This bill, known as the "Colorado Wilderness Act of 2026," aims to significantly expand the National Wilderness Preservation System within Colorado by designating numerous new wilderness areas and adding to existing ones. These additions encompass hundreds of thousands of acres across various Bureau of Land Management field offices and National Forests, enhancing conservation efforts for diverse landscapes. Specifically, the legislation designates over 30 new wilderness areas, including Bull Gulch, Castle Peak, Redcloud Peak, Handies Peak, Dolores River Canyon, and Sewemup Mesa, among many others. It also incorporates additions to existing wilderness areas such as Maroon Bells-Snowmass, Flat Tops, and Platte River. Maps and boundary descriptions for these areas will be filed and hold legal authority, with provisions for including state or private lands if acquired by the United States. Lands designated as wilderness under this Act will be managed by the Secretary of the Interior or Agriculture in accordance with the Wilderness Act . Existing grazing practices will continue under established guidelines, and the State of Colorado's jurisdiction over wildlife and fish remains unaffected. The bill clarifies that no protective buffer zones are created, and activities outside wilderness boundaries are not precluded if seen or heard within. Crucially, the legislation explicitly states that military helicopter overflights , flight testing, and training routes are not restricted over these new wilderness areas, and the Colorado Army National Guard is permitted to conduct aerial navigation training exercises. The Secretary may also continue to authorize competitive running events in specific areas like Redcloud Peak and Handies Peak. Additionally, the bill designates "potential wilderness areas" that will become official wilderness once all nonconforming uses cease. Regarding water resources, the Act explicitly protects all existing water rights , allocations, and interstate compacts, and does not create new federal reserved water rights. The Secretary is directed to secure water rights necessary for wilderness purposes, adhering to Colorado state law, with federal adjudication contingent upon the Colorado Water Conservation Board's actions. The bill prohibits the development of any new water resource facilities within the newly designated wilderness areas. However, it allows for reasonable access to and the continued use, operation, maintenance, repair, and replacement of existing water resource facilities and their access routes, provided these activities do not increase adverse impacts on wilderness resources.