The Nature Conservancy established its first preserve on the San Miguel River in 1988. The South Fork Preserve, protected in the summer of 1989, was the most recent acquisition. With three preserves and cooperative projects with the Bureau of Land Management and other partners, the organization has helped protect more than 30 miles of the San Miguel.

The preserve contains one of the best-known examples of the globally rare narrowleaf cottonwood-Colorado blue spruce/black twinberry plant community and lies below the towering 14,000-foot Wilson Peak of the western San Juan Mountains. The preserve also fronts a backdrop of several incredible sights, including Ophir Needles, a designated National Natural Landmark, and Ames Wall, which is composed of stratified rock types. 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 in the West, supports some of the best riparian habitat in the Upper Colorado Basin. Natural flood cycles and a history of very little development have kept many parts of this river in pristine condition. Visitors can explore the preserve through a handicap-accessible 180-foot elevated boardwalk and viewing platform with interpretive signage, or hike along a half-mile gravel trail of moderate difficulty.

The site has been designated as an Important Bird Area by the Audubon Society. Catch-and-release fishing is allowed with artificial flies and lures only.