The San Juan National Forest has acquired 80 acres of wildlife habitat on the Dolores Ranger District described as a key migration corridor.
The parcel, which is located about 30 miles northeast of Dolores near County Road 38, is known as the Fall Creek inholding. It was purchased from The Conservation Fund in a partnership with the U.S. Forest Service that began in January 2024 and ended with “formal conveyance” in August 2026. The funding for purchase came from the Land and Water Conservation Fund, with support from Dolores County, sportsmen’s groups, conservation organizations and the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, according to the Forest Service.
“The conservation of this land means more than protecting a piece of forest – it keeps an important recreation corridor connected, safeguards critical wildlife habitat and ensures these public lands remain protected for generations to come,” said Justin Spring, vice president and Colorado state director at The Conservation Fund.
The property is completely surrounded by National Forest System lands and sits in the Fall Creek/West Dolores River watershed. It includes two nonmotorized trails called the East Fall Creek Trail No. 646 and West Fall Creak Trail No. 640. The trails are popular with hunters and are part of the Calico National Recreation Trail system.
“The Fall Creek purchase is an important addition to the district,” said Nick Mustoe, Dolores district ranger for the San Juan National Forest. “With the existing East Fall Creek and West Fall Creek Trails passing through the area, this purchase adds to the places people can camp, hunt and enjoy the beauty of the San Juan National Forest.”
The Forest Service shared that the inholding is dominated by spruce-fir forest and aspen stands, with the East Fork Fall Creek running through it. It provides habitat for Canada lynx, gray wolf, wolverine, northern goshawk, boreal toad, white-tailed ptarmigan and western bumblebee, while also protecting migration routes for elk, mule deer, black bear and mountain lions.
The area will remain open to nonmotorized public use. The Forest Service said bringing the land into public ownership will allow for consistent management with adjacent forest lands and reduce the need for extra resources often used to protect structures on private lands during wildfires.
bduran@the-journal.com
