Located 8 miles east of the City of Gunnison, the 160-acre Clerkin Property is located in the Tomichi Creek watershed. The property is surrounded by Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land and has been managed for grazing since 1888. Sagebrush shrublands comprise the entirety of the property. Habitat is provided for Gunnison sage-grouse, bald eagle, black bear, elk, moose, mountain lion, mule deer, and pronghorn. Additionally, elk and mule deer utilize the property and surrounding area as a migration corridor. The property is visible from US Highway 50 and from adjacent and nearby BLM lands.
Sustained protection efforts over the past 30 years in the Tomichi Creek Valley have achieved conservation of much of the valley floor. The Clerkin Property is one of the few privately-owned properties in the rolling sagebrush shrublands above it. Conservation of the property reinforces the efforts of dedicated landowners and conservation groups to protect this watershed and landscape.
Project partners include Gunnison Ranchland Conservation Legacy and the Gunnison Valley Land Preservation Fund.