Browns Canyon
National Monument

The 21,589-acre Browns Canyon National Monument was designated February 19, 2015. The Bureau of Land Management is the lead agency in the monument and jointly manages the monument with the U.S. Forest Service. Colorado Parks and Wildlife manages river-based recreation on the Arkansas River through Browns Canyon as part of the Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area, which includes the most popular whitewater in North America and 102 miles of Gold Medal trout waters.

For centuries, the rugged granite cliffs, colorful rock outcroppings and stunning mountain vistas of Browns Canyon National Monument have attracted visitors from around the world. The area’s unusual geology and 3,000-foot range in elevation supports diverse plants and wildlife as well as a wealth of geological, ecological, riparian, cultural and historic resources.