20 Attractions to Explore Near Buffalo Peaks Wilderness

West Buffalo Peak, elevation 13,327 ft , is a summit in the Mosquito Range of central Colorado. The mountain is the highest peak of the Buffalo Peaks, slightly taller than East Buffalo Peak. It is located in the Buffalo Peaks Wilderness.

The Buffalo Peaks are the twin southern sentinels of the relaxed Mosquito Mountains. It is one of the iconic location for a trek and also there are so many things to see and do. For climbers the Buffalo Peaks offer a chance to get away from crowds and enjoy something distinctive yet different. Both mountains are but a healthy hike but the hike is memorable.

Clear Creek Reservoir, a 407 acre impoundment, offers excellent fishing for rain- bow, cutthroat and brown trout.Boating, camping and fishing are available at the lake, but even more recreation exists further west on the county road.

Weston Pass is a relatively easy, but rewarding off road destination in a beautiful area of ​​Rocky Mountain high country. This trail is not difficult though there are a few rocks in the trail that you may want to avoid if you do not have much clearance. The journey over Weston Pass was commonly known as “The Road to Riches,” with prospectors busy transporting the area’s silver and gold.

Twin Lakes Reservoir is surrounded by nature, with the typical Colorado recreation found within the bordering San Isabel National Forest. It has a surface area of 2700 acres and a maximum capacity of 141,000 acre-feet. Recreation includes boating, fishing for trout, and camping at five Forest Service campgrounds in the area.

Twin Lakes Dam is a dam in Lake County, Colorado, about 13 miles south of Leadville. The earthen dam was constructed in 1978 by the United States Bureau of Reclamation with a height of 53 feet and a length at its crest of 3150 feet. It has a surface area of 2700 acres and a maximum capacity of 141,000 acre-feet.

Horseshoe Mountain is one of Colorado's highest peak ranked at number 72 with 758 feet of prominence. The mountain has a unique and prominent cirque. The cirque is tilted and made up of Paleozoic sedimentary rocks that formed on the floors of ancient seas.

Mount Oxford is a high mountain summit of the Collegiate Peaks in the Town of Buena Vista in Chaffee County. The 14,160-foot fourteener is located in the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness of San Isabel National Forest, 14.2 miles northwest of the Town of Buena Vista in Chaffee County, Colorado, United States. The mountain was named in honor of the University of Oxford.

Mt. Harvard is the third highest peak in Colorado and only one of three 14ers within Colorado that rises above 14,400 feet. Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 8 h 49 min to complete. This is a very popular area for camping, fishing, and hiking, so you'll likely encounter other people while exploring.

Mount Columbia is a high mountain summit of the Collegiate Peaks in the Sawatch Range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. The 14,077-foot fourteener is located in the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness of San Isabel National Forest, 9.9 milesnorthwest by west of the Town of Buena Vista in Chaffee County, Colorado. This trail is great for birding, horseback riding, and mountain biking, and it's unlikely you'll encounter many other people while exploring.

Mt Elbert Forebay Reservoir, a 275 acre impoundment, offers excellent fishing for brown, rainbow, and cutthroat trout.Water from the forebay goes downhill to the Mount Elbert Powerplant, a hydroelectric plant. The plant also pumps water back into the forebay so it can be used again to generate hydroelectric power. The forebay is a component of the Fryingpan-Arkansas Project.

The Missouri Gulch trail is located in the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness Area of the San Isabel National Forest between Leadville and Buena Vista, Colorado. It begins at a large parking area south of Clear Creek Road (Chaffee County Road 390) across the road from the old town of Vicksburg. This trail ends at its junction with the Pine Creek Trail. The first 3.5 miles are strenuous, with an elevation gain of 3,500 feet.

Mount Belford is a high mountain summit of the Collegiate Peaks in the Sawatch Range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. The 14,203-foot fourteener is located in the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness of San Isabel National Forest, 15.0 miles northwest by west of the Town of Buena Vista in Chaffee County, Colorado, United States. A good trekking destination and also it offers breath taking views.

Mount Sheridan is a mountain in the Mosquito Range in United States. The peak is named in honor of General Philip H. Sheridan, U.S. Army, one of the early protectors of the park. The summit can be reached via the Mount Sheridan Trail 3.9 miles which spurs off the Heart Lake Trail at the northwest corner of Heart Lake. This is a steep climb of 3,000 feet in 3 miles, but provides extraordinary views of the park in all directions and the Teton Range to the southwest.

The North Cottonwood trail travels west for 4.3 miles to Kroenke Lake. The trail has numerous creek crossing and is lush and green with alpine vegetation. Take advantage of this trail in the peak of summer for wildflower season with July being the best month for the breathtaking flowers.

Mount Sherman is one of the highest peaks in the Rockies, at 14,036 feet. It is located in Park County, Colorado, and is part of the Mosquito Range. The peak was named after General William Tecumseh Sherman, who was a Union army general during the American Civil War. The first recorded ascent of Mount Sherman was made in 1873 by a team of surveyors. Mount Sherman is a popular destination for climbers and hikers, and there are several routes to the summit.

Hope Pass sits just below 13,000 feet in the shadow of Hope Peak. It's a long and fairly technical trek that weaves through dense forest. Enjoy this 8.7-km out-and-back trail near Buena Vista, Colorado. Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 4 h 21 min to complete. This trail is great for hiking, and it's unlikely you'll encounter many other people while exploring.

Missouri Mountain is a high mountain summit in the Collegiate Peaks of the Sawatch Range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. This mountain offers one of the few opportunities for any technical climbing in the Sawatch Range. It is possible to climb Belford, Oxford and Missouri together, but it makes for a long, hard day. This is a popular trail for camping, hiking, and snowshoeing, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day.

Trout Creek Pass, elevation 9,346 ft is a mountain pass located in the Rocky Mountains of south-central Colorado in the United States. The pass sits atop the southern end of the Mosquito Range on the Park-Chaffee county line, between South Park and the headwaters of the Arkansas River to the west. It is traversed jointly by U.S. Highway 24 and US 285. It is passable by most motorized vehicles and is closed only during severe winter storms.

Buena Vista is situated in scenic Chaffee County, between the Collegiate Peaks and the Arkansas River in south-central Colorado, and is known for its laid-back, mountain-town vibe .Buena Vista is sometimes referred as the “banana belt”, because of its temperate and arid climate that provides 300+ days of sunlight. It’s common for someone to ride a snowmobile or cross-country ski in snowy, frigid conditions in the mountains, and then return to Buena Vista.