Gunnison Gorge Wilderness

About Gunnison Gorge Wilderness

The Gunnison Gorge Wilderness offers a wild and pristine backcountry experience, with its unique black granite and colorful sandstone double-canyon system carved by the Gunnison River. Fourteen miles of the Gunnison River flow through this wilderness area, offering diverse and abundant recreation opportunities. The area, known for its exceptional and challenging whitewater boating, also features world class gold medal trout waters. The Gunnison Gorge Wilderness contains a total of 17,700 acres and is managed by the Bureau of Land Management. In 1999, Congress designated the Gunnison Gorge Wilderness, and it became part of the National Wilderness Preservation System. Visitors can enjoy challenging recreational activities and extraordinary opportunities for solitude. In an age of "...increasing population, accompanied by expanding settlement and growing mechanization,..." you play an important role in helping to "...secure for the American people of present and future generations the benefits of an enduring resource of wilderness" as called for by Congress in the Wilderness Act of 1964 When visiting public lands, please follow Leave No Trace Principles When visiting designated Wilderness, please follow the wilderness regulations outlined below. Regulations:Self-issued permits are required in the wilderness (see use fee description for more information and to purchase day use passes online). Motorized and mechanized modes of travel (bicycles, dirt bikes, side-by-sides, wheeled carts, motorboats, and vehicles) are prohibited on all federal lands designated as wilderness. Visitors must sign in at trailheads. Maximum group size is 12 people. Maximum length of stay is 3 days/2 nights. Camping is allowed in the designated sites only along the river, on a first-come, first-served basis. Campsites are NOT reservable in advance. You may purchase camping permits (cash or check only) at the wilderness trailheads when you arrive by following the instructions on the kiosks. You ma

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How to Get There

Peach Valley Road provides access to all four Wilderness trailheads - Chukar, Ute, Duncan, and Bobcat. Follow the signs to the Chukar Road turnoff, which leads to the Chukar trailhead. Follow Peach Valley Road north and follow signs to the three other Wilderness trailheads - Ute, Duncan, and Bobcat. Access roads are primitive, unmaintained, and impassable when wet. Four-wheel-drive, high clearance vehicles are strongly recommended. Roads are not suitable for pull-behind campers or trailers.

Facilities at Gunnison Gorge Wilderness

This recreation area contains 7 facilities — campgrounds, trailheads, and visitor centers.

• Gunnison Forks Day Use Area — Facility
• Orchard Boat Ramp — Facility
• Eagle Valley Trailhead — Facility
• Flat Top OHV Staging Area — Facility
• Cottonwood Grove Campground — Campground
• Peach Valley OHV Staging Area — Facility
• Bobcat Trailhead — Facility

Plan Your Visit to Gunnison Gorge Wilderness

Heading to Gunnison Gorge Wilderness? A few things to know before you go:

• Reservations: popular sites fill up fast — check Recreation.gov 6 months in advance
• Fees: day-use and camping fees vary; check current rates on the official park page
• Trash & pack-out: follow Leave No Trace principles
• Wildlife: store food in bear boxes where provided; never feed wildlife
• Weather: the 5-day forecast above is updated every 6 hours; verify just before you go

References & Official Resources

• Official Recreation.gov page
• Park map (PDF)
• View on OpenStreetMap
• Driving directions (Google Maps)