When visiting Gateway Canyons, it is impossible to miss the postcard-perfect view of the Palisade. Whether you admire the giant rock tower from the front door of the Palisade Event Center, or take to the trail and climb to the top, you’ll be in awe of this Chinle and Wingate sandstone formation.

Originally named for the outlaws altering the brands of the stolen cattle, Sewemup Mesa was a hideout for outlaws in the early days of the wild west. Today the mesa has been designated a wilderness study area by The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and is home to elk, deer, black bears and a variety of other small game animals. Peregrine falcons are often seen nesting along its thousand-foot cliffs.

The Uncompahgre Plateau, with an elevation of nearly 10,000 feet, was once a part of the ancestral Rocky Mountains. The plateau extends 70 miles and rests between the Gunnison and Uncompahgre Rivers to the east and the San Miguel and Dolores Rivers to the west. The plateau contains many steep walled canyons, including the geologically distinct Unaweep Canyon at the north end.

In the language of Ute Indian tribe, the word Unaweep means “canyon with two mouths.” Appropriately named, the Unaweep Canyon is the only canyon in the world divided down the middle with streams running out of both mouths. There are many different theories on how the canyon evolved into what we see today. The most common belief being that the canyon was once the course of the Gunnison River and several dramatic upward shifts rerouted the river and created the towering plateaus.

For more information about the remarkable geology of this area, visit the Adventure Center for a wide selection of area maps and books.