Spanish Peaks Wilderness
Los Cumbres Espanolos, the Spanish Peaks, are prominent landmarks along the eastern front of the southern Rockies. Their snow-capped summits, rising 7000 feet above the arid plains, made the "Double Mountain" an easily recognizable reference point to travelers of all cultures. The Peaks have traditional and religious significance to American Indian tribes including the Comanche and Ute. Summer thunderstorms, which often form near the summits, were evidence the rain gods worked their magic on the peaks. The common Indian name appears in at least three different spellings in various accounts, reflecting different renditions of oral expression. These are "Wahatoya", "Huajatolla", or "Guajatoyah"––roughly interpreted as "breasts of the earth".
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Colorado |
| Size | 19,237 acres |
| Designated | 2000, by Congress |
| Center point | 37.38° N, 104.98° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 13) |
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.
Where to camp
None of the 4 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, 25 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Wahatoya ↗ | 9.4 | |
| Levi Krier ↗ | 4.6 | |
| Schafer ↗ | 4.5 | |
| Apishapa | 3.3 | |
| West Peak | 2.7 | |
| Vista Point Handicapped Trail ↗ | 0.4 |
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
- Prescribed12-Mile Piles Rx
44 mi from the center point · 6 acres
- WildfireAspen Acres
44 mi from the center point · 102,007 acres · 96% 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
- 6.2 miLamme Hospital ↗La Veta, CO
- 6.2 miFrancisco Plaza ↗Le Veta, CO
- 6.2 miSmith, Edwin L. Building ↗La Veta, CO
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 Spanish Peaks Wilderness?
19,237 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Spanish Peaks Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Spanish Peaks Wilderness in?
Colorado.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Spanish Peaks Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 2000.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Spanish Peaks 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 Spanish Peaks Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 37.382° N, 104.979° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Spanish Peaks Wilderness right now?
2 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest 12-Mile Piles Rx at 44 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Are there historic places near Spanish Peaks Wilderness?
The National Register has 3 listings within 15 miles, including Lamme Hospital and Francisco Plaza.
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.