Mount Zirkel Wilderness
The Mount Zirkel Wilderness lies within the Routt National Forest in northwestern Colorado. It was one of the original areas protected under the 1964 Wilderness Act and has since been expanded twice to...
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Colorado |
| Size | 160,309 acres (Wilderness Connect) |
| Designated | 1964, by Congress |
| Center point | 40.7687, -106.7020 |
| Night sky | Very dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 20) |
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.
Where to camp
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. 14 are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Show 4 moreHide
2 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 miKatherine Trailhead ↗Day hiking
Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 1.5 miHog Park Guard Station ↗Cowdry, CO
- 7.2 miCrawford House ↗Steamboat Springs, CO
- 7.2 miSteamboat Apartments ↗Steamboat Springs, CO
- 7.3 miSummit Creek Ranger Station ↗Columbine, CO
- 7.3 miSteamboat Springs Depot ↗Steamboat Springs, CO
- 7.3 miChamber of Commerce Building ↗Steamboat Springs, CO
- 7.5 miMaxwell Building ↗Steamboat Springs, CO
- 7.5 miRoutt County National Bank Building ↗Steamboat Springs, CO
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Mount Zirkel Wilderness?
160,309 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Mount Zirkel Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Mount Zirkel Wilderness in?
Colorado.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Mount Zirkel Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1964.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Mount Zirkel Wilderness?
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is Summit Lake Campground, 0.1 miles out. 14 in all are within ten miles. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit rules.
Source: Where to camp
Where are the trailheads in Mount Zirkel Wilderness?
The Forest Service lists 1 recreation site here, including 1 day hiking. Each one links to its Forest Service page.
Source: Trailheads and sites
How do I get to Mount Zirkel Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 40.769, -106.702. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
How dark is the night sky at Mount Zirkel Wilderness?
NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 20 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, very dark ground, a faint glow at most.
Source: NASA Black Marble
Are there historic places near Mount Zirkel Wilderness?
14 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Hog Park Guard Station and Crawford 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.
- 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.