Holy Cross Wilderness
The Holy Cross Wilderness is characterized by rugged ridgelines and glacier-carved valleys complete with spruce-fir forests, cascading streams and dozens of lakes. The Wilderness is named after Mount of the Holy Cross, which became famous in 1873 when William Henry Jackson first photographed the cross of snow on the northeast face of the mountain. Over 150 miles of trail traverse the area, providing excellent opportunities for day hiking and backpacking trips.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Colorado |
| Size | 122,453 acres |
| Designated | 1980, by Congress |
| Center point | 39.44° N, 106.51° W |
| Night sky | Very dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 24) |
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 28 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
16 more within ten miles are not listed here.
Trailheads and sites
The Forest Service lists 3 recreation sites inside this wilderness, among them 2 day hikings, 1 backpacking. Each links to its page on fs.usda.gov, which carries the season, fees and current status.
- 4 miNotch Mountain TH #2000 ↗Day hiking
- 6 miJosephine Lake TH #1916 ↗Backpacking
- 6 miGrouse Mountain TH #2010 ↗Day hiking
Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.
Trails
40 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 466 miles in all. The 10 longest are listed here.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Colorado ↗ | 193.8 | |
| CDNST ↗ | 91.7 | |
| Cross Creek ↗ | 25.1 | |
| East Lake Creek ↗ | 12.4 | |
| Tellurium Lake ↗ | 9.4 | |
| West Grouse Creek ↗ | 8.7 | |
| Fall Creek ↗ | 8.3 | |
| Martin Creek ↗ | 7 | |
| Turquoise Lake ↗ | 6.7 | |
| West Tennessee Lakes ↗ | 6.7 |
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
- WildfireWillow
15 mi from the center point · 7,359 acres · 92% contained
- PrescribedNorth Trout Creek Rx
47 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
- 6.7 miTabor Opera House ↗National Historic Landmark
- under 0.1 miNotch Mountain Shelter ↗Minturn, CO
- 0.1 miTigiwon Community House ↗Minturn, CO
- 0.5 miRed Cliff Bridge ↗Red Cliff, CO
- 4.7 miLeadville National Fish Hatchery ↗Leadville, CO
- 5.7 miUpper Brush Creek School ↗Eagle, CO
- 6.5 miGolden Burro Cafe and Lounge ↗Leadville, CO
- 6.6 miHealy House ↗Leadville, 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 Holy Cross Wilderness?
122,453 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Holy Cross Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Holy Cross Wilderness in?
Colorado.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Holy Cross Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1980.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Holy Cross 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 Holy Cross Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 39.443° N, 106.511° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Holy Cross Wilderness right now?
2 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Willow at 15 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Are there historic places near Holy Cross Wilderness?
The National Register has 12 listings within 15 miles, including Tabor Opera House and Notch Mountain Shelter.
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.