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Adoption Status: ADOPTED
Crystal River: 6,070 acres (9.5 square miles).
Gallo Hill:
1,384 acres (2.2 square miles)
How to get there
The Crystal River and Gallo Hill RAs are located south of
Carbondale on the east side of the Crystal River. They span from Nettle Creek
to Marble. Access is from State Highway (SH) 133.
- The
short Nettle Creek Road (FS 313), 7 miles south of Carbondale, goes from SH 133
to the Maroon Bells/Snowmass Wilderness boundary. This is the northern boundary
of the unit.
- Avalanche
Creek Road (FS 310) is the main road that enters the unit. This ends at the
popular Avalanche Creek Trailhead. This trail (1959) enters the Maroon
Bells/Snowmass Wilderness Area.
- Other
public access points are the East Creek Trailhead (1963) at Redstone, and the
Placita Trailhead (1966) above Placita. These trails pass through the Crystal
River RA into the Maroon Bells/Snowmass Wilderness.
- To
reach Gallo Hill, turn east toward Marble from SH 133. Public access can be
found at the Lily Lake trailhead (1964), and the Crabonate Creek trailhead
(1971) in Marble.
- The
USGS 7 1/2’ quads for the Crystal River and Gallo Hill RAs are Mount Sopris,
Redstone, Placita, Chair Mountain, and Marble.
Setting
In the Crystal River, with the exception of the Avalanche
Creek valley floor, the terrain consists of very steep west-facing slopes
towering 3,000 feet above the Crystal River. These slopes are made up of
extensive sandstone (and some granite) outcrops and cliffs. The vegetation
within the unit consists of dense stands of Gambel oak and aspen, as well as
some Douglas fir and spruce/fir forest. The elevation ranges from 6500 feet on
the Crystal River to 9,422 feet above the Redstone Campground.
Gallo Hill is the steeply eroded hill that faces south,
above the Town of Marble. The unit is similar to Crystal River RA, although its
southern exposure provides sunny habitat in sagebrush meadows.
What’s special about it?
The Crystal River and Gallo Hill RAs provide an important
mid-elevation buffer on the W and SW side of the high-elevation Maroon
Bells/Snowmass Wilderness Area. This allows the abundant and diverse wildlife
to reach the Crystal River easily, which provides critical winter range for
bighorn sheep and elk. Look for bighorn sheep in Filoha Meadows across from Penny
Hot Springs. Peregrine falcons nest in the cliffs of this area, and Avalanche
Creek is a major fishery. Bighorn sheep lambing may occur in the Gallo Hill
area.
According to the Colorado Natural Heritage Program,
Avalanche Creek (very high), Kline Creek (high), and Gift Creek (moderate) all
contain significant montane riparian forest habitat. The unit is adjacent to
the Kline Creek Research Natural Area. The Crystal River is under consideration
for Wild, Scenic & Recreational River designation.
SH 133 is Colorado State Scenic Byway, and the Crystal River
RA dominates the viewshed. The Avalanche Creek Trailhead is an important access
point to the Maroon Bells/Snowmass, and the area is heavily-used by hunters in
the fall. Outfitters run operations in the area. The unit is also popular for
cross-country skiing, horseback riding, and wildlife viewing.
Potential threats
Heavy development of private lands along the Crystal River
may put pressure on the natural qualities of this area. An active alabaster
mine in lower Avalanche Creek is extremely noisy, according to neighbors, and
may disturb wildlife in the area. There is a helicopter-accessed electronic
site on Elephant Mountain. The rugged nature of the terrain within the RA
limits the potential for timber or mineral exploration.
Other info
Conservation groups have idenitfied an additional 237
roadless acres in Crystal River RA, and 260 in Gallo Hill RA. The Crystal River
and Gallo Hill RAs are two of six small roadless areas that surround the large
Maroon Bells/Snowmass Wilderness Area and create a roadless complex of over
206,000 acres (321 square miles). |
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