Designated Areas

Currently Designated Areas Current Conditions

Wilderness Areas • Designated Wilderness • 10 congressionally designated Wilderness Areas • Additional information is needed to better describe wilderness character • 18% of GMUG land • Other uses (i.e. livestock grazing, dispersed camping, etc.) can impact wilderness character Name Total Acres Acres on GMUG/Location Lead Forest • Use of trails to 14ers is increasing, particularly to more easily accessible peaks Collegiate Peaks Wilderness 48,800 48,700/Gunnison Pike-San Isabel • Continental Divide National Scenic Trail 32,200 32,100/Gunnison GMUG • Most of the current trail is located on motorized roads/trails, which is inconsistent with the designating law 76,900 76,900/Gunnison GMUG • Overall trail tread condition is good - active partner groups help provide trail maintenance 20,500 20,500/Norwood GMUG • Mountain bike use is increasing on certain parts of the trail (e.g. Monarch Pass area), and there is pressure to allow it on other segments Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness 20,600 20,400/Gunnison White River Mount Sneffels Wilderness 16,500 16,500/Ouray & Norwood GMUG • There may be a conflict between historical management strategies (timber harvest, etc.) and the trails current route 14,800 14,800/Gunnison BLM • Old Spanish National Historic Trail Credit: Caleb Valdez 48,200 48,200/Paonia & Gunnison White River 98,900 98,900/Gunnision & Ouray GMUG • The route for this trail is still being determined, and a management plan has yet to be developed 176,500 176,500/Paonia & Gunnison GMUG • Roadless Total 553,800 553,300 • 99% of roadless areas have highly rated scenery Colorado Roadless Areas • Includes 33% of motorized and 27% of non-motorized trails • 78 areas consisting of about 900,500 acres (30%) of the GMUG Special Interest Areas (SIA) Other Designated Areas Potential Need for Change Average • Fossil Ridge Recreation Credit: Dave Armlovich Name Acres Elevation Category Management Area • Wilderness Areas Alpine Tunnel 600 11,400 Geologic • Roubideau and Tabeguache • Provide direction to improve and maintain the quality

Dry Mesa Quarry 50 7,500 Paleontological Special Management Areas of already designated wilderness to meet established Mt Emmons Iron National Natural Landmark standards Fen 200 11,500 Geologic Ophir Needles 500 11,000 Cultural • Slumgullion Earthflow (also an • Develop a fire management plan for wilderness areas Slumgullion Slide 300 10,000 Botanical SIA) that don’t have one Total 1,650 Critical Habitat • Update capacity guidelines for camping with an • DeBeque phacelia (Phacelia ecological emphasis National Scenic and Historic Trails submutica) – threatened plant • Accurately map on-the-ground features that define • Continental Divide National • Gunnison sage-grouse wilderness boundaries Scenic Trail -185 miles (Centrocercus minimus) – • Develop management direction for all areas without • Old Spanish National Historic threatened bird defined direction Trail – 197 miles • National Scenic and Historic Trails Research Natural Areas (RNA) • Update direction associated with the Continental National Recreation Trails Average • Bear Creek NRT – 3 miles Name Acres Elevation Category Divide National Scenic Trail to be consistent with Blue Spruce national plans • Crag Crest NRT – 6 miles Escalante Creek 60 8,600 Riparian • Crag Crest Cross-Country Ski Trail Subalpine fir - • Include direction for Old Spanish National Historic Trail Gothic 1,100 11,020 Spruce • Scenic Byways – 4 miles Total 1,160 National Scenic Byways • No management direction in current plan • Silver Thread Scenic Byway • Other Designated Areas • Grand Mesa Scenic and Historic • Develop management direction for Roubideau and Byway Tabeguache Special Management Areas and Fossil • West Elk Loop Scenic Byway Ridge Recreation Management Area • Unaweep -Tabegauche Scenic • Colorado Roadless Areas How can you help? Byway • Develop management direction • What areas of the GMUG do you think need special designation and why? • San Juan Skyway • Special Interest Areas • How would you describe the current conditions of designated areas (roadless, • Alpine Loop • Develop and maintain management direction for all areas without defined direction wilderness, etc.)? • Eliminate/prevent non-compatible uses in an SIA • How would you like to see designated areas be managed in the future? • Include Critical Habitat for DeBeque phacelia and Gunnison sage- • What are your issues or concerns with currently designated areas? grouse • Do you have any additional information that we should consider?