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Grape Creek Proposed Wilderness
Acreage
Total CCWC Acreage = 43,371
Location
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Grape Creek, in the San Isabel National Forest, is
listed as a Royal Gorge Bureau of Land Management roadless area 10
miles southwest of Canon City.
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It lies in Fremont County on the north end of the
Wet Mountains and south of the Arkansas River valley.
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Access Grape Creek from the east via Oak Grade Road,
CR 143. From Florence, go south on the gravel Oak Grade Road. At about
8.5 miles, the Stultz Trail 1334 leads to Tanner Peak. At 10 miles,
the East Bear Gulch Trail 1333 also leads to Tanner Peak, over 8 miles
distant. At 15 miles, take Bear Creek FR 6227, a dirt road, west about
four miles to Grape Creek.
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Topo maps: McIntyre Hills (NW), Royal Gorge NE),
Iron Mountain (SW), Curley Peak (SE)
Wilderness Qualities
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Grape Creek has an extensive low elevation ecosystem
and provides remote and challenging terrain in the Grape Creek Canyon.
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The area offers the visitor solitude on its foot
trails or off trail.
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Connections to Wet Mountains and the Arkansas Canyon
Natural Features
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With an elevation that ranges between 6,000 ft. and
9,300 ft., the Grape Creek area is notable for the deep and rugged
canyon formed by Grape Creek as it flows from the DeWeese plateau
on the south to the Arkansas River. Forested Tanner Peak at more than
9,300’ anchors the east central portion of the area.
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Wildlife in Grape Creek include bighorn sheep, mountain
lion, black bear, mule deer, pronghorn antelope that migrate through
the area and winter here, Peregrine falcon, and trout. Grape Creek
provides potential habitat for lynx and winter range for the bald
eagle.
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Vegetation includes Pinon-juniper woodlands, Gambel
oak shrublands, Ponderosa pine, Douglas fir, and aspen and cottonwoods,
willows, and other riparian zone vegetation.
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