Collegiate Peaks Wilderness Area

Government information and links are at the bottom of this page.

Located in White River, San Isabel and Gunnison National Forests

Neighboring towns: Buena Vista, Crested Butte, Aspen, Twin Lakes, Taylor Park, Tin Cup, Pitkin, Ohio, White Pine, Garfield, Gunnison, Almont

Collegiate Peaks is one of the ten largest wildernesses in the state. Within its boundaries are more fourteeners and high peaks than any other wilderness area in Colorado or the lower 48 states.

The Collegiate Peaks Wilderness may very well possess the highest average elevation of any wilderness area in the contiguous 48 states. Eight peaks exceeding 14,000 feet are found here, including the state's third and fifth highest summits, Mount Harvard and La Plata Peak. In addition, another half-dozen peaks soar over 13,800 feet. More than 40 miles of the Continental Divide follow the crest of the Sawatch Range in what is arguably the pinnacle of the North American continent, for the divide never reaches a higher point between the Isthmus of Panama and the Arctic Circle than it does in the Sawatch Range. Colorado's two highest peaks, Mount Elbert and Mount Massive, march north from the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness like two giant stepping stones.

The popularity of climbing fourteeners, combined with proximity to Denver and the Front Range, means the Collegiates receive crowds on summer weekends. For more solitude, plan to visit during the week or in the fall.

Wide U-shaped valleys open onto utterly breathtaking mountain scenery. Dozens of alpine lakes sparkle at the feet of striking rocky cirques. For startling, glacier-scupted high mountain spendor, this area has few rivals in Colorado.

As you travel through the area, you might notice unusual and deep indentations in the boundary line. These are a legacy of man's hunt for gold and other valuable metals that are still sought just outside. More than a dozen trailheads create a situation in which no one ever stands more than five miles from a road. About 40 miles of the serpentine Continental Divide snake across the area, and this expansive Wilderness lies in parts of three national forests. The beauty of this place and its ease of access ensure torrents of visitors, especially on weekends.

Size: 166,938 acres

Elevation: 8,500 to 14,420 feet

Miles of trails: 105

Year designated: 1980

Hunting areas: 471, 48, 481, 55

NOTE: Eloquent descriptions of our wilderness areas provided by Mark Pearson, author of "The Complete Guide to Colorado's Wilderness Areas", Westcliffe Publishers, Englewood, CO. Pictures by renowned photographer and Colorado resident John Fielder.