Uncompahgre Wilderness

Fire restrictions

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.

Who manages Uncompahgre Wilderness

Getting to Uncompahgre Wilderness

• Portland, CO is the nearest town, 1.5 miles in a straight line from the boundary (not a driving distance). (US Census places, accessed 2026-09-30)
• The wilderness.net page for this area places it about 5 miles east of Ouray.
• Access roads named on the area's wilderness.net page: Hinsdale County Road.

Position, roads and vehicle notes: wilderness.net page for Uncompahgre Wilderness, accessed 2026-09-30. Roads and conditions change; check with the managing office before driving in.

Trailheads at Uncompahgre Wilderness

• Independence Trailhead (inside the boundary, 8,440 ft), at 38.1021, -107.2926
• East Fork Trailhead (0.01 mi outside the boundary, 9,252 ft), at 38.1915, -107.4931
• Fishing Access (0.02 mi outside the boundary, 8,425 ft), at 38.1000, -107.2904
• Nellie Creek Trailhead (0.04 mi outside the boundary, 11,421 ft), at 38.0626, -107.4221
• Fall Creek Trailhead (0.18 mi outside the boundary, 11,000 ft), at 38.1912, -107.4231
• Courthouse Trailhead (0.21 mi outside the boundary, 10,330 ft), at 38.1333, -107.5593
• Big Blue Trailhead (0.4 mi outside the boundary, 9,672 ft), at 38.2070, -107.3856
• American Flats (0.48 mi outside the boundary, 12,816 ft), at 37.9746, -107.5848

Trailhead locations: Forest Service recreation sites layer , BLM recreation sites layer , accessed 2026-09-30. Elevations from USGS 3DEP.

Named summits, canyons, and springs in Uncompahgre Wilderness

• Uncompahgre Peak summit about 14,294 ft
• Wetterhorn Peak summit about 14,019 ft
• Silver Mountain summit about 13,701 ft
• Middle Canyon canyon
• American 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 Uncompahgre Wilderness

• National forestUncompahgre Wilderness lies inside Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests.
• Wilderness areaPowderhorn Wilderness is 1.3 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

• Vasquez Peak Wilderness (Grand County)
• Weminuche Wilderness (Hinsdale County)
• West Elk Wilderness (Gunnison County)
• Black Canyon of the Gunnison Wilderness (Montrose County)
• Black Ridge Canyons Wilderness (Mesa County)

Colorado wilderness areas