The San Juan National Forest Dolores Ranger District has acquired the 160-acre Dunton Meadows property located southwest of Telluride.

According to a press release, the property is a “critically important wetland meadow complex” at the headwaters of the Dolores River. The release states that this acquisition will protect a source of clean, cold water for Colorado River cutthroat trout in a Dolores River headwater tributary called Coal Creek. Coal Creek contains some of the richest habitats in the upper Dolores River basin for the Colorado River cutthroat trout.

“Dunton Meadows is ecologically irreplaceable for the role it serves in the Dolores River watershed,” said Dolores District Ranger Nick Mustoe in the press release. “The property’s importance for fish and wildlife in the Dolores River system is only matched by its important contribution to water quality and quantity for downstream municipalities. Places like this allow the National Forest System to live its mission of caring for the land and serving people.”

In addition to the fish, Dunton Meadows provides habitat for Rocky Mountain elk, mule deer, black bear, Canada lynx, American marten, and more. The property acquisition will also keep an “iconic viewshed” intact for those visiting hiking trails, including the Navajo Lake Trail and Kilpacker Trail.

Dunton Meadows sits at about 10,000 feet in the San Juan Mountains, 25 miles from Telluride. The Western Rivers Conservancy (WRC) and the San Juan National Forest started their effort to conserve Dunton Meadows in 2021. WRC purchased the property in May 2023 and held it while securing funding to transfer it to the San Juan National Forest.