Will Colorado’s Dolores Canyons Become A New National Monument?

Residents in Western Colorado are wondering if the final days of Joe Biden's administration will include a Presidential proclamation that creates the Dolores Canyons National Monument.

Read More: The Longest River in Colorado May Surprise Many People

If he does not, Mesa County could come together with several other counties in Western Colorado to create a smaller Dolores Canyons National Conservation Area. Keep reading to learn more about how both proposals could affect Western Colorado.

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Where are the Dolores River Canyons?

Colorado's Dolores River is around 240 miles long running Northwest from its headwaters in the San Juan National Forest to Dewey, Utah, where it joins with the Colorado River. The river canyons along the Dolores are found in portions of Montezuma, Dolores, San Miguel, Montrose, and Mesa Counties.

Colorado's Dolores River is also home to the state's historic Hanging Flume, created in 1889. Keep scrolling for some great photos of the flume and the Dolores River below.

Dolores Canyons National Monument

ProtecttheDolores.org represents a coalition proposing the 400,000-acre Dolores Canyons National Monument. If created by a President or Congressional legislation, it would be the largest Monument in Colorado. Dolores Canyons National Monument would be so large that you could fit all of Colorado's other National Monuments inside of this one.

Critics of the plan say the designation is too large of an area. The Gateway-Unaweep Fire District says the area is too large for them to protect with current resources. Some residents have tourism concerns saying the area lacks the infrastructure (roads) to be able to showcase a National Monument. Others call it a land grab of an area rich in resources with several mining claims.

Read More: Gunnison River: Navigating Colorado's Scenic Landscapes

Dolores Canyons National Conservation Area

Mesa County has also looked into the idea of creating a NAC (National Conservation Area) in the shaded region along the river in the map above. This would take up far less land than the Monument Proposal. See more of the Dolores Canyons proposal from Mesa County here.

Do you want to see a new National Monument created for the Dolores River? Would you rather see a NAC? Do you think existing acts protect the river and wildlife already? Tap the message button on our station app and let us know what you think while we check out 13 cool facts about the Dolores River below.