Never Summer Wilderness
As its name suggests, Never Summer Wilderness gets hit with large amounts of rain and snow that collect on its storm-wracked peaks, which offer relatively gentle terrain and bear names that hint at their...
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Colorado |
| Size | 20,847 acres (Wilderness Connect) |
| Designated | 1980, by Congress |
| Center point | 40.3760, -105.9249 |
| Night sky | Very dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 25) |
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. 8 are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Trails
13 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 63 miles in all. The 10 longest are listed here.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Lake ↗ | 16.9 | |
| Never Summer ↗ | 10.3 | |
| Bowen Gulch ↗ | 7.8 | |
| Baker Gulch ↗ | 6.1 | |
| Michigan River ↗ | 5.3 | |
| Blue Ridge ↗ | 4.9 | |
| Baker Pass | 3.7 | |
| Cascade Mountain ↗ | 3.3 | |
| Bowen Lake | 1.7 | |
| Parika Lake | 1.1 |
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.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 0.6 miLittle Buckaroo Ranch Barn ↗Grand Lake, CO
- 1.1 miTimber Creek Campground Comfort Station No. 247 ↗Estes Park, CO
- 1.2 miLake Agnes Cabin ↗Gould, CO
- 1.2 miTimber Creek Campground Comfort Station No. 245 ↗Estes Park, CO
- 1.3 miTimber Creek Campground Comfort Station No. 246 ↗Estes Park, CO
- 1.3 miTimber Creek Road Camp Barn ↗Estes Park, CO
- 3.9 mi
- 4.4 miMilner Pass Road Camp Mess Hall and House ↗Estes Park, CO
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Never Summer Wilderness?
20,847 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Never Summer Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Never Summer Wilderness in?
Colorado.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Never Summer Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1980.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Never Summer Wilderness?
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is Rocky Mountain National Park Timber Creek Campground, 1.3 miles out. 8 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 Never Summer Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 40.376, -105.925. Rocky Mountain National Park is 9 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
How dark is the night sky at Never Summer Wilderness?
NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 25 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, very dark ground, a faint glow at most.
Source: NASA Black Marble
Which national parks are near Never Summer Wilderness?
Rocky Mountain National Park (9 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Never Summer Wilderness?
24 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Little Buckaroo Ranch Barn and Timber Creek Campground Comfort Station No. 247.
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.