Hunter-Fryingpan Wilderness
Snuggled in between the more spectacular Colorado Wildernesses of Holy Cross on the north, Maroon Bells-Snowmass on the west, and Collegiate Peaks on the south, Hunter-Fryingpan lies all but forgotten. Indeed, even the many tortured peaks of the Williams Mountains, you'll find unnamed. The Wilderness rises to the Continental Divide, sharing its eastern border and the divide with Mount Massive Wilderness. The two are one geographically speaking, and almost became one legislatively. Holding the headwaters of Hunter Creek and the Fryingpan River, many streams in this area provide excellent habitats for large numbers of trout.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Colorado |
| Size | 82,496 acres |
| Designated | 1978, by Congress |
| Center point | 39.21° N, 106.63° 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 32 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
20 more within ten miles are not listed here.
Trailheads and sites
The Forest Service lists 1 recreation site inside this wilderness, among them 1 day hiking. Each links to its page on fs.usda.gov, which carries the season, fees and current status.
- 5 miSpruce Creek TH #1927 ↗Day hiking
Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.
Trails
15 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 68 miles in all. The 10 longest are listed here.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Woody Creek ↗ | 9.2 | |
| Lost Man Loop ↗ | 8.9 | |
| Midway ↗ | 8 | |
| Aspen-Norrie ↗ | 6.2 | |
| Granite Lake ↗ | 5.7 | |
| South Fork Pass ↗ | 5.5 | |
| Sawyer Lake ↗ | 4.6 | |
| Hunter Creek | 4.4 | |
| Fryingpan Lakes | 4.1 | |
| North Fork Lake Creek | 3.9 |
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
11 mi from the center point · 7,359 acres · 92% contained
- PrescribedNorth Trout Creek Rx
39 mi from the center point
- PrescribedNorth Endor Piles Rx
49 mi from the center point · 5 acres
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
- 10.8 miTabor Opera House ↗National Historic Landmark
- 2.4 miUte Cemetery ↗Aspen, CO
- 2.6 miBoat Tow ↗Aspen, CO
- 2.8 miSheely Bridge ↗Aspen, CO
- 2.9 miLa Fave Block ↗Aspen, CO
- 2.9 miWheeler Opera House ↗Aspen, CO
- 2.9 miNew Brick--The Brick Saloon ↗Aspen, CO
- 3 miArmory Hall, Fraternal Hall ↗Aspen, 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 Hunter-Fryingpan Wilderness?
82,496 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Hunter-Fryingpan Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Hunter-Fryingpan Wilderness in?
Colorado.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Hunter-Fryingpan Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1978.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Hunter-Fryingpan 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 Hunter-Fryingpan Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 39.209° N, 106.634° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Hunter-Fryingpan Wilderness right now?
3 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Willow at 11 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Are there historic places near Hunter-Fryingpan Wilderness?
The National Register has 37 listings within 15 miles, including Tabor Opera House and Ute Cemetery.
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.