Uncompahgre National Forest
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- For other uses, see Uncompahgre (disambiguation).
Uncompahgre National Forest is a U.S. National Forest covering over 1,000,000 acres (4,000 km²) in Gunnison, Hinsdale, Mesa, Montrose, Ouray and San Miguel Counties in Western Colorado. It borders San Juan National Forest to the south.
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 (formally the Big Blue), Mount Sneffels and Lizard Head.
The Uncompahgre National Forest is managed jointly with the Grand Mesa and Gunnison National Forests headquarted in Delta.
[edit] Recreation
The varried climate, scarce population, and abundance of sun make Uncompahgre National Forest popular among several different types. Probably the most common recreational activity within the Forest boundries is scenic driving, thanks in part to the Million Dollar Highway.
There are several dirt roads with Uncompahgre; some are ancient mining roads left over from the 1800s gold rush, others occasionally used by the Forest Service. Paved roads are of course more popular, including the San Juan Skyway, Alpine Loop, Unaweep/Tabeguache Scenic and Historic Byway, and Owl Creek Pass.
[edit] External links
- Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests (USDA Forest Service)
- GORP
- GORP list of campgrounds
| The Million Dollar Highway (Route 550) |
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| Passes: Coal Bank Pass | Molas Pass | Red Mountain Pass Towns: Durango | Silverton | Ouray |
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