDF map. Length 12.3 miElevation gain 1,112 ftRoute type Out & back. Cultural resources such as petroglyphs and wickiups attest to the thousands of years that Native Americans used the area for hunting, shelter and as a travel corridor from the Gunnison River Valley to the Uncompahgre Plateau. 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. email: [email protected]. GENERAL SEASON RIFLE HUNTS Cabin Creek Camp. Shapefiles of the entire wilderness system, as well as individual areas, are available for download below. Several hundred million years of geology are missing between the cliff tops and the creek bottom. 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. This national resource is known for its . ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS The area also provides excellent heritage tourism opportunities, and the rugged canyons and bluffs here hold geological and paleontological resources spanning 1.4 billion years. Please call 970-882-5600 for assistance. Ballantine Communications, Inc. As the snow piles up, I think of warm desert hikes. Grand Junction Field Office & Uncompahgre Field Office, Collaborative Action and Dispute Resolution, Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area. Please call to speak directly with Josh about your elk hunt! Hunting Grounds: West of Hwy 50 and east of the Gunnison River this area is rich in cultural heritage resources and a popular location for dispersed recreation. Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area (NCA) comprises 210,172 acres of protected public lands, and includes the 66,280-acre Dominguez Canyon Wilderness. 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. Note: Mountain bikes or high clearance vehicles are required on the Tabeguache Trail (see the Tabeguache Trail brochure for more information). Dates Visit Length Price; 10/2911/04: 7 DAYS: $6,500 ea: 11/711/13: 7 DAYS: $6,500 ea: 11/1611/22: . . 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. Unit 61 has a very limited number of licenses and requires preference points to draw. 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. | Uncover Colorado | Sitemap | Advertise. Elevations in the NCA are approximately 4,800 to 8,200 feet. Big Dominguez Canyon Dominguez Canyon Wilderness Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area. The Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area 2) National Conservation Area located in western Colorado southeast of Grand Junction and northwest of Montrose. But even in the dead of winter, Dominguez is easy to get to off U.S. Highway 550 south of Grand Junction at Bridgeport Road. Welcome to Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area. Grand Junction, CO 81505 Dominguez Pueblo and the half-mile accessible trail to Escalante Pueblo remain open. The terrain is characterized by large mesas dissected by deep red slick-rock canyons and arroyos. Nice bull and very good write up congrats!! Dominguez Canyon Wilderness within the Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area is a special place. 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. Email him at [email protected]. A ruby gem at the bottom of the world.. What to Expect. Access the south side: from Delta, travel west on Highway 348 and turn right onto 25 Mesa Road/D Road. 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. Red-rock canyons and sandstone bluffs hold geological and paleontological resources spanning 600 million years, as well as many cultural and historic sites. 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. 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. LockA locked padlock Equal Opportunity Employer Cactus Park includes miles of existing routes,trails, and roads for motorized recreation. Thanks to Chinese astronomers, we have a date. Human habitation in the Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area goes back 10,000 years. Continue up the canyon to find a campsite, since the lower sections of both Big and Little Dominguez Canyons are day-use only. Temperatures soar in the canyons and little shade is found. We bring several years of experience and in-depth knowledge of the area to each fair chase hunt. Nearly 30 miles of the Gunnison River flow through Dominguez-Escalante NCA, supporting fish, wildlife and recreational resources. Dominguez Canyon is a spectacular canyon in western Colorado offering a beautiful desert scenery with nice rock formations, year round water source with waterfalls, petroglyphs, primitive stone shelter and many other wonders. Geologists call this missing strata The Great Unconformity. Dominguez Canyon Wilderness. Rare plants and animals with prickly pear cactus and Indian rice grass grow within feet of narrow-leaf Fremont cottonwood trees. Also, its a good idea to use a canister to protect your food from black bears. This National Conservation Area includes the 66,280 acre Dominguez Canyon Wilderness. The area was the traditional hunting area for Ute and Fremont Indians that migrated and hunted through the area. 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. 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. Hunting and guiding have been a part of our families lifestyle for generations, and we are excited to share this experience with you! The Ute Tribes today consider these pinyon-junipercovered lands an important connection to their ancestral past. It joins the larger Big Dominguez Canyon a little over a mile before their confluence with the Gunnison River. Native Americans in the canyons would have seen it. Nearly 30 miles of the Gunnison River flow through Dominguez-Escalante NCA, supporting fish, wildlife and recreational resources. It worked out well since Ben's an experienced hunter and many grades . The Dominguez Canyon Wilderness is a Bureau of Land Management property situated near to Grand Junction, Colorado. Certainly, outlaws did. 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. . Messages. The bottom of Dominguez Creek has hard, brittle, blue-gray rock, yet all around are red sandstone cliffs. Ed Hake. Please close gates behind you, beware of sheep dogs and avoid interfering with livestock operations. For overnight stays, the Big Dominguez and Potholes campgrounds are available. Then full use and control of the property would transfer to the BLM. An official website of the United States government. The 66,280 acres of Dominguez Canyon Wilderness are wholly contained within the boundaries of Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area. The Big Dominguez Trail accesses some of the most popular areas of the Dominguez Canyon Wilderness, including waterfalls and rock art. Learn more about Hiking in the Dominguez Canyon Wilderness. 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. 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. Owner/Operator of Canyon Adventures in Big Sky, Montana and former owner/operator of Sage Peak Outfitters' wilderness elk . 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 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. 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