Hunter-Fryingpan Wilderness Area

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Located in White River National Forest

Neighboring towns: Aspen, Woody Creek, Leadville, Twin Lakes, Norrie, Meredith

Rugged and unfrequented peaks oversee forested trout streams in this area north of Independence Pass.

Central Colorado's Hunter - Fryingpan Wilderness maintains a low profile, largely forgotten between the lofty heights of its neighbors, Collegiate Peaks and Maroon Bells - Snowmass wilderness areas. Dominated by rugged and unnamed peaks of the Williams Mountains, the valleys of Hunter - Fryingpan lead through dark spruce forests, past gurgling trout streams, to flower-covered alpine tundra. For those who rank solitude as the primary objective of wilderness sojourns, Hunter - Fryingpan provides abundant opportunities.

Here you'll find many of the unnamed and tortured peaks of the Williams Mountains. A rich forest of 8,300 acres along Spruce Creeek on the northwest side was added to the original Wilderness in 1993.

As its name implies, Hunter - Fryingpan includes the headwaters of the Fryingpan River and Hunter Creek as well as other tributaries of the Roaring Fork River. State wildlife officials have granted both rivers Gold Medal status and have placed catch restrictions in order to promote abundant numbers of large trout. High-mountain streams receive similar praise for their productive fisheries. Aspen forests thrive in the lower valleys, while old stands of Engelmann spruce and subalpine fir populate higher valleys, such as along Spruce Creek. These dark, primeval forests provide a haven for elk, mule deer, and possibly wilderness-dependent species such as lynx and pine marten.

Size: 81,866 acres

Elevation: 9,000 to 13,000 feet

Miles of trails: 50

Year designated: 1978, 1993

Hunting areas: 47, 48

NOTE: coloradowilderness.com gratefully appreciates the eloquent descriptions of our wilderness areas provided by Mark Pearson, author of "The Complete Guide to Colorado's Wilderness Areas", Westcliffe Publishers, Englewood, CO. The book also contains many beautiful pictures by renowned photographer and Colorado resident John Fielder.