ABOUT THE PRESERVE
Thousand-foot-high cliffs splashed with orange, white, purple, and red tower above the John Day River as it winds through iconic landscapes graced with western junipers, herds of Rocky Mountain elk, and the verdant canyons of its many tributaries. Upon closer inspection, the landforms become even more intriguing. Green lichen contrasts with dark gray cliff walls and spires, columnar basalt creates delicate fins of rock rising from the canyon floor, and small towers of white and orange appear as massive chess pieces. Names spring to mind as the area is explored—the Lost Child, the Sleeping Ram, Blue Cliffs—engaging the imagination and scientific interest.
The 14,000-acre Enchanted Rocks Preserve, which is part of the larger Cherry Creek Conservation Project, is named for these extraordinary features, apparent in every sweep of one’s gaze across the landscape. Defined by 17 miles of Cherry Creek canyon and nearly 2 miles of the National Wild and Scenic John Day River, this Preserve connects many large areas of public lands.
Given the importance of the landscape and the aggressive marketing efforts to sell the property, it was imperative for Wildlands to finance the acquisition in 2021, which secured title to the land while funds are raised to permanently secure the property. You can support the acquisition of the Cherry Creek Conservation Project and Enchanted Rocks Preserve here.
To learn more about the acquisition process or to learn about other ways you can help, contact The Wildlands Conservancy’s Executive Offices at (909) 797-8507.
FUTURE PUBLIC ACCESS
Over the next year, The Wildlands Conservancy will plan and fundraise for public access amenities including a walk-in campground, fishing access, kayak put-ins on the John Day, and hiking trails into the property’s iconic landscapes.
Partnerships for outdoor education, conservation projects, and cultural resource management are being formed to foster access to the Preserve from diverse communities.
CLIMATE ACTIONS
The Wildlands Conservancy has classified Enchanted Rocks as a “climate preserve” because all land management and related financial decisions will be guided by the goals of reducing impacts on climate, enhancing resilience, and shepherding the radical environmental transformation of climate change in ways least damaging to ecosystems and biodiversity.
This new land management designation will guide land managers toward the best management practices based on reducing the impacts of anthropocentric climate change—the Earth’s most life-threatening environmental challenge.