Fossil Ridge Wilderness
Here is a small but almost perfect mountain kingdom, with raw granite towering above several beautiful shallow lakes and long valleys carved by ancient glaciers and replete with pine, spruce, fir, and...
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Colorado |
| Size | 32,062 acres (Wilderness Connect) |
| Designated | 1993, by Congress |
| Center point | 38.6957, -106.6447 |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 14) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground
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. 17 are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Show 4 moreHide
5 more within ten miles are not listed here.
Trails
9 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 46 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Fossil Ridge ↗ | 11.8 | |
| Summerville ↗ | 10.6 | |
| South Lottis ↗ | 10.5 | |
| Van Tuyl ↗ | 7.5 | |
| Henry Lake | 1.9 | |
| Mill Lake | 1.7 | |
| Mill Lake Ski | 1.7 | |
| Seely | 0.5 | |
| Lower Lamphier Lake | 0.1 |
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
39 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
- 11.2 miMorley Bridge ↗Romley, CO
- 12.8 miFisher-Zugelder House and Smith Cottage ↗Gunnison, CO
- 12.9 miWebster Building ↗Gunnison, CO
- 12.9 miVienna Bakery--Johnson Restaurant ↗Gunnison, CO
- 13.3 miEdgerton House ↗Gunnison, CO
- 14.3 miGunnison River Bridge Ii ↗Gunnison, CO
- 14.5 miGunnison River Bridge I ↗Gunnison, CO
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Fossil Ridge Wilderness?
32,062 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Fossil Ridge Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Fossil Ridge Wilderness in?
Colorado.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Fossil Ridge Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1993.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Fossil Ridge Wilderness?
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is Gold Creek Campground, 0.1 miles out. 17 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
How do I get to Fossil Ridge Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 38.696, -106.645. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Fossil Ridge Wilderness right now?
1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-09-18, the nearest Willow at 39 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
How dark is the night sky at Fossil Ridge Wilderness?
NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 14 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 Fossil Ridge Wilderness?
7 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Morley Bridge and Fisher-Zugelder House and Smith Cottage.
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.