Byers Peak Wilderness
Standing at 12,804 feet, Byers Peak overlooks a Wilderness rendered unique by the fact that about one half of the area consists of alpine tundra, the land above the tree line. Most of the entire Byers...
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Colorado |
| Size | 8,801 acres (Wilderness Connect) |
| Designated | 1993, by Congress |
| Center point | 39.8520, -105.9763 |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 16) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground Forest Service recreation site
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Weather by month
Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.
Where to camp
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. 9 are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Show 1 moreHide
Trailheads and sites
The Forest Service lists 1 recreation site inside this wilderness, among them 1 trailhead. Each links to its page on fs.usda.gov, which carries the season, fees and current status.
- 3 miLake Evelyn Trailhead ↗Trailhead
Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.
Trails
8 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 48 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Keyser Ridge ↗ | 12.5 | |
| ST. Louis Divide ↗ | 12.1 | |
| Kinney Creek ↗ | 10.7 | |
| Bottle Pass | 3.6 | |
| Lake Evelyn | 2.7 | |
| Byers Peak | 2.5 | |
| Bottle Peak | 2.2 | |
| Horseshoe Lake | 1.7 |
Lengths and allowed uses come from the Forest Service trail layer by way of Trailhead Atlas, refreshed September 18, 2026. Trails in plain text have no page there yet.
Fire nearby
- WildfireWillow
49 mi from the center point · 7,389 acres · 80% contained
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge, and is measured from the center of a boundary that may be many miles across. Check the agency page for closures.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 7.6 miSlate Creek Bridge ↗Slate Creek, CO
- 8.1 miCozens Ranch House ↗Fraser, CO
- 14.9 miSilver Plume Depot ↗Silver Plume, CO
- 14.9 miPeck House ↗Empire, CO
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Byers Peak Wilderness?
8,801 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Byers Peak Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Byers Peak Wilderness in?
Colorado.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Byers Peak Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1993.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Byers Peak Wilderness?
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is South Fork Campgound, 1.5 miles out. 9 in all are within ten miles. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit rules.
Source: Where to camp
Where are the trailheads in Byers Peak Wilderness?
The Forest Service lists 1 recreation site here, including 1 trailhead. Each one links to its Forest Service page.
Source: Trailheads and sites
How do I get to Byers Peak Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 39.852, -105.976. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Byers Peak Wilderness right now?
1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-09-18, the nearest Willow at 49 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
How dark is the night sky at Byers Peak Wilderness?
NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 16 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, about as dark as the ground gets.
Source: NASA Black Marble
Are there historic places near Byers Peak Wilderness?
4 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Slate Creek Bridge and Cozens Ranch House.
Source: Register Atlas
Sources
- Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
- Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
- Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
- Trails: the Trailhead Atlas open-data file of Forest Service trails, matched on the wilderness each trail enters.
- Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
- Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.