Eagle Rock Shelter Trail

Dogs Leashed

Features Birding · Fishing · Geological Significance · Historical Significance · River/Creek · Swimming · Views · Wildlife

A dirt/gravel road leads to the trailhead.

This trail starts at a gravel parking lot and leads down to a cliff where there is a protected exhibit of petroglyphs that date back 13,000 years. Past this archaeological site, there are some wood steps that lead further down on to the floodplains of the Gunnison River. The trail leads further down parallel to the river.

Description from the Gunnison Gorge Brochure ( blm.gov/sites/blm.gov/files…): Common species include mule deer, elk, mountain lion, Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, coyote, ringtail cat, small mammals, neo-tropical birds, raptors, chukar, river otter and many more. The Gunnison River is designated as a Gold Medal Trout Fishery by the Colorado Parks and Wildlife because of its excellent trout population, including rainbow, brown and cutthroat trout. Sensitive species include Clay-loving wild-buckwheat, Montrose penstemon, Rocky Mountain thistle, Delta lomatium, Colorado hookless cactus, Gunnison sage-grouse, bald eagle, spotted bat, river otter and kit fox.