Visit Wilderness

Search for a wilderness as the destination for your next outdoor adventure.

Bob Marshall Wilderness Area, Minnesota

Why Visit Wilderness?

Although you can certainly appreciate wilderness from afar—online, on television, or in books—first-hand experiences in nature such as campng or hunting enable you to enjoy the recreational, ecological, spiritual, and health benefits that wilderness areas provide. Wilderness areas provide “outstanding opportunities for solitude or a primitive and unconfined type of recreation,” opportunities to see wildlife, a chance to renew and refresh, and the health benefits of exercising outside. You can even bring your well-behaved dog to many wilderness areas.

Learn more about the diverse ways in which we benefit from wilderness and threats wilderness areas face today.

General Trip Planning Information

FACILITIES: Only available facilities are at Big Dominguez Campground (outside the wilderness), toilets (wheelchair accessible), tables and grills.

DRINKING/STREAM WATER: No fresh drinking water available. Big Dominguez Creek runs year round except during extreme drought periods. It is highly recommended that a water filtration system be used for all drinking water. If you pack in water, plan to pack in 1 gallon per person, per day.

DIRECTIONS: There are 4 access points to Dominguez Canyon Wilderness - Bridgeport footbridge, Big Dominguez Campground, Cactus Park Trail or by floating the Gunnison River.

Bridgeport Footbridge: From Grand Junction, travel south on Hwy 50 for approximately 17 miles to the Bridgeport Rd turnoff (CO Rd 39.50) turn right. It's 4.5 miles on the Bridgeport Rd to the parking area. The footbridge is 1 mile upriver from the parking area. Note: The footbridge is open to hiking and horseback riding only.

Dominguez Campground: From Grand Junction - travel south on Hwy 50 to Hwy 141 west (7.5 miles), the turnoff will be on your right. Travel 11.5 miles to the Divide Rd turnoff (Forest Service Access Rd) on your left. The gravel/dirt road switchbacks until you reach the top. Once on top stay on the main road until you come to a Y in the road, it's approximately 6 miles to this point, go to the left towards the Dominguez Conservation Area. From this point it's approximately 5 miles to the Big Dominguez Creek Trailhead. Caution: Road becomes extremely hazardous in wet conditions. Watch for rock slides on last 2 miles of road leading to Big Dominguez Campground. We DO NOT recommend taking RVs or travel trailers to the Big Dominguez Campground.

Cactus Park Trailhead: From Grand Junction, head south on Hwy 50 towards Delta, turn right on Hwy 141 west (7.5 miles), the turn off will be on your right. Travel 8 miles to the Cactus park turnoff on your left, it's another 4.5 miles to the Cactus Park trailhead. The last couple of miles will require a high clearance, 4X4 vehicle. From this point, a short, steep, primitive trail drops to the canyon floor.

Gunnison River: From the Escalante River put-in, travel downriver to where the Big Dominguez Creek flows into the Gunnison River about 12 miles, river left. The mouth of the canyon is a popular campsite. Hiking trails leading up in to the drainage will take you into the heart of the wilderness.