Wilderness Areas
Words can not describe the spectacular scenery you will find in Colorado's Federal Wilderness Areas. Over 3 million acres of wild lands have been appropriated as wilderness areas in Colorado. The United States Congress began designating these areas in 1964. Wilderness, as stated by the Wilderness Act of 1964, is "an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain." Wilderness serves as a repository of valuable ecological, geological, scientific, educational, and historical information. These are areas where humans are welcome to visit, but not reside.
Wilderness areas are to be free of motorized and mechanized travel.
Since there are no vehicles, there are no roads either. These areas are
usually located in harder to reach spots and are designed to be
isolated. However, a few are easily accessed, resulting in heavily used
areas. A few of the most popular preserved areas are Maroon
Bells-Snowmass Wilderness, Holy Cross Wilderness, Collegiate Peaks
Wilderness and Mt. Evans Wilderness.
Fast Facts for Colorado
Total acres in state: 66,624,205
Total Wilderness acres: 3,381,629
Total number of areas: 41
Largest Wilderness: Weminuche
Smallest Wilderness: Platte River
Managing Agency(s): BLM,FS,FWS,NPS