More than 80 percent of Colorado's wildlife depends on rivers and riverside habitat. The San Miguel, one of the few remaining naturally functioning rivers of the West, supports some of the best riparian (streamside) habitat in the Upper Colorado Basin. Natural flood cycles and a history of very limited development have kept many parts of this river in pristine condition, much as they would have appeared before European settlement.

You can explore a dramatic, narrow canyon with red-rock sandstone walls looming as high as 2,000 feet. A discerning eye might see nesting American dippers (water ouzels) along the canyon walls. In its depths, a very rare riparian forest community combines narrowleaf cottonwood, Colorado blue spruce and thinleaf alder.

The preserve has no well-established trails, but foot traffic is allowed. Catch and release fishing is allowed as long as you use artificial flies and lures. Consider rafting, canoeing or kayaking the river to get a different perspective.