Buffalo Peaks Wilderness
Beaver, elk, mule deer, black bears, mountain lions and one of Colorado's largest herds of bighorn sheep call the Buffalo Peaks Wilderness home, but human visitors are relatively few, preferring the nearby and more glamorous Collegiate Peaks Wilderness. From most of South Park and much of the Arkansas River Valley, the twin Buffalo Peaks–East Buffalo and West Buffalo–are visible as high, rounded domes. You won't find deep glacial valleys or secluded lakes here. You will find a serene forest of Engelmann spruce, Douglas fir, lodgepole and limber pine, and aspen, as well as several lovely stands of bristlecone pines on some of the south-facing slopes.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Colorado |
| Size | 41,281 acres |
| Designated | 1993, by Congress |
| Center point | 39.04° N, 106.16° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 14) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Weather by month
Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.
Where to camp
None of the 18 federal campgrounds within ten miles sit inside the boundary. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Show 4 moreHide
6 more within ten miles are not listed here.
Trails
8 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 47 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Salt Creek ↗ | 15.3 | |
| Tumble Creek ↗ | 12.2 | |
| Rich Creek ↗ | 6.5 | |
| Low Pass | 4.4 | |
| Buffalo Ridge | 3.7 | |
| Twobit Gulch | 3.1 | |
| Ridgeview | 0.8 | |
| Ridgeview Spur | 0.5 |
Lengths and allowed uses come from the Forest Service trail layer by way of Trailhead Atlas. This trail list was copied from Trailhead Atlas on November 1, 2026 and is copied again on each weekly run. Trails in plain text have no page there yet.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedNorth Trout Creek Rx
13 mi from the center point
- WildfireWillow
20 mi from the center point · 7,359 acres · 92% contained
- PrescribedNorth Endor Piles Rx
32 mi from the center point · 5 acres
- PrescribedCo Fire Camp Rx
33 mi from the center point
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge, and is measured from the center of a boundary that may be many miles across. Check the agency page for closures.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 6.3 miTabor Opera House ↗National Historic Landmark
- 1.4 miMcFadden Barn ↗Buena Vista, CO
- 2.1 miPine Hall ↗Granite, CO
- 2.2 miCommercial Hotel ↗Granite, CO
- 5.2 miDerry Mining Site Camp ↗Leadville, CO
- 6.5 miGolden Burro Cafe and Lounge ↗Leadville, CO
- 6.6 miDexter Cabin ↗Leadville, CO
- 6.6 miHealy House ↗Leadville, CO
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for Colorado
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Buffalo Peaks Wilderness?
41,281 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Buffalo Peaks Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Buffalo Peaks Wilderness in?
Colorado.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Buffalo Peaks Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1993.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Buffalo Peaks Wilderness?
Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities, and the managing agency page has the permit rules. The federal campgrounds within ten miles are listed under Where to camp.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to Buffalo Peaks Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 39.035° N, 106.161° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Buffalo Peaks Wilderness right now?
4 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest North Trout Creek Rx at 13 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Are there historic places near Buffalo Peaks Wilderness?
The National Register has 24 listings within 15 miles, including Tabor Opera House and McFadden Barn.
Source: Register Atlas
Sources
- Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
- Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
- Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
- Trails: the Trailhead Atlas open-data file of Forest Service trails, matched on the wilderness each trail enters.
- Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
- Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.