Gunnison has recently been named as one of Trout Unlimited’s (TU) top five “Conservation Towns” in the U.S.

Trout Unlimited, a conservation organization caring for and recovering rivers and streams and their trout and salmon populations, selected five rural communities across the country as “Conservation Towns.” Trout Unlimited defined conversation towns as “communities that are successfully incorporating their unique cultures and landscapes, their rivers and streams, and their hunting, fishing and outdoor recreation opportunities into long-term blueprints for economic success.”

The conservation towns were:

• Philipsburg, Montana
• Gunnison, Colorado
• Fort Bragg, California
• Florence, Wisconsin
• Rockland, New York

“America needs to develop our natural resources, and conservation towns are a celebration of how to do that in a smart and collaborative manner,” said Chris Wood, president and CEO of TU. “Trout Unlimited works with large and small communities across the country helping them to care for and recover our nation’s cherished public lands and waters. We’re proud to spotlight these communities, their river champions, and the innovative approaches they’ve taken to make the lives of people in their community better.”

According to TU, Gunnison features expansive public lands, high-elevation streams, and some of Colorado’s best coldwater fisheries. The Gunnison and Taylor Rivers are both designated Gold Medal waters, and Lake Fork and its tributaries also support another great trout fishery.

“We’re incredibly honored to be included in TU’s Top 5 Conservation Towns for 2026,” said Sonya Chavez, Upper Gunnison Water Conservancy District Manager in a press release. “Protecting the rivers and landscapes that define this valley takes long-term collaboration between local residents, landowners, agencies, and conservation partners.”

The release also said that TU is working with stakeholders to restore habitat in tributaries feeding the Gunnison and Taylor Rivers, restoring the watershed’s health. Efforts have reconnected streams to historic floodplains, improved sediment transport, and increased habitat complexity through techniques such as wood loading and channel reactivation.

TU also said that Gunnison has a central role in the upper Colorado River headwaters, so it will continue to serve as a focal point as the organization’s partners continue “advancing restoration, stewardship, and watershed resilience across the region.”

Find more information about the conservation towns here and TU here.

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