Gunnison Field Office

The Gunnison Field Office (GFO) is responsible for the management and stewardship of over 600,000 acres of public land in the upper Gunnison River Basin of southwestern Colorado. In collaboration with public and private partners, GFO management and staff guide the protection and sustainable use of a wide range of public resources, including Hartman Rocks Special Recreation Management Area and portions of the Powderhorn and Uncompahgre wilderness areas and the Alpine Loop Backcountry Byway. Approximately 42 miles of the Old Spanish National Historic Trail cross the GFO.

Ecosystems within the GFO range from dry sagebrush steppe at 7,000 feet to forests of aspen, ponderosa and lodgepole pine, Douglas and subalpine fir, and Engelmann spruce to alpine tundra meadows that reach to more than 14,000 feet. The varied topography provides habitat for elk, mule deer, bighorn sheep, pronghorn, mountain lions, bobcats, hawks, songbirds, and trout, as well as several special status species. The largest population of Gunnison sage-grouse is found within the Gunnison Basin. GFO manages over 500,000 acres open to livestock grazing and boasts three mountains with peaks above 14,000 feet.

Field Office Spotlight

Fee Changes at Four Gunnison Field Office Campgrounds (April 2024)

Adjusted fees have gone into effect at four campgrounds in the Gunnison Field Office:

• Oh Be Joyful (including River Flats) - $20 per night
• Mill Creek - $20 per night
• Red Bridge - $10 per night
• The Gate - $10 per night

In addition, some sites at Oh Be Joyful and Mill Creek campgrounds are reservable in advance through Recreation.gov.

Labor, supplies, and maintenance costs for these campgrounds have increased significantly over the past two decades and current fee revenue has not kept pace. Revenue generated through camping fees is used to directly fund campground operations and recreation projects and enables the BLM to address maintenance and capital improvement needs at these sites.

“We look forward to continuing to optimize the recreational opportunities and services offered in the Gunnison Field Office,” said Gunnison Field Manager Jon Kaminsky. “Fee revenue enables us to perform regular campground maintenance, including cleaning and pumping restrooms, repairing and replacing picnic tables and fire rings, and regularly testing the drinking water systems at Mill Creek and The Gate campgrounds—and will also help fund additional campground patrols.”

The plan for regular fee increases was presented for public comment in a draft business plan released last summer and approved in March 2024. The adjusted fees, as well as future fee increases, are based on fair market analysis of fees charged at comparable public and private campgrounds in the Crested Butte and Lake City areas and at nearby U.S. Forest Service campgrounds. The final business plan is available for review online at https://www.blm.gov/sites/default/files/docs/2024-03/2023%20GFO%20Fee%20Increase%20Business%20Plan_508_jfl_jfk.pdf.