S 1791119th CongressIn Committee

Gunnison Outdoor Resources Protection Act of 2025

Introduced: May 15, 2025

Environment & ClimateInfrastructure

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

The Gunnison Outdoor Resources Protection Act of 2025 designates a wide constellation of new protected areas and management units in Gunnison County, Colorado, across multiple federal land managers (primarily the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management). The bill creates nine Special Management Areas (SMAs), eight Wildlife Conservation Areas (WCAs), four Protection Areas, two Recreation Management Areas, and one Rocky Mountain Scientific Research and Education Area on federal lands. It also adds a large number of new wilderness additions and a boundary adjustment to the West Elk Wilderness. A central feature is that these designations come with specific management prescriptions intended to conserve ecological, scenic, watershed, wildlife, and recreational resources, while allowing certain uses (notably designated vehicle and bicycle use) under careful rules and timelines. The act authorizes a formal, collaborative planning framework and requires the development of winter travel plans for areas lacking them. All designations are made “subject to valid existing rights,” meaning pre-existing rights and uses may continue where permitted. In short, the bill substantially expands federal protections and management regimes in the Gunnison area, alters how land and trails can be used (especially for motorized and off-road activities), and formalizes new research and wilderness protections that could affect outdoor recreation, local land use, wildlife habitat, and conservation planning for decades to come.

Key Points

1Designation package of new areas:
2- Nine Special Management Areas (SMAs) across various tracts of Forest Service and BLM land in Gunnison County (e.g., American Flag SMA, Beckwiths SMA, Clear Fork SMA, McIntosh Mountain SMA, North Poverty Gulch SMA, Pilot Knob SMA, Signal Peak SMA, Union Park SMA, Whetstone Headwaters SMA).
3- Eight Wildlife Conservation Areas (WCAs) including Cabin Creek, Flat Top, Lake Gulch and Cebolla Creek, Matchless, Munsey Creek, Pinnacles, Powderhorn, and Sawtooth WCAs (Sawtooth spanning Gunnison and Saguache Counties).
4- Four Protection Areas (Castle, Deer Creek, Granite Basin, South Poverty Gulch).
5- Two Recreation Management Areas (Double Top and Horse Ranch Park RPAs).
6- One Rocky Mountain Scientific Research and Education Area for scientific research and education purposes.
7Wilderness additions and boundary changes:
8- Adds multiple wilderness areas and wilderness additions (Crystal Creek, Lottis Creek, Poverty Gulch, Treasure, Erickson Springs, Matchless, East Cement, Star Peak, Maroon Bells-Snowmass additions, and West Elk wilderness additions, among others), plus a boundary pullback in West Elk Wilderness.
9- These changes increase land that is managed under stricter wilderness protections and land-use restrictions, subject to the Wilderness Act framework.
10Management and allowed uses:
11- Each area is to be managed to conserve and protect the designated resources; uses must further the stated purposes.
12- Vehicle and bicycle use is generally restricted to roads and trails designated for those uses as of enactment, with exceptions for administration, emergencies, and in some cases winter or potential trails if specifically designated by the Secretary.
13- Winter travel management plans must be adopted within three years for areas lacking them at enactment; until plans are in place, certain over-snow or other uses may be permitted under existing plans or management directions.
14Research and education emphasis:
15- The Rocky Mountain Scientific Research and Education Area is designated to encourage ecological, geological, climatological, and other natural science research and education, with standard management similar to other designated areas, but preserving opportunities for ongoing science work, including the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory’s activities.
16Collaborative governance:
17- The act defines “collaboratively developed” projects as those developed through a process with diverse interests, transparency, and adherence to a resource-advisory-committee type framework (whether on National Forest System land or BLM land).
18Legal and title framework:
19- All designations are “subject to valid existing rights,” and the act aligns with applicable federal law (e.g., the Wilderness Act and Colorado Wilderness Act amendments), including provisions for fire, insects, and disease management where appropriate.
20- Cross-references to designations in maps dated August 27, 2024, showing the precise parcels and boundaries.

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected- Gunnison County residents, recreational users (hikers, bikers, off-highway vehicle users), and local land managers (U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management) who will implement and live with new use restrictions, trails, and management plans.Secondary group/area affected- Wildlife and habitat within the WCAs and SMAs, and researchers/educators taking advantage of the Rocky Mountain SRREA; neighboring landowners and commerce around recreation and tourism could see shifts in access patterns and land use.Additional impacts- Potential changes to local recreation economies depending on access restrictions, trail designations, and the pace of winter travel planning.- Administrative overhead and potential for compliance and litigation to resolve questions about rights, emergency uses, and specific trail proposals.- Environmental protections for ecological integrity and watershed health may be enhanced, potentially benefiting conservation groups and long-term ecosystem resilience.The bill places many areas “subject to valid existing rights,” so current uses or rights may continue where allowed.The legislative text creates a framework for winter travel management and potential trails, which could lead to new or modified trail developments and vehicle-use policies.The West Elk Wilderness boundary pullback reduces federally protected wilderness land in that area by a small acreage adjustment, with withdrawal protections for the pulled-back land.The legislation explicitly contemplates administrative exceptions and emergency responses for vehicle and bicycle use within several areas.

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