About the Area

The Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison (GMUG) National Forests is comprised of three individual national forests that are administered as a single unit from the Forest Supervisor’s Office in Delta, CO. However, this was not always the case. The Grand Mesa and Uncompahgre National Forests were joined in 1954, and the Gunnison National Forest was added in 1973. The earliest segment of the Forests, dubbed the Battlement Mesa Forest Reserve, was established in 1892. Today, the three forests extend over 3 million acres and are managed by five Ranger Districts.

Each ranger district covers large areas which generally include several communities of varying size and characteristics from ski resort towns, to farming and ranching communities. The 11 counties encompassed by the GMUG include Delta, Garfield, Gunnison, Hinsdale, Mesa, Mineral, Montrose, Ouray, Saguache, San Juan and San Miguel counties.

Millions of visitors experience recreation activities on the three forests annually including downhill skiing, snowmobiling, hunting, hiking, cross-country skiing, fishing, backcountry camping, mountain biking and off-highway vehicle use. We invite you to visit the GMUG and enjoy the beauty, history and challenges it has to offer.