Last week, TU staff, along with staff from Backcountry Hunters & Anglers and members of the press, flew above the deep canyons and mesas surrounding the Dolores River in this remote area of the Western Slope, which is one of the most important concentrations of biodiversity and wild public lands in the US. The region lies within the ancestral lands of the Ute people, and includes many cultural sites and sacred areas.  

Conservationists, community members, and other stakeholders are coming together to find solutions to protect the whole Dolores River Canyon Country, from McPhee Dam to the Utah state line. In the southern part of the region, decades of collaborative work have resulted in the introduction of legislation to create a 68,000-acre National Conservation Area. We applaud Senators Bennet and Hickenlooper for their continued efforts to advance these protections. We must continue to advocate for passage of this bill in Congress to ensure adequate protection for the natural resources on the Lower Dolores in Montezuma, Dolores, and San Miguel Counties. 

To complement the protections in the south, Trout Unlimited and its partners are also advocating for protection of the northern region to help preserve uniquely biodiverse lands, wildlife, water resources, and a sustainable future for local communities. The area surrounding the Upper Dolores River is home to high-elevation cutthroat trout streams and quality habitat for big game species like elk, mule deer, and bighorn sheep.  

In this time of skyrocketing recreation and increased threats from development and climate change, the time is now to permanently conserve the Dolores Canyons. Learn more by visiting the Sportsmen for the Dolores website and let decisionmakers know that you support protections for the Dolores Canyons