Dry Fork, East Creek and Curecanti Trail at Curecanti Pass, all access into the rugged mid-country of the West Elks. Trail Creek Trail # 872 & Bald Mountain Tie-in Trail #882 both drop down into Curecanti Trail #870, which hugs the Wilderness Boundary.Sink Creek leads to Mount Guero.The trail continues towards Curecanti Pass or forks toward Throughline Trail via Lone Pine.īald Mountain Access (from Black Mesa)/ Crystal Creek Road (713): Smith Fork (712) / Virginia Creek (814) Roads Little Robinson Trail #850 leads into the Wilderness and connects to Kaufmann Creek Trail #852 accesses Soap Basin via Soap Creek Trail # 443, Soap Basin Trail #442 and ties into Castle Pass Trail #441.Cliff Creek Trail #846/840 which accesses Swampy Pass Trail #438/439.Trailheads/trails that access West Elk Wilderness (Paonia RD): Go to for additional maps and information about Wilderness. National Forest Store: Offers a full, nationwide selection of National Forest, Ranger District, Wilderness, and Specialty Maps for purchase online or by phone, fax, and mail.Ĭolorado’s Fourteen Thousand Foot Peaks (14ers)įourteen Thousand Foot Peaks on the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forest.įind more information about climbing Colorado’s peaks at the Rocky Mountain Region 14ers page. They are available for download by quadrangle. National Forest Recreation Map- North Gunnison (pdf) (Zoomify)įorest Service Topography Maps: These maps overlay Forest Service assets, such as roads, trails, and campgrounds, on USGS's topographic maps. View a West Elk Wilderness brochure or Map. Please always use Leave No Trace techniques to help keep these areas wild, clean, and pristine. Traveling on this road when wet or in adverse weather is not recommended. The road ends at the Little Robinson Trailhead just before private property which is gated. The Through Line Trailhead is about 9 miles from Kebler Pass down Coal Creek Road on the right which has primitive camp sites and a vaulted toilet. Coal Creek Road is an 11 mile long, narrow one lane forest road with turn-outs. Points of interest include: the Castles, West Elk Peak, Sheep Lake, North/Middle and South Baldy mountains, and East and West Beckwith mountains.įor access points off of Gunnison County Road 12 also known as Kebler Pass Road, follow Forest Service Road 709, also known as Coal Creek Road. It is recommended that visitors be able to navigate the backcountry using topographic maps. The rugged mid-country of the West Elk Wilderness is very remote. Mill Castle Trail is one of the most rugged and scenic trails in this Wilderness. Most of the trails provide excellent pathways for horse traffic. The topography is reflected in many of the area's geographic names: Castle Pass, Castle View, Castle Creek, and the Castles.Ībout two hundred miles of trails offer opportunities for extended loop hikes through the West Elk Wilderness. Ridges have been crumbled and carved by wind and water into fantastic turrets, pinnacles, and crenellated bulwarks. Past volcanic activity has produced long lava flows in the area. Here you’ll find mountain passes leading to secluded valleys filled with beaver ponds and lined with trembling aspen that turn gold in September. Only during fall hunting season do the trails and campsites fill with people.Įlk and deer number in the thousands. This Wilderness is a large untamed area with little visitation. Elevations range from 7,000 to over 13,000 feet. West Elk Wilderness within Gunnison National Forest is 176,412 acres, the fifth largest Wilderness in Colorado.
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