Crystal River & Gallo Hill Roadless Areas

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.