The eastern reaches of San Miguel and the southern half of Ouray counties are high mountain areas situated in the San Juan Mountains. Recreational tourism is a large portion of the economies of the area with summer hiking, horseback trail riding, jeeping, fishing, camping, hunting, downhill and backcountry skiing, snowboarding, snow mobiling and ice climbing. These activities occur on private land and on the land managed by the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service. The Uncompahgre National Forest contains the Uncompahgre, Mt. Sneffels and Lizard Head Wilderness areas. The Ridgway State Park and Reservoir also provides recreational opportunities.

The study area is forested with cottonwoods in the valleys; pinion, ponderosa, juniper and oak brush in the dry uplands; and aspen, spruce and fir in the higher areas. The area contains the major upland watersheds of the San Miguel River and the Uncompahgre River.