Holy Cross Wilderness
Holy Cross Wilderness is a 122,453-acre wilderness area in Eagle County, Colorado. It rises from about 8,121 to 14,004 ft. The nearest town is Red Cliff, 0.9 miles away in a straight line.
Holy Cross Wilderness map
Holy Cross Wilderness boundary from USGS PAD-US or the managing agency, simplified for display. Not for navigation or legal boundaries.
Fire restrictions
Agency fire restriction orders for this unit are not tracked here yet. Restrictions change with the season, so check the current orders before any campfire, stove or target shooting.
County and local burn bans may also apply on private, state, or county land nearby. On federal land, follow the land manager's order; off it, follow the strictest county or local rule that applies. When both touch your trip, obey both.
Common questions
- Red Cliff, CO is the nearest town, 0.9 miles in a straight line from the boundary (not a driving distance).
- The highest ground in Holy Cross Wilderness is about 14,004 ft, and its lowest about 8,121 ft (USGS 3DEP elevation model). Its highest named summit is Mount of the Holy Cross, about 14,004 ft.
Who manages Holy Cross Wilderness
| Agency | Acres | Permit | Group size | Stay limit | Office |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forest Service | 122,453 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record | Eagle-Holy Cross Ranger District |
Getting to Holy Cross Wilderness
- Red Cliff, CO is the nearest town, 0.9 miles in a straight line from the boundary (not a driving distance). (US Census places, accessed 2026-09-30)
Trailheads at Holy Cross Wilderness
- Bear Lake Trailhead (0.02 mi outside the boundary, 11,237 ft), at 39.3009, -106.4078
- Cross Creek Trailhead (0.05 mi outside the boundary, 8,508 ft), at 39.5487, -106.4183
- Henderson Park Trailhead (0.06 mi outside the boundary, 9,276 ft), at 39.3503, -106.5878
- Lonesome Lake (0.06 mi outside the boundary, 9,994 ft), at 39.3740, -106.4563
- Missouri-Fancy Trailhead (0.06 mi outside the boundary, 10,003 ft), at 39.3903, -106.4706
- Halfmoon Trailhead (0.07 mi outside the boundary, 10,336 ft), at 39.5000, -106.4332
- Brady Lakes Trailhead (0.08 mi outside the boundary, 10,311 ft), at 39.3806, -106.4869
- Whitney Lake Trailhead (0.08 mi outside the boundary, 9,118 ft), at 39.4286, -106.4114
Trailhead locations: Forest Service recreation sites layer , accessed 2026-09-30. Elevations from USGS 3DEP.
Named summits, canyons, and springs in Holy Cross Wilderness
- Mount of the Holy Cross summit
- Mount Jackson summit
- Gold Dust Peak summit
- Bear Lake lake
Features whose official location is inside the boundary, from the USGS Geographic Names Information System, accessed 2026-09-30. Summit elevations measured on the USGS 3DEP elevation model, which can read a few feet under a surveyed summit height.
Campgrounds in and around Holy Cross Wilderness
May Queen camping (0.8 miles outside the boundary): its sites, fees, and reservations on campgroundsdb.com.
Public lands next to Holy Cross Wilderness
- National forest Most of Holy Cross Wilderness lies inside White River National Forest.
- National forestHoly Cross Wilderness borders Pike and San Isabel National Forests.
- Wilderness areaMount Massive Wilderness is 1.9 miles away, straight line between the two boundaries.
- State parkSylvan Lake State Park is 2.2 miles away, straight line between the two boundaries.
- Wilderness areaHunter-Fryingpan Wilderness is 2.6 miles away, straight line between the two boundaries.
Measured between the units' boundaries as mapped in USGS PAD-US. Distances are straight line, not driving.
Other wilderness areas in Colorado
- wilderness.net (accessed 2026-09-30)
- prd-tnm.s3.amazonaws.com (accessed 2026-09-30)
- prd-tnm.s3.amazonaws.com (accessed 2026-09-30)
- www2.census.gov (accessed 2026-09-30)
- apps.fs.usda.gov (accessed 2026-09-30)
The sentences on this page are generated by software from the sourced records above, not written by hand. How this content is made.