McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area
The McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area (MCNCA) is a 123,400-acre (499 km2) National Conservation Area located in Mesa County, west of Grand Junction, Colorado. The MCNCA has rugged sandstone canyons, natural arches, spires, and alcoves carved into the Colorado Plateau, through which runs a 24-mile (39 km) stretch of the Colorado River. Included in the MCNCA is the 75,500-acre (306 km2) Black Ridge Canyons Wilderness (BRCW) with 5,200 acres (21 km2) extending into eastern Grand County, Utah at the MCNCA's western boundary.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
| Designation | National Conservation Area |
| Managed by | Bureau of Land Management |
| States | Colorado, Utah |
| Size | 124,157 acres (computed from the boundary polygon) |
| National Conservation Lands id | NLCS000325 |
| Center point | 39.1267, -108.9291 |
| Night sky | Very dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 27) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Weather by month
Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.
Where to camp
2 federal campgrounds sit inside the boundary and 3 more are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 0 miSaddlehorn Comfort Station ↗Grand Junction, CO
- 0.1 miSaddlehorn Utility Area Historic District ↗Grand Junction, CO
- 0.2 miFruita Bridge ↗Fruita, CO
- 0.4 miSaddlehorn Caretaker's House and Garage ↗Grand Junction, CO
- 1 miFruita Museum ↗Fruita, CO
- 1.1 miLoma Community Hall ↗Loma, CO
- 1.9 miPhillips, Harry and Lilly, House ↗Fruita, CO
- 3.5 miPipe Line School ↗Glade Park, CO
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area?
124,157 acres, measured from the published boundary polygon. The agency’s own figure can differ where the boundary includes water or inholdings.
Source: How acreage is computed
Who manages McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area?
The Bureau of Land Management.
Source: Bureau of Land Management
What state is McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area in?
The boundary crosses Colorado and Utah.
Source: How states are assigned
Can I camp at McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area?
2 federal campgrounds sit inside the boundary, including Jouflas Campground and Rabbit Valley. 5 in all are within ten miles. Rules vary by unit; the BLM page has the current camping rules.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area?
A point inside the boundary is at 39.127, -108.929. Colorado National Monument is 3 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Bureau of Land Management
How dark is the night sky at McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area?
NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 27 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, very dark ground, a faint glow at most.
Source: NASA Black Marble
Which national parks are near McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area?
Colorado National Monument (3 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area?
19 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Saddlehorn Comfort Station and Saddlehorn Utility Area Historic District.
Source: Register Atlas
Sources
- Boundary, name: the BLM National Conservation Lands layer.
- States: computed by intersecting the boundary with Census state polygons; a state is listed when it holds at least one percent of the area.
- Acreage: geodesic area of the published polygon. The agency’s official acreage can differ where the boundary includes water, easements or inholdings.
- Description: McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area on Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. The article was accepted because its title contains this unit’s name.
- Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
- Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
- Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.