Uncompahgre National Forest – Image Gallery
Uncompahgre National Forest
The Uncompahgre National Forest in Colorado is a diverse landscape of mountains, forests, and alpine meadows. - National Forest Official WebsiteDetails
Uncompahgre National Forest
The Uncompahgre National Forest is located in the western part of Colorado and covers over 800,000 acres of land. The forest is known for its diverse landscape, including mountains, canyons, forests, and alpine meadows.
- Mountains: The forest is home to several mountain ranges, including the San Juan Mountains and the Uncompahgre Plateau. These mountains offer a variety of recreational opportunities, including hiking, camping, and wildlife viewing.
- Canyons: The forest is also home to several deep canyons, including the Black Canyon of the Gunnison. These canyons provide stunning views and opportunities for rock climbing and river rafting.
- Forests: The forest is covered in dense forests of pine, fir, and aspen trees. These forests provide habitat for a variety of wildlife, including elk, deer, and black bears.
- Alpine Meadows: At higher elevations, the forest opens up into vast alpine meadows filled with wildflowers. These meadows are popular for hiking and picnicking.
The Uncompahgre National Forest is also ecologically significant, as it provides habitat for a variety of plant and animal species. The forest is home to several endangered species, including the Canada lynx and the Gunnison sage-grouse.
In addition, the forest plays a crucial role in protecting watersheds and providing clean drinking water to nearby communities. The forest also helps to mitigate the effects of climate change by storing carbon and regulating the local climate.
Overall, the Uncompahgre National Forest is a valuable natural resource in Colorado, providing recreational opportunities, wildlife habitat, and ecological benefits to the region.
Uncompahgre National Forest
Points of Interest
1. Blue Lakes Trail
The Blue Lakes Trail is a popular hiking destination in the Uncompahgre National Forest. The trail offers stunning views of the surrounding mountains and crystal-clear blue lakes. Hikers can enjoy a moderate hike through alpine meadows and forests, with the opportunity to see wildlife such as deer, elk, and mountain goats. The trail is well-marked and maintained, making it accessible to hikers of all skill levels.
2. Engineer Pass
Engineer Pass is a scenic mountain pass located in the Uncompahgre National Forest. The pass offers breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains and valleys, making it a popular destination for both hikers and off-road enthusiasts. Visitors can drive or hike to the summit of Engineer Pass, where they can take in panoramic views of the rugged landscape below.
3. Ouray Ice Park
The Ouray Ice Park is a unique attraction located in the Uncompahgre National Forest. The park features over 200 ice climbing routes, making it a popular destination for ice climbers of all skill levels. The park is created by diverting water from the nearby Uncompahgre River, which freezes to form the climbing routes. Visitors can watch climbers in action or try their hand at ice climbing themselves.
4. Yankee Boy Basin
Yankee Boy Basin is a picturesque valley located in the Uncompahgre National Forest. The basin is known for its stunning wildflower displays in the summer months, as well as its rugged mountain scenery. Visitors can hike or drive through the basin, taking in views of waterfalls, alpine lakes, and towering peaks. The basin is also a popular spot for wildlife viewing, with opportunities to see marmots, pikas, and bighorn sheep.
5. Telluride Ski Resort
The Telluride Ski Resort is a world-renowned ski destination located in the Uncompahgre National Forest. The resort offers a wide variety of terrain for skiers and snowboarders of all levels, as well as stunning views of the surrounding mountains. In the summer months, the resort transforms into a mountain biking and hiking destination, with miles of trails to explore. Visitors can also enjoy dining, shopping, and lodging options at the resort's base village.
Uncompahgre National Forest – Images
Description: Original Caption: Colorado--Uncompahgre National Forest, 05/1972. U.S. National Archives’ Local Identifier: 412-DA-2391 Photographer: Norton, Boyd Subjects: Environmental protection Natural resources Pollution Uncompahgre National Forest (Colorado) forest Persistent URL: research.archives.gov/description/544884 Repository: Still Picture Records Section, Special Media Archives Services Division (NWCS-S), National Archives at College Park, 8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, MD, 20740-6001. For information about ordering reproductions of photographs held by the Still Picture Unit, visit: www.archives.gov/research/order/still-pictures.html Reproductions may be ordered via an independent vendor. NARA maintains a list of vendors at www.archives.gov/research/order/vendors-photos-maps-dc.html Access Restrictions: Unrestricted Use Restrictions: Unrestricted
Image by The U.S. National Archives – No restrictions – Wikimedia
Description: A sign marking the border of the Uncompahgre National Forest along Forest Service Road 540 in Montrose County, Colorado.
Image by Jeffrey Beall – CC BY 3.0 – Wikimedia
Description: A map of Colorado, with Uncompahgre National Forest highlighted in red. The light green is other Forest Service land, yellow is BLM land, dark green is National Park, brown is National Monument or National Historic Site, pink is Indian reservation. The reddish lines are Interstate Highways. David Benbennick made this map with data from nationalatlas.gov. The map uses the azimuthal equidistant projection, centered on (-105.7167, 39.1333) (degrees latitude, longitude). The area outside Colorado is transparent, so it should look nice on non-white backgrounds. Eventually, I will upload the 4 megabyte Metapost script I used to make this map. In the mean time, see map.mp.
Image by David Benbennick – Public domain – Wikimedia
Description: Original Caption: Uncompahgre River Valley04/1972 U.S. National Archives’ Local Identifier: 412-DA-10588 Photographer: Norton, Boyd Subjects: Environmental protection Natural resources Pollution Durango (Colorado, United States) Persistent URL: research.archives.gov/description/553073 Repository: Still Picture Records Section, Special Media Archives Services Division (NWCS-S), National Archives at College Park, 8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, MD, 20740-6001. For information about ordering reproductions of photographs held by the Still Picture Unit, visit: www.archives.gov/research/order/still-pictures.html Reproductions may be ordered via an independent vendor. NARA maintains a list of vendors at www.archives.gov/research/order/vendors-photos-maps-dc.html Access Restrictions: Unrestricted Use Restrictions: Unrestricted
Image by The U.S. National Archives – No restrictions – Wikimedia
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