20 Attractions to Explore Near Hartman Rocks

Tomichi Creek is a relatively small waterway that mirrors US-50 for much of the way between Monarch Pass and Gunnison. The Tomichi Valley is a semi-wide valley allowing Tomichi Creek to meander and split into several waterways creating an excellent livestock range and being largely private ranch lands.Tomichi Creek State Wildlife Area is a gated public access with parking located at the east end of the runway at Gunnison-Crested Butte Regional Airport.

Cochetopa Canyon is a valley in Colorado and has an elevation of 7841 feet. Cochetopa Canyon is situated nearby to Cochetopa Creek. Beautiful rock formations line Highway 114 and lead down to this little oasis located between Saguache and Gunnison. A scenic location where you can spend some beautiful time.

Curecanti National Recreation Area is a series of three reservoirs along the once wild Gunnison River. It used to be a nice destination for camping and fishing. Now it just seems to be an overnight campground for tourists. The state's premiere lake trout and Kokanee salmon fisheries, Curecanti is a popular destination for boating and fishing, and is also a popular area for ice-fishing in the winter months.

Blue Mesa Reservoir is the state's largest body of water, which means abundant recreation and lounge-worthy beaches.It’s 20 miles long and features 96 miles of shoreline to explore. Options for play include sailing, power boating, fishing, and water skiing. Windsurfing is popular among those looking to get a workout on the water.

Quartz Creek is a stream in Gunnison County, Colorado. It rises in the Rocky Mountains above the town of Pitkin, Colorado. The stream rises in the Gunnison National Forest and is formed by the merger of the North, Middle, and South Quartz creeks. It flows through the Quartz Creek Valley and through the towns of Pitkin and Ohio City. Ironically, most of the land along Quartz Creek in the valley is privately held, so there is little public fishing there.

The Gunnison National Forest is a protected area situated in the western part of the US state of Colorado. It consists of a variety of wilderness terrain, covering vast distances in secluded places like the West Elk Mountains, Raggeds Wilderness, Fossil Ridge, and the La Garita Wilderness. A good trekking destination and also it offers nice views of wildlife and forest.

West Elk Wilderness within Gunnison National Forest is 176,412 acres, the fifth largest Wilderness in Colorado. The area supports large elk and deer populations and is busiest during the fall hunting season. A good location to get interact with the wilderness and also there are so many things to see and do here.

West Elk Peak, elevation 13,042 ft, is the highest summit in the West Elk Mountains of Gunnison County, Colorado. The mountain is in the West Elk Wilderness, northwest of Gunnison. The terrain consists mostly of volcanic breccia, known in this area as West Elk Breccia, dated at 35 to 30 million years old.A good trekking destination and also you can explore some nice hisotirc locations where you can see the history of this location.

Carbon Peak, is a summit in the West Elk Mountains of Colorado. The peak is southwest of Crested Butte in the Gunnison National Forest. Carbon Peak is one of several prominent laccoliths found in the West Elk Mountains. It is a good trekking destination and also there are so many things to see and do here.

Blue Mesa Dam is on the Gunnison river about 30 miles below Gunnison, and 1.5 miles below Sapinero, Colorado. Blue Mesa Dam and reservoir are part of the Bureau of Reclamation's Wayne N. Aspinall Unit of the Colorado River Storage Project, which retains the waters of the Colorado River and its tributaries for agricultural and municipal use in the American Southwest. The dam has a volume of 3,080,000 cubic yards and the spillway intake structure has two radial gates.

The Fossil Ridge Wilderness is a U.S. Wilderness Area located approximately 16 miles northeast of Gunnison. Covering 32,179 acres, the area is made up of raw granite that overlooks several shallow high mountain lakes and long valleys carved by ancient glaciers. Pine, spruce, fir, and aspen are found here. The 26 miles of trail within the Wilderness are open to foot and horse travel only.

Henry Mountain is a fairly remote summit located in the Fossil Ridge Wilderness Area. The 13,261-foot thirteener is located in the Fossil Ridge Wilderness of Gunnison National Forest. A good trekking destination and also there are so many things to see and do. It also offers nice views of this area.

The Whetstone Mountains are a dry and rugged fault-block mountain range only about 15 miles long. The only access to this mountain range is by a few unimproved four-wheel drive routes that reach some of the lower canyons. There are no roads reaching higher elevations. A single hiking trail into the heart of the mountain range is accessed from Kartchner Caverns State Park.

Lamphier Lake is a glacial tarn that was scooped out of the surrounding rock during the last ice age. Its trailhead serves as access for Henry Mountain located in the Fossil Ridge Wilderness. The same trail also leads to Gunsight Pass. The lake is 2.77 miles from the parking area. Fossil ridge is behind the lake.

The Gunsight Pass Trail is not only a popular day hike, but is also a very popular 2 to 3 night backpacking opportunity. With backcountry campsites located at Gunsight Lake, Lake Ellen Wilson, and near the Sperry Chalet, you can take your time and really enjoy this beautiful area.

Tomichi Dome rises north of U.S. Highway 50 west of Hot Springs Creek and south of Waunita Hot Springs Reservoir in the southeast quarter of Gunnison County, Colorado. It is situated within the Gunnison National Forest.Tomichi Dome has been described as an extrusive, volcanic feature where the initial eruptions deposited breccia and tuff that is over 670 feet thick. A flow or dome of topaz rhyolite overlies the tuff.

Ohio Pass is a high mountain pass, located in Gunnison County, in the U.S. state of Colorado. A scenic location which offers u a quiet challenging drive too.

Brush Creek is a great option for anyone short on time or looking for an easy, scenic hike near Crested Butte. Located 2.0 miles south of town, the trail wanders through lovely meadows along the west side of the East River. Crested Butte Mountain looms above the trail to the west while Teocalli Mountain, White Mountain, WSC Peak and nearby unnamed peaks fill the skyline to the southeast. The East River meanders down the valley floor.

Curecanti Needle is a 700 foot granite spire located deep within Curecanti National Recreation Area in western Colorado. Used for many years as an advertising symbol for the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad, whose narrow-gauge railway famously ran along the northern bank of the river and passed near the Needle, the spire is today part of the Curecanti National Recreation Area, a National Park Service facility that encompasses three impoundments of the Gunnison river.

Crested Butte Nordic is one of the premier cross-country ski destinations in the country and your nonprofit community nordic ski and snowshoe center.With over 55km of maintained nordic track and over 100km of groomed ski trails in the area, you can be sure to get in a great workout with spectacular views of the West Elks.