James Peak Wilderness
James Peak Wilderness is a 17,109-acre wilderness area in Gilpin County, Colorado. It rises from about 9,122 to 13,351 ft. The nearest town is St. Mary's, 1.4 miles away in a straight line.
James Peak Wilderness map
James Peak 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
- The maximum group size at James Peak Wilderness is 12.
- Campfires are prohibited.
- St. Mary's, CO is the nearest town, 1.4 miles in a straight line from the boundary (not a driving distance).
- The highest ground in James Peak Wilderness is about 13,351 ft, and its lowest about 9,122 ft (USGS 3DEP elevation model). Its highest named summit is Parry Peak, about 13,351 ft.
Who manages James Peak Wilderness
| Agency | Acres | Permit | Group size | Stay limit | Office |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forest Service | 17,109 | Not on record | 12 | Not on record | Boulder Ranger District, 303-541-2500 |
Getting to James Peak Wilderness
- St. Mary's, CO is the nearest town, 1.4 miles in a straight line from the boundary (not a driving distance). (US Census places, accessed 2026-09-30)
Trailheads at James Peak Wilderness
- East Portal Trailhead (0.01 mi outside the boundary, 9,217 ft), at 39.9017, -105.6453
- Forest Lakes Trailhead (0.01 mi outside the boundary, 11,038 ft), at 39.9236, -105.6686
- Bill Moore Lake/Empire Loop Trailhead (0.02 mi outside the boundary, 11,352 ft), at 39.8034, -105.7103 (mapped on OpenStreetMap)
- James Peak Lake Trailhead (0.05 mi outside the boundary, 11,564 ft), at 39.8561, -105.6578
- Rollins Pass Trailhead (0.18 mi outside the boundary, 11,669 ft), at 39.9351, -105.6821
- Rogers Pass (Riflesight) Trailhead (0.6 mi outside the boundary, 11,122 ft), at 39.8986, -105.7078
- Rogers Pass (0.61 mi outside the boundary, 11,104 ft), at 39.8989, -105.7078
- Berthoud Pass Trailhead (0.83 mi outside the boundary, 11,248 ft), at 39.7961, -105.7803
Trailhead locations: Forest Service recreation sites layer , accessed 2026-09-30. Elevations from USGS 3DEP.
Trailheads mapped on OpenStreetMap: © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License , accessed 2026-09-30. The extract used here, with distances from the boundary: osm-trailheads-co.json. Where an agency layer lists the same trailhead, the agency's point is shown instead.
Named summits, canyons, and springs in James Peak Wilderness
- Parry Peak summit
- James Peak summit
- Mount Bancroft summit
- James Peak 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.
Public lands next to James Peak Wilderness
- National forestJames Peak Wilderness lies inside Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests.
- Wilderness areaIndian Peaks Wilderness is 0.1 miles away, straight line between the two boundaries.
- Wilderness areaVasquez Peak Wilderness is 1.9 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)
- openstreetmap.org (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.