Weminuche Wilderness
The Weminuche Wilderness was designated in 1975, and was expanded to its current size by the Colorado Wilderness Acts of 1980 and 1993. It is the largest designated Wilderness in Colorado. The Weminuche...
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Colorado |
| Size | 497,111 acres (Wilderness Connect) |
| Designated | 1975, by Congress |
| Center point | 37.6061, -107.3051 |
| 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.
Where to camp
1 federal campground sits inside the boundary and 43 more are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Show 3 moreHide
32 more within ten miles are not listed here.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedWolf Creek Rx
29 mi from the center point · 1 acres
- WildfireSwiss Roll
32 mi from the center point · 775 acres · 0% contained
- WildfireElk
36 mi from the center point · 7,257 acres · 73% contained
- WildfireGold Mountain
37 mi from the center point · 39,747 acres · 92% 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
- 4.3 miShenandoah--Dives Mill ↗National Historic Landmark
- 1.9 miCascade Boy Scout Camp ↗Durango, CO
- 2.8 miWagon Wheel Gap Railroad Station ↗Creede, CO
- 3.7 miDebs School ↗Pagosa Springs, CO
- 8.2 miSevenmile Bridge ↗Creede, CO
- 8.9 miDenver & Rio Grande Railroad South Fork Water Tank ↗South Fork, CO
- 9 miSpruce Lodge ↗South Fork, CO
- 10.9 mi
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Weminuche Wilderness?
497,111 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Weminuche Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Weminuche Wilderness in?
Colorado.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Weminuche Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1975.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Weminuche Wilderness?
1 federal campground sits inside the boundary, including Palisades Horse Camp. 44 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
How do I get to Weminuche Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 37.606, -107.305. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Weminuche Wilderness right now?
4 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-09-17, the nearest Wolf Creek Rx at 29 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
How dark is the night sky at Weminuche Wilderness?
NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 14 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, about as dark as the ground gets.
Source: NASA Black Marble
Are there historic places near Weminuche Wilderness?
17 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Shenandoah--Dives Mill and Cascade Boy Scout Camp.
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.