Wilderness Areas | Western Colorado Outdoors

Lizard Head Wilderness Area

JMorgan — Fri, 17 Feb 2017 18:32:01 +0000

Located in the San Juan Mountains, Lizard Head Wilderness is jointly managed by the GMUG and San Juan Forests. Named for the rock formation near the top of Lizard Head Pass, this area contains 41,309 acres and three mountain peaks over 14,000 feet.

USGS Topo maps link:

Beaver Park	Little Cone	Gray Head
Groundhog Mountain	Dolores Peak	Mount Wilson

Established: 1980

Acres: 41,309

Elevation Range: 9,000 to 14,246 feet

Peaks:

El Diente Peak- 14,316 feet

Wilson Peak- 14,017 feet

Mount Wilson- 14,246 feet

Towns: Telluride, Rico, Stoner, Dolores

Hunting Areas: 70

Links:

Hike: Lizard Head

Hike: Telluride

Camp: San Juan National Forest, Dolores RD

Camp: GMUG National Forest, Telluride

14er: San Juan Mountains, Lizard Head

Paddle: The San Miguel River

Basecamp: Telluride

Wilderness Areas

JMorgan — Sun, 12 Feb 2017 17:47:58 +0000

The Western Slope of Colorado is home to 23 Wilderness Areas, designated under the Wilderness Act of 1964, PL 88-577, Sec 2c. These areas are managed under the following federal agencies, the Forest Service, National Parks Service, Bureau of Land Management, and the Fish and Wildlife Service. Colorado is home to 43 Wilderness Areas, with a total over 3.7 million acres of preserved land, with Western Colorado being the home of the states largest Wilderness Area, the Weminuche Wilderness.

Forest Service Wilderness Areas in Western Colorado:

Collegate Peaks Wilderness Area (White River, San Isabel, GMUG)

Eagles Nest Wilderness Area (White River)

Flat Tops Wilderness Area (Medicine Bow-Routt, White River)

Fossil Ridge Wilderness Area (GMUG)

Holy Cross Wilderness Area (San Isabel, White River)

Hunter-Frying Pan Wilderness Area (White River)

La Grata Wilderness Area (GMUG, Rio Grande)

Lizard Head Wilderness Area (San Juan, GMUG)

Maroon Bells- Snowmass Wilderness Area (GMUG, White River)

Mesa Verde Wilderness Area (San Juan)

Mount Sneffels Wilderness Area (GMUG)

Mount Zirkel Wilderness Area (Medicine Bow-Routt)

Never Summer Wilderness Area (Arapaho, Medicine Bow-Routt)

Platt River Wilderness Area (Medicine Bow-Routt)

Raggeds Wilderness Area (GMUG, White River)

Sarvis Creek Wilderness Area (Medicine Bow-Routt)

South San Juan Wilderness Area (Rio Grande, San Juan)

Uncompahgre (Big Blue) Wilderness Area (GMUG)

Weminuche Wilderness Area (San Juan, Rio Grande)

West Elk Wilderness Area (GMUG)

Bureau of Land Management Wilderness Areas:

Black Ridge Wilderness Area

Gunnison Gorge Wilderness Area

Dominguez Canyon Wilderness Area

National Park Service:

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

Canyons of the Ancients National Monument

Colorado National Monument

Hovenweep National Monument

Mesa Verde National Park

Collegate Peaks Wilderness Area

JMorgan — Sun, 12 Feb 2017 17:46:21 +0000

Including most of the Sawatch Range, the Collegate Peaks Wilderness Area is bounded by the Leadville- Buena Vista on the east, and Aspen- Crested Butte on the west. The Area includes five peaks over 14,000 feet. This Wilderness Area serves as an important watershed that straddles the continental divide, including the Arkansas, Gunnison, and Roaring Fork Rivers.

USGS Topo Maps Link:

Tincup	Mount Yale	Winfield
Mount Harvard	Pieplant	Italian Creek
Hayden Peak	New York Peak	Independence Pass
Mount Elbert	Aspen

Established: 1978

Acres: 132,906

Elevation Range: 7,850 to 13,534 feet

Peaks:

La Plata Peak- 14,340 feet
Missouri Mountain- 14,067 feet
Mount Harvard- 14,420 feet
Mount Belford- 14,197 feet
Huron Peak- 14,005 feet
Mount Princeton- 14,196 feet
Mount Oxford- 14,153 feet
Mount Yale- 14,196 feet
Mount Columbia- 14,073

Towns: Leadville, Buena Vista, Aspen, Crested Butte, Salida

Hunting Areas: 471, 48, 481, 55
Trail Heads:
Trailhead at the end of Taylor Park Road (CR 742)
Bowman Creek Trail #570

Dorchester Campground/ Forest Road #584
New York Creek Trail #2182 (White River NF)
Ptarmigan Lake trail #594

Trailhead at Pothole Reservoir:
Timberline Trail #414

Red Mountain Creek Trail # 543 (area is unavailable)

Texas Creek Trailhead:
Timberline Trail # 414,
Lake Ann Trail #592
Texas Creek Trail #416
Cottonwood Pass:
South Texas Creek # 417
Collegiate Peaks Trailhead (San Isabel NF)
North Denny Creek #1442

Links:

Hike: Collegate Peaks

14er: Elk Mountains

Eagles Nest Wilderness Area

JMorgan — Sun, 12 Feb 2017 17:44:54 +0000

Established in 1976, the Eagles Nest Wilderness Area is located in the southern area of the Gore Range (named for Sir George Gore who was on a hunting expedition lead by the mountain man Jim Bridger. During Colorado’s Gold Rush, this region was popular with miners seeking both gold and silver.

USGS Topo Maps Link:

Red Cliff	Vail Pass	Frisco
Vail East	Willow Lakes	Dillon

Established: 1978

Acres: 132,906

Elevation Range: 7,850 to 13,534 feet

Peaks:

Towns: Dillon, Frisco, Vail

Hunting Areas: 36, 371, 45, 37

Links:

Flat Tops Wilderness Area

JMorgan — Sun, 12 Feb 2017 17:43:01 +0000

The Flat Tops Wilderness Area is the 2^nd largest Wilderness Area in Colorado. The Flat Tops are home of Trappers Lake (see camping) which served as the inspiration for Arthur Carhart to advocate for the preservation of Forest land as wilderness. This Area is named for the massive block of limestone that was uplifted by magma 52 million years ago. With the uplift and volcanic activity, basalt was spread through the region over 12 million years. During the ice age, glacial activity resulted in the molding of the land, producing a flat top we see today.

USGS Topo Maps Link:

Meadow Creek Lake	Blair Mountain	Deep Lake
Sweetwater Lake	Sugarloaf Mountain	Buford
Oyster Lake	Big Marvine Peak	Trappers Lake
Dome Peak	Lost Park	Ripple Creek
Devils Causeway	Orno Peak	Dunckley Pass
Sand Point

Established: 1975

Acres: 235,035

Elevation Range: 7,600 to 12,994 feet

Peaks:

Towns: Rifle, Meeker, Yampa, Steamboat Springs, Oak Creek, Hayden

Hunting Areas: 24, 25, 12, 26, 33, 34

Links:

Camp: Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest, Gore Range-Flat Tops Area

Basecamp Rifle Link

Fossil Ridge Wilderness Area

JMorgan — Sun, 12 Feb 2017 17:42:13 +0000

Just 16 miles north of Gunnison is the Fossil Ridge Wilderness area. This Wilderness Area gets it’s name from an exposed ridge of Paleozoic carbonates containing epeiric sea fossils.

USGA Topo Maps Link:

Crystal Creek	Fairview Peak	Parlin
Pitkin	Matchless Mountain	Taylor Park Reservoir

Established: 1993

Acres: 31,534

Elevation Range: 9,000 to 13,254 feet

Peaks:

Henry Mountain- 13, 261 feet

Towns:

Gunnison, Crested Butte

Hunting Areas: 55

Links:

Camp: GMUG National Forest, Gunnison RD

Basecamp Crested Butte Link

Basecamp Gunnison Link

Hunter- Frying Pan Wilderness Area

JMorgan — Sun, 12 Feb 2017 17:38:39 +0000

Located east of Aspen and north of Independence Pass, the Hunter-Frying Pan Wilderness Area was established in 1978. This Wilderness Area includes the headwaters of the Frying Pan River, Hunter Creek, and additional headwaters for the Roaring Fork River in central Colorado.

USGS Topo Maps link:

Independence Pass	Aspen	Thimble Rock
Mount Champion	Mount Massive

Established: 1978

Acres: 82,026

Elevation Range: 9,000 to 13,000 feet

Peaks:

Hunting Areas: 47, 48

Links:

Camp: White River National Forest, Aspen-Sopris RD

La Garita Wilderness Area

JMorgan — Sun, 12 Feb 2017 17:31:33 +0000

Located in the La Garita Mountains, this 129,626 was one of the original five Wilderness Areas in Colorado. Like the San Juan Mountains to the west, the La Garitata Mountains consist of multiple layers of volcanic rock. Columnar Basalt can be seen on lower elevations of Stewart and San Luis Peaks. Pictured is the Wheeler Geologic Area, accessed with the East Bellows Trail or a good 4WD. This rock formation is similar to Bryce Canyon in Utah, the result of ash flow deposits 25-30 million years ago. The Wilderness Area serves as a primary head water for the Rio Grande River which flows into the Gulf of Mexico. The Area straddles the continental divide and sits both on the West and Eastern Slopes of Colorado. One of the most scenic sections of the Colorado Trail passes through the Area being above timberline. Little traffic in the La Garita Wilderness Area supports good hunting for those willing to hike or pack in during hunting season.

USGS Topo Maps Link:

Cannibal Plateau	Mineral Mountain	Stewart Peak	Elk Park
Slumgullion Pass	Baldy Cinco	San Luis Peak	Halfmoon Pass
Mesa Mountain	Wagon Wheel Gap	Pool Table Mountain

Established: 1964

Acres: 128,858

Elevation Range: 9,000 to 14,014 feet

Peaks:

San Luis Peak- 14,014 feet
Stewart Peak- 13,9838 feet
Phoenix Peak- 13.895 feet
Organ Mountain- 13,801 feet
La Garita Peak- 13,710 feet
Baldy Alto- 13,698 feet

Towns: Creed, Lake City, South Fork, Powderhorn, Gunnison

Hunting Areas: 66, 67, 681, 76

Maroon Bells- Snowmass Wilderness Area

JMorgan — Sun, 12 Feb 2017 17:28:34 +0000

Located in the Elk Mountains of central Colorado, the Maroon Bells- Snowmass Wilderness Area was established in 1980. Named after the two Maroon Bells and Snowmass Mountain, this wilderness area has six mountain peaks over 14,000 feet in elevation. To use this wilderness area, hikers and climbers need to get a free permit before hitting the Trail Head.

For information on the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness contact the U.S. Forest service at 970-925-3445 or visit www.fs.fed.us/r2/whiteriver/recreation/wilderness/maroonbells/index

USGS Topo Maps Link:

Gothic	Pearl Pass	Snowmass Mountain	Maroon Bells
Hayden Peak	Marble	Redstone	Capitol Peak
Highland Peak	Mount Sopris	Basalt

Established: 1964 (one of the five original Wilderness Areas in Colorado)
Acres: 181,535

Elevation Range: 7,500 to 14,265 feet

Peaks:

Towns: Aspen, Snowmass, Woody Creek, Basalt, El Jebel, Carbondale, Glenwood Springs

Links:

Hike: Aspen

Camp: White River National Forest, Aspen-Sopris RD

14er: Elk Mountains

Mount Sneffels Wilderness Area

JMorgan — Sun, 12 Feb 2017 17:27:19 +0000

Mount Sneffels Wilderness Area is located in the San Juan Mountains of southern Colorado and managed by the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, Gunnison (GMUG) National Forest.

USGS Topo Maps Link:

Sams

Mount Sneffels

Gray Head

Telluride

Established: 1980

Acres: 16,565

Elevation Range: 9,600 to 14,150 feet

Peaks: Mount Sneffels- 14,150 feet

Towns:

Ridgway

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