Byers Peak Wilderness
Byers Peak Wilderness is home to extensive alpine tundra, with about one half of the land above tree line. The Byers Peak Trail traverses this Wilderness from north to south, running from Bottle Pass to Saint Louis Peak, rising above the shadows of Engelmann spruce, subalpine fir, or lodgepole pine that cover the lower elevations. Although Byers Peak Wilderness is small in acreage, it is connected to the larger roadless region of Colorado by the undeveloped head of the Fraser Experimental Forest, which separates it from Vasquez Peak Wilderness.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Colorado |
| Size | 8,801 acres |
| Designated | 1993, by Congress |
| Center point | 39.85° N, 105.98° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 16) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground Forest Service recreation site
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 9 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.
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Trailheads and sites
The Forest Service lists 1 recreation site inside this wilderness, among them 1 trailhead. Each links to its page on fs.usda.gov, which carries the season, fees and current status.
- 3 miLake Evelyn Trailhead ↗Trailhead
Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.
Trails
8 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 48 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Keyser Ridge ↗ | 12.5 | |
| St. Louis Divide ↗ | 12.1 | |
| Kinney Creek ↗ | 10.7 | |
| Bottle Pass | 3.6 | |
| Lake Evelyn | 2.7 | |
| Byers Peak | 2.5 | |
| Bottle Peak | 2.2 | |
| Horseshoe Lake | 1.7 |
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
- PrescribedHarris Park Broadcast Rx
34 mi from the center point · 390 acres
- PrescribedFront Country Broadcast Rx
42 mi from the center point
- WildfireWillow
49 mi from the center point · 7,359 acres · 92% contained
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
- 7.6 miSlate Creek Bridge ↗Slate Creek, CO
- 8.1 miCozens Ranch House ↗Fraser, CO
- 14.9 miSilver Plume Depot ↗Silver Plume, CO
- 14.9 miPeck House ↗Empire, CO
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for Colorado
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Byers Peak Wilderness?
8,801 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Byers Peak Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Byers Peak Wilderness in?
Colorado.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Byers Peak Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1993.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Byers Peak 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 Byers Peak Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 39.852° N, 105.976° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Byers Peak Wilderness right now?
3 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Harris Park Broadcast Rx at 34 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Are there historic places near Byers Peak Wilderness?
The National Register has 4 listings within 15 miles, including Slate Creek Bridge and Cozens Ranch House.
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.