Wilderness Areas
Highland Loop National Recreational Trail
Located near our HQ in Silverton this area is a true darling, moderately trafficked by experienced adventurers. The loop trail leads to a set of locally famous lakes which occupy an Alpine Basin at the top of the Rockies. Nestled in the gorgeous, historic Mancos/Dolores region this is an exceptional wilderness locale. This area encompasses a 17-mile loop hike portions of which include the Colorado Trail, Grindstone Trail, and Bear Creek Trail. The Colorado Trail has wonderful high tundra hiking. Being above timberline, the views of the spectacular San Juan Mountain range are unrivaled. Bear Creek is renowned for beautiful high mountain streams alive with native cutthroat trout. Sprinkled with red cliffs and waterfalls, this is one of the finest most complete sections of the southwest Rockies.
Lizard Head Wilderness
This wilderness was established by Congress in 1980 and is named after Lizard Head Peak. This freestanding spire stands at 13,113 feet and is a volcanic neck that crumbled into its present form. This was due to a landslide in 1911 when the taller spire fell with a roar in the middle of the night; locals thought an earthquake had occurred, and the Telluride mountain skyline changed forever. We included a rare photo of the original Lizard Head below. This area near the stylish town of Telluride and the laid-back Rico area contains the westernmost 14,000-foot peaks in Colorado, Mount Wilson, Wilson Peak (inspiration for Coors Logo) and El Diente (“the tooth”). Finally, the Dolores Peak stands as a sentinel, one of the last peaks of the San Juan’s before blending into the red sandstone canyons of the Colorado Plateau. This area is known for the grandeur of the rugged mountains, surging streams, glaciated formed Navajo Lake and forests of aspens at its lower reaches blending into the Colorado blue spruce at the higher elevations. This area offers it all with the breathtaking peaks, beautiful valleys, and peaceful solitude. This is what makes this wilderness so appealing. For more information: Lizard Head Wilderness
Colorado Trail Engineer Mountain
Near the town of Silverton, the trek includes 13 miles of the Colorado Trail. This fossil rich area has geological formations of beds of gray shale, sandstone, and limestone layers then into a formation of light-colored granite at Cascade Creek Basin near the formidable Grizzly Peak. With its gradual ascent, this area is known for its lush, knee-high fields of wildflowers including Colorado columbine, bluebells, Indian paintbrush, and larkspur along with many others and much of the hiking along this segment is above tree line. The portion of the trail that passes by Engineer Mountain is a gently rolling section with wonderful views of this majestic mountain.
Weminuche Wilderness
As the largest wilderness in Colorado, this area contains a significant portion of the San Juan Mountains. The Weminuche is surrounded by the incredible true Colorado mountain towns of Durango, Silverton, and Pagosa Springs. The area is known for its rugged terrain that is as diverse as it is grand. It ranges from the gaping Animas River gorge to the tops of distinguished peaks in the Needle Range that sprawl immediately to the east. The Weminuche wilderness consists of an abundance of prominent jagged peaks. The unique formations are a result of volcanic and ice age activity. The northern end of the Needle Mountains is highlighted by a range of imposing peaks called the Grenadier Range. Most of our use is in this section with our camps strategically set up to explore the acclaimed mountains. This provides a solitude only found deep in the heart of the mountains. This region is notoriously less crowded due to it not containing the sought after 14,000-foot peaks. The range is littered with 13,000 foot plus peaks that are stunning, some of the most scenic country in the world. When not distracted by the breathtaking pinnacles, you can often find wildlife like mountain goats roaming the range.
Sneffels Wilderness
The views south of Ridgway are regarded as some of the most mesmerizing in Colorado. Mt Sneffels, Dallas Peak, and their neighbors protrude in a sensational fashion from the Uncompahgre Valley below. Picturesque ranches wrinkle the northern slopes of the Sneffels Range, arguable the most famous of which belongs to none other than Mr. Ralph Lauren. Mt. Sneffels (14,150 feet) is deservedly the main attraction in this sub-range of the San Juan’s. Our trips bear this in mind by setting up close to the base of Mt Sneffels in a beautiful, spruce filled wilderness. At 16,566 acres, the Sneffels wilderness has an intimate vibe to it as one of the smallest wilderness areas of Colorado. Made up predominately of igneous volcanic rock, these vast peaks and ridges are plausibly the most iconic in Colorado. Details for Blaine Basin: Blaine Basin
Uncompahgre Wilderness
This region is often and accurately referred to as “The Little Switzerland of America” for its phenomenal scenery. Featuring one of the most unique and distinctive panoramas in Colorado, the Uncompahgre region is remarkable. With the neighboring communities Ouray, Ridgway, and Lake City it encompasses 102,721 acres. With 110 miles of trails, we take advantage of the Cimarron River as well as Coxcomb Peak. The rugged prominent peaks ascend above deep valleys and lay a backdrop that is spectacular. This includes two fourteeners: Wetterhorn and Uncompahgre. Our trips include two camps at timberline; the second is near the Wetterhorn Basin and arguably our favorite in the San Juan’s! As a wildlife hotspot we often encounter herds of elk and big horn sheep while exploring this territory. The cascading summits and astounding landscapes are guaranteed to impress.