Effective Jan. 1, 2005, the Colorado Canyons National Conservation Area has been renamed McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area in honor of former U.S. Representative Scott McInnis (Legislation P.L. 108-400).

The McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area (McInnis Canyons NCA) was officially designated on October 24, 2000, when the Colorado Canyons National Conservation Area and Black Ridge Canyons Wilderness Act of 2000 was signed into public law by the President. The purpose of the Act is to conserve, protect, and enhance, for the benefit and enjoyment of both present and future generations, the nationally important values of the public lands making up the McInnis Canyons NCA, including the Black Ridge Canyons, Ruby Canyon, and Rabbit Valley. The Act specifically requires the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to address the diversity of uses by developing a comprehensive management plan for the long-range protection and management of the McInnis Canyons NCA. This plan will incorporate the BLM core objectives of multiple use and sustained yield, allowing for a wide range of recreational and historical uses while protecting these spectacular resources for future enjoyment.

The McInnis Canyons NCA, located west of Grand Junction and, for the most part, south of I-70, includes 122,300 rugged acres of sandstone canyons, natural arches, spires, and alcoves carved into the Colorado Plateau along a 24-mile stretch of the Colorado River. Included in the McInnis Canyons NCA are 75,550 acres of wilderness designated as the Black Ridge Canyons Wilderness. At the western boundary of the McInnis Canyons NCA, 5,200 acres stretch into eastern Utah.

Unique recreational opportunities abound in the area. Hiking among large concentrations of natural sandstone arches, float boating through spectacular red rock canyons on the Colorado River, exploring the world of dinosaur fossils, viewing centuries-old Native American rock art, off-highway vehicle touring to the rims of scenic plateaus and down through grand valleys, mountain bike riding on dramatic single-track trails such as the internationally renowned Kokopelli Trail, and finally, viewing diverse wildlife species that include desert bighorn sheep, bald eagles, and peregrine falcons.