| The Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests are a combination of separate National Forests located on the western slope of the Colorado Rockies. These three combined Forests cover 3,161,912 acres of public land in the central and southern Rocky Mountains. They consist of 10 wilderness areas and vary in elevation from 5,800 feet above sea level in Roubideau Creek Canyon to 14,309 feet on Uncompahgre Peak.President Benjamin Harrison created the Grand Mesa National Forest on December 24, 1892. It was originally called the Battlement Mesa Forest Reserve and was the third such reserve to be created in the nation. President Theodore Roosevelt created the Gunnison National Forest, originally called the Cochetopa Forest Reserve, on June 13, 1905 and the Uncompahgre Forest Reserve on June 14, 1905.The Forests include features like the 355 foot high Bridal Veil falls; the Grand Mesa with over 300 lakes, one of the world's largest flat top mountains; Alpine Tunnel, once the highest railroad tunnel in North America; and Dry Mesa Dinosaur Quarry, one of the world's largest dinosaur bone deposits.Popular recreation activities in this large and diverse area include downhill and cross-country skiing, developed and dispersed camping, four-wheel driving, sightseeing, hunting, fishing, hiking, boating, snowmobiling, picnicking, mountain biking, horseback riding, rock climbing and backpacking. |
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