20 Attractions to Explore Near West Elk Wilderness

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.

East Beckwith Mountain is a laccolith, formed when magma intruded into Mancos Shale approximately 30 million years ago. The 12,441-foot peak is located in the West Elk Wilderness of Gunnison National Forest. It is noted for its distinctive glacial landforms. On the north side of this elongated, east–west oriented mountain, there are five glacially carved cirques with intervening arêtes, and moraines fan out from the mountain's base.

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.

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.

Kebler Pass is a terrific high-mountain pass connecting Crested Butte with Paonia to the west. It is a mostly gravel road and is closed during the winter months. A few portions of the road near the top of the pass have been paved. In the summer, the road is accessible by all passenger vehicles.

Mount Gunnison resides just inside of the northern boundary of the West Elks Wilderness, which is encompassed by the beautiful Gunnison National Forest. Mount Gunnison is also Colorado’s 13th most prominent mountain, ranking ahead of 94 of the states highest 100 mountains, including 46 fourteeners. The mountain is named in honor of John Williams Gunnison who explored the 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.

Mount Owen is the highest summit of the Ruby Range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. The 13,070-foot thirteener is located in Gunnison National Forest at the edge of the Raggeds Wilderness, 8.5 miles west-northwest of the Town of Crested Butte in Gunnison County, Colorado, United States. A good trekking destination and also there is so many locations to explore te catch up the beautiful views of this area.

Mount Emmons is a mountain summit in the Elk Mountains range of the Rocky Mountains in north-central Gunnison County, Colorado. It isn't really rugged, but it's a massive mountain and is recognizable for miles around. The peak is a 30 mile round trip hike from the nearest road. his is a beautiful area with many lakes, meadows, wildflowers, and some rugged peaks. Solitude is usually easy to come by once you leave the popular fishing holes behind.

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.

Marcellina Mountain is a prominent mountain summit in the West Elk Mountains range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. This wilderness encompasses 176,000 acres of Gunnison National Forest, making it the fifth largest wilderness in Colorado. The volcanic ridges and long valleys of this pristine area offer an extensive selection of hiking and climbing

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.

The Lupine trail system lies on the North side of Slate River road just a short ride from downtown Crested Butte. Relatively new to the trail network, the two sections of Lupine were built in 2011 and 2012.Keep in mind this is a very popular mountain bike trail, especially on weekends. The trail can be hiked one way, with a shuttle from either end, but there is no parking allowed in the Saddle Ridge subdivision or on Gothic road.

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.

Saddle Mountain is a large, conical mountain located on the western side of the West Elk Mountains southeast of Crawford, Colorado. It has an elevation of 10,005 ft with over 3,000 ft of vertical relief above the valley below. Although it has the classic shape of an extinct volcano, Saddle Mountain is an exposed igneous intrusion that geologists call a laccolith.

Crested Butte Mountain Resort is located in southwest Colorado, within the Gunnison National Forest and the Elk Mountain Range. Known for offering extreme and diverse terrain, the mountain is considered one of the birthplaces of freeskiing It has abundant green and blue groomed trails to more advanced longer trails and the famous extreme limits of the North Face and Headwall. The mountain also features three slope-side restaurants accessible via lift.

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.

Mount Lamborn is a mountain summit in the West Elk Mountains range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. The 11,402-foot peak is located in Gunnison National Forest, 5.9 miles southeast by south of the Town of Paonia in Delta County, Colorado, United States. The summit of Mount Lamborn is the highest point in Delta County.

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.

Hartman Rocks has 45 miles of single track trail, 45 miles of roads, 50 designated dispersed campsites, and countless climbing crags. Single track trails are perfect for mountain biking, dirt biking, hiking, and trail running.Views at Hartman Rocks are spectacular especially during sunrise and sunset with the Gunnison Basin to the North and the San Juan Mountains to the south.