McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area (NCA)

Located in the high desert canyon country of western Colorado and eastern Utah, McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area consists of approximately 123,430 acres of BLM-administered land near Grand Junction, Colorado.  

Among its unique natural resources are the more than 75,000 acres of the Black Ridge Canyons Wilderness, which includes the second-largest concentration of natural arches in North America. Internationally important fossils have been uncovered during more than a century of excavation. Pictograph and petroglyph sites abound, and the Old Spanish Trail, once referred to as the "longest, crookedest, most arduous mule route in the history of America," runs through the NCA. Today, the NCA is a recreation destination, drawing visitors to the world-class mountain biking on Mack Ridge and along the 142-mile Kokopelli trail, which extends to Moab, Utah. Twenty-five miles of the Colorado River wind their way through the NCA, attracting boaters who value straightforward floating through spectacular multi-hued sandstone canyons.

The NCA benefits from the attention of a vibrant network of people, from historic and current ranching families to the active Friends group working to protect and support this special place. Traditional land uses, such as grazing, continue, guided by management to protect the values for which the NCA was established.