Gunnison National Forest, Colorado

Lupine bloom near Crested Butte, the Wildflower Capital of Colorado. Looking down Washington Gulch from the shoulder of Anthracite Mesa, Mt. Crested Butte appears in the distance at left. Under the Gunnison Public Lands Initiative, Granite Basin, second from left, and Whetstone Mountain, right, would both receive protections as Special Management Areas.

The Gunnison Outdoor Resources Protection (GORP) Act is comprehensive, locally-driven legislation aimed at safeguarding over 730,000 acres of public lands across the Gunnison Basin and surrounding regions in Western Colorado. Developed through over a decade of grassroots engagement and collaboration with diverse stakeholders including ranchers, water users, local governments, and the outdoor recreation community, the GORP Act seeks to achieve a balance between protecting critical natural resources, preserving traditional land uses, and ensuring sustainable outdoor recreation for future generations.