Your national forests and grasslands are 193 million acres of vast, scenic beauty waiting for you to discover. Over 3 million acres of land located in 22 National Recreation Areas managed by the Forest Service is preserved for recreational activities like hiking, boating, fishing and swimming, while highlighting natural, cultural and scenic resources. Visitors who choose to recreate on these public lands find 162,984 miles of trails, over 30,000 recreation sites, over 400,000 miles of streams and 3 million acres of lakes, 127 alpine ski areas, 338,000 heritage sites, and specially designated sites that include 36.7 million acres of designated wilderness areas, 130 wild and scenic rivers, 15 monuments, and one preserve. And remember, “It’s All Yours.”
Displaying 13076 - 13100 of 20374Wilderness Areas
With the passage of the Wilderness Act in 1964, Congress created the National Wilderness Preservation System. Wilderness areas are managed to preserve their natural conditions and wild character for present and future generations. They possess outstanding ecological, geological, scientific, educational, scenic, or…
Buford-New Castle Road (Forest Road-245)
The Buford-New Castle Road is the main thoroughfare across the Flat Tops, spanning a total length of approximately 42 miles. The route provides access to numerous side roads, dispersed camping areas, and non-motorized trails. The road is open to highway legal vehicles, along with bicycle, foot, and horse travel. The road is graveled and suitable for passenger cars, though the surface is washboarded in many places.…
Blair Mountain TH #601.1
Blair Mountain is accessed off the Buford New Castle Road #245. It is approved for high clearance full sized vehicles, OHV, bike, horse and foot travel. The trail is 17 miles, and is extremely rough in sections with a series of rock steps in one area. You may encounter domestic sheep and livestock protection dogs. Do not approach the dogs; they may be aggressive if they perceive a threat.
Cliff Lakes Road #601.4E
Cliff Lakes Trail is accessible from Trail #601 and is open to full sized vehicle with high clearance; ohv, bike, horse and foot traffic.The trail is .8 miles.
Crater Trailhead
Crater Trailhead serves as the northern access point for the Blair Lake Trail #2048, which enters the Flat Tops Wilderness. Blair Lake Trail runs 6.2 miles south from the Crater Trailhead, passing several scenic lakes and ending at the…
Holy Cross City Jeep Road TH #759
This extreme road starts off Homestake Road #703 and ends at Holy Cross City historic site.
This is one of the more difficult and popular roads in the state. Consult a 4-wheel drive guidebook for a detailed description of this route and recommended vehicle specifications. Stock vehicles should not attempt this one.
Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness
ALERTS:
• Bear canisters are required for all backpackers in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness.• Advance reservation permits are required for overnight stays in the Maroon Bells - Snowmass…
West Ute Creek Road #648
West Ute Creek Road (Forest Road 648) is 3.48 miles long. It is open to full-sized vehicles, OHVs, motorcycles, horses, bicycles, and foot traffic. High-clearance, 4 wheel drive vehicles are recommended for motorized travel. The west end of the road connects to Meadow Creek Cow Camp Road (Forest Road 821), and the east end connects to Blair Mountain Road (Forest Road 601).
No Name Road TH #705
This dirt road starts at Hwy 24 and ends at Hwy 24 again further to the south: This road is flat for the first 1/2 mile before steadily climbing switchbacks through forest for another 2 miles or so before reaching a ridge with outstanding views of the Homestake Valley and Camp Hale. It then climbs quickly into the forest and continues winding south for a total of 20 miles over the Continental Divide and ending up…
Wearyman Road #747
This rugged dirt road starts at Shrine Pass Road #709 and ends at Resolution Road #702 near the top of Ptarmigan Pass. It has several creek crossings and rocky sections requiring a high-clearance 4WD vehicle. There are panoramic views at the top of Ptarmigan Pass, where the much easier Resolution Road #702 then descends down to Camp Hale.
Click here to see a…
Lower Clinetop Road (Forest Road # 603)
The lower portion of Clinetop Road is 11 miles long, beginning at the Clinetop Trailhead and ending at the top of the mesa. The road is steep and narrow, but well maintained and usable by most passenger vehicles. This portion of the road features numerous switchbacks as it winds its way up the south face of Clinetop Mesa. The climb offers…
Hunter-Frying Pan Wilderness - White River
The United States Congress designated the Hunter-Fryingpan Wilderness in 1978 and it now has a total of 82,026 acres. All of this wilderness is located in Colorado in the Williams Mountains and is managed by the White River National Forest.
Settled between the spectacular Colorado Wildernesses of Holy Cross on the north, Maroon Bells-Snowmass on the west, and Collegiate Peaks on the south, Hunter-Fryingpan…
Collegiate Peaks Wilderness - White River
Congress designated the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness in 1980. It covers 167,584 acres in Colorado, and lies in the White River, Gunnison and Pike San Isabel National Forests.
The Collegiate Peaks Wilderness has eight "fourteeners,"including Mounts Yale, Oxford, Columbia, and Harvard, Huron Peak, Missouri Mountain, Mount Belford, and La Plata Peak. Five short hikes accessed from highway 82 and Lincoln Creek…
Corral Creek Road #650.1
Corral Creek Road is 2 miles. It is open to high clearance vehicles, ohv, motorcycle, horse, bicycle and foot traffic. The road connects to the Meadow Lake and Meadow Ridge Campgrounds and the Meadow Lake Fishing Day Use area.
East Elk Creek #1841
East Elk Creek Trail #1841 is 6.9 miles long and is the closest Forest Service recreation site to the Town of New Castle. The trail starts by crossing a wooden bridge across East Elk Creek. The trail then heads steadily uphill, winding its way along the creek and surrounding cliffsides. As they climb, visitors are treated to a variety of good views of East Elk Creek Canyon. This initial trail segment features…
Ruedi Reservoir
Ruedi Marina Day Use dump station is CLOSED
The septic waste dump station at Ruedi Marina day use area is closed and non-functional. The nearest dump stations are in Silt and Edwards.
Aquatic Invaders
Aquatic invasive species, such as zebra and quagga mussels, impair natural resources and outdoor recreational opportunities. Their ability to reproduce prolifically has made them a significant nuisance in…
Windy Point Bypass TH #1846
The Windy Point Bypass is a motorized trail located north of Glenwood Springs. The Bypass is 3 miles long, beginning and ending at intersections with Transfer Trail #602. As its name suggests, the Bypass provides an alternate route for visitors who wish to avoid following Transfer Trail around Windy Point. The Bypass is particularly useful…
Breckenridge Interpretive Area
Guided hikes and wildlife information about the district
West Mamm Trailhead
The West Mamm Trailhead is located south of Rifle and provides access to the mid-point of the Battlement Trail. This is one of the Forest Service's closest access points to the City of Rifle, and the primary trailhead for exploring the Mamm Creek drainage. From the trailhead parking area, visitors can hike or ride…
Summit County Shooting Range
Summit County operates a shooting range in the Keystone area, right off of Landfill Rd off of Highway 6. For more information, visit www.summitrange.org
Raggeds Wilderness - White River
Raggeds Wilderness covers 65,443 acres spanning Gunnison and White River National Forests. Elevations range from 7,000 to about 13,000 feet. Prominent rocky slopes point upward to a serrated ridge which gives Raggeds Wilderness its name. Ragged Mountain in the northern half rises to 12,094 feet, but other scenic peaks in the area summit higher.
Some points of interest in the Raggeds Wilderness are: Dark Canyon,…
Aspen to Crested Butte via West Maroon TH #1970
ALERTS:
• Bear canisters are required for all backpackers in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness.• Advance reservation permits are required for overnight stays in the Maroon Bells - Snowmass Wilderness Overnight Permit Zones.…
Caving on the White River NF
What is White-Nose Syndrome?
White-nose syndrome is considered one of the worst wildlife diseases in modern times. It is caused by a fungus, and people can unknowingly spread the disease...
Learn More
Planning to visit a cave on the White River National Forest? Start here!
All known cave hibernacula are…
Rock Creek Road #1350
In winter you will begin hiking up a road that winds through aspen and lodgepole pine forests. After traveling 1.7 miles up the road you will come to the summer Rock Creek Trailhead parking sign. This road is a popular access point for hunters into Eagles Nest Wilderness/GMU 371 during hunting season - it is recommended for other recreationists to wear orange or other bright colors during hunting seasons.
Spruce Creek Road #800
Located within the Continental Divide National Monument, Spruce Creek Road is an unpaved dirt and rock road, recommended 4WD, and parallels the Mohawk Lakes trail through a stand of trees. The road ends at the Mayflower Lakes TH, which cuts off a good part of the Spruce Creek/Mohawk Lakes trail for folks who don't want to hike the whole Spruce Creek/Mohawk Lakes trail. This road also offers access to the Burro…