Leadville Ranger District

ADDRESS:

810 Front Street
Leadville, CO 80461

Phone: 719-486-0749
Fax: 719-486-0928

The Leadville Ranger District of the San Isabel National Forest is located in Leadville, Colorado, which is at an elevation of 10,152 feet. The district encompasses 286,000 acres and includes parts of the Mt. Massive Wilderness (27,980 acres), the Holy Cross Wilderness (122,797 acres), the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness (166,938 acres) and the Buffalo Peaks Wilderness (43,410 acres), with an additional wilderness single unit management of 42,400 acres.

The district is home to Mt. Elbert, the highest peak in Colorado, at 14,433 feet, and seven other 14,000-foot peaks, also called “Fourteeners.” Visit the Leadville Ranger District Fourteeners page for more information about the mountains and their standard routes.

There are many notable areas on the district, including the Ski Cooper Ski Area on Tennessee Pass (Highway 24), at 10,425 feet; Fremont Pass (Highway 91), at 11,300 feet, where the Headwaters of the Arkansas River are located; and Independence Pass (the second highest paved pass in the United States), at 12,095 feet, which is accessed via Highway 82.

Popular activities include Day Hiking and Backpacking, where visitors can experience the beautiful Colorado landscape with many alpine lakes and creeks, along with an abundance of wildlife. Or visit the Interlaken Historic Resort or the Vicksburg Mining Camp to learn more about the Leadville silver rush and the amazing mining history of the area.