Platte River Wilderness
About 36 square miles of forested land lying primarily north and east of the North Platte River is included in this Wyoming Wilderness, with a small segment in Colorado's Routt National Forest. On the Colorado side, no Wilderness covers less acreage. The North Platte River enters Routt National Forest about four miles south of the Wyoming state line and flows north through a portion of the Wilderness and North Gate Canyon, a popular white-water rafting section of water. Elevations average 7,700 feet with the wide and relatively flat Platte Ridge rising in the middle of the area between the river and Douglas Creek. Elk and deer winter here. Both the creek and the river are noted for their excellent trout fishing opportunities.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| States | Colorado, Wyoming |
| Size | 24,051 acres |
| Designated | 1984, by Congress |
| Center point | 41.09° N, 106.38° 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 5 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.
Trails
6 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 32 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Douglas Creek ↗ | 9.6 | |
| Platte River ↗ | 8.8 | |
| Platte Ridge ↗ | 7.5 | |
| Devils Gate | 2.5 | |
| Platte East | 2.5 | |
| Dansel | 1.2 |
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
- PrescribedMagic Feather Broadcast Rx
50 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
- 12 miHeadquarters Park Historic District ↗Centennial, WY
- 14 miDML-Butler Bridge ↗Encampment, WY
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 Platte River Wilderness?
24,051 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Platte River Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Platte River Wilderness in?
The boundary crosses Colorado and Wyoming.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Platte River Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1984.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Platte River 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 Platte River Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 41.085° N, 106.376° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Platte River Wilderness right now?
1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Magic Feather Broadcast Rx at 50 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Are there historic places near Platte River Wilderness?
The National Register has 2 listings within 15 miles, including Headquarters Park Historic District and DML-Butler Bridge.
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.