Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area, Nature reserve in Montrose County, United States.

Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area is a 209,610-acre protected area in western Colorado, southeast of Grand Junction and northwest of Montrose. Managed by the Bureau of Land Management, it encompasses canyons of the Uncompahgre Plateau along the Gunnison River. Its southwest side borders Uncompahgre National Forest, and 66,280 acres within it were designated Dominguez Canyon Wilderness in 2009.

The area was created in 2009 under the Omnibus Public Land Management Act, which also designated 66,280 acres as the Dominguez Canyon Wilderness. The protected land lies in Delta, Mesa and Montrose counties and is managed by the Bureau of Land Management.

The land holds deep meaning for Ute Tribes as a connection to their ancestral home and heritage. You can see evidence of this significance throughout the area in the form of archaeological remains.

The east side is accessible via Bridgeport Bridge from US-50, while the north side requires travel on Highway 141 from Whitewater toward Tabeguache Trail. Different entry points serve different areas, so plan your route based on which section you want to explore.

The reserve is crisscrossed by streams that create lifelines through the arid landscape, supporting a diverse array of species that depend on flowing water year-round. These waterways are crucial for the survival of creatures that would otherwise struggle to thrive in such a dry environment.