The Gunnison Outdoor Resources Protection Act of 2025 protects over 300,000 acres of federal land in and around Gunnison County, Colorado, by designating nine Special Management Areas, eight Wildlife Conservation Areas, four Protection Areas, two Recreation Management Areas, and one Scientific Research Area with varying management requirements. Off-highway vehicle use is generally restricted to roads and trails that existed before the law's enactment, though administrative and emergency access is permitted, and the bill allows for potential new trail development in certain areas. The bill also designates approximately 122,000 acres of new and expanded wilderness areas across multiple Colorado national forests while preserving existing water rights, grazing permits, and tribal treaty rights. Management provisions prohibit commercial timber harvesting but allow ecological restoration projects, restrict new road construction except for temporary purposes, and require seasonal closures and wetland restoration in designated wildlife areas. The law affects federal land managers, outdoor recreationists, ranchers, and local communities in Colorado while maintaining existing uses and access where permitted.
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