The 182-acre Rough Hollow property in Hinsdale County is just south of Lake City and lies along County Road 30, which is part of the Alpine Loop Scenic and Historic Byway. It is adjacent to US Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands and is part of the heavily-used Alpine Triangle BLM Special Recreation Management Area, which contains numerous trailheads and many public and private campgrounds.
Rough Hollow consists of subalpine forest, montane sagebrush shrubland, irrigated meadows, and riparian habitat along a nearly one mile stretch of the Lake Fork of the Gunnison River. Habitat is provided for bald eagle, ferruginous hawk, greater sandhill crane, northern leopard frog, bighorn sheep, black bear, elk, moose, mountain lion, and mule deer. The property provides important winter habitat and migration corridors for many of these big game species.
Public lands comprise 96% of Hinsdale County, and not many large, unencumbered properties exist. The Rough Hollow property is one of the few properties south of Lake City suitable for a conservation easement, and we are excited to partner with the landowner to conserve this property.
Photo by Robin Gowdy.