While there are usually more people out than normal, you really can’t beat the weather up in the mountains in early September. 100% Upvoted. Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests & Thunder Basin National Grassland, USDA Forest Service Wilderness. Backpacking under the stars in the Mount Zirkel Wilderness. Mt. Zirkel, alpine style, in a single day. Located in Routt National Forest. 307-745-2307. The United States Congress designated the Mount Zirkel Wilderness in 1964 as one of the original areas protected under the Wilderness Act. 2 comments. Neighboring towns: Steamboat Springs, Walden, Hahns Peak. Start at the Rainbow Lake Trailhead 1126 in the Mount Zirkel Wilderness which is 19 miles south west of Walden, Colorado off Country Road 22A. Photo: Jeremy White. Slater Falls: A half-mile hike to a beautiful 30' waterfall on Slater Creek. Black Mountain Trail to the summit of Black Mountain (10,800'). This Wilderness area is home to the headwaters of the Elk, Encampment and North Platte Rivers, as well as some 70 lakes, high mountain peaks (including the 12,180 foot-tall Mount Zirkel for which it is named) and a portion of the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail. Fish Creek Falls Trail. The "Lower Zirkle Circle" that can be completed in late spring and early summer before the upper Zirkles have cleared of snow. The Mount Zirkel Wilderness Topographic Hiking Map is a waterproof, tear-resistant map covering all hiking trails in the Mount Zirkel Wilderness in the Park Range of northern Colorado and surroundings with a 1:55,000 scale (1 in appox. Hiker's Guide to the Mount Zirkel Wilderness Area: With Attitional Trails in the Routt National Forest (The Pruett Series) At 11.2 miles long, it's a challenging day hike, or lovely single night backpacking trip. About 4200 vertical feet and 11 miles to summit. save hide report. Zirkel Wilderness area provide a great wilderness experience. 2 Recommended Routes. Once in the Mount Zirkel Wilderness, there are a number of camping options along the loop as long as you observe Wilderness regulations. Glaciers shaped the region a mere 15,000 years ago and owing to a shorter ice age, many of peaks are left in a state of mid-transformation. It now contains over 160,000 acres of land, situated within the Routt National Forest. About 4200 vertical feet and 11 miles to summit. Mount Zirkel Wilderness Information: Hinman Fire. Zirkel, alpine style, in a single day. The closest city is Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Those who have seen the area's rugged peaks, picturesque alpine lakes and meadows, and hard (1314) Length: 4.7 mi • Est. Find more information about climbing Colorado’s peaks at the Rocky Mountain Region 14ers page. Bears Ears Peak: Drive or hike to the top of this prominent Moffat County feature, aptly named for its resemblance to bear's ears. 441 Kilometers. Click on the trail with the pointed finger to go to the web page for that trail. The 6.4 mile out and back to Slide lake starts out at an elevation of 8750 and gives you a total elevation gain of 1777 feet at the end at Slide Lake. Zirkel Wilderness Area is one of the most beautiful places to hike imaginable, with trails of all lengths and levels of difficulty. 307-745-2300, Telephone for the #7 - Luna Lake Trail Via Swamp Park Trail. Hiker's Guide to the Mount Zirkel Wilderness Area: With Attitional Trails in the Routt National Forest (The Pruett Series) [Jay, Thompson, Therese, Thompson, Therse, Thompson] on Amazon.com. Mount Zirkel Wilderness Hiking. We initially were going to camp at a campground but the storms never materialized and it turned into a nice evening. As far as Colorado outdoor recreation areas go, the Zirkel Wilderness is a bit off the radar for most. It was named after highest peak Mount Zirkel, which was named after the geologist, Ferdinand Zirkel. 28 Intermediate Trails. The Park Range is the northern most section of the Greater Park Range. Maps: National Geographic Trails Illustrated 1:41,000-scale Clark/Buffalo Pass (117) or USGS 1:24,000-scale Pitchpine Mt and Mt Ethel. Gold Creek lake is only a few miles from the trail head, but it's all uphill! Be aware of road conditions that may change seasonally. So make sure you have cash or checks. Big Agnes and Mt. The Zirkel Circle hike is a loop that connects the Gilpin Lake and Gold Creek Lake trail (1161 and 1150, respectively) in the Zirkel Wilderness just outside of Steamboat Springs. I was hiking Wyoming Trail 1101, working my way northward from Seedhouse Road while measuring the trail and taking pictures for this website. 4 am start at Slavonia trail head and reached the summit at 10:30 am. To obtain information on a trail you see below, move your curser over the trail and if there is information available the curser will turn into a pointed finger. Our shoes and socks smell like sewer. Zirkel is the high point of Routt County and of the Mt. Breathtaking panorama of the Yampa Valley. of Trail. Hearing Impaired The Zirkel Circle is the most popular hike in the Mount Zirkel Wilderness. Thunder Basin 1 Gem. Mt. Today the Clark store is thriving from serving the growing population in the area and the large influx of vacationers and hunters. My daughter and I on a quick backpacking trip this past summer to one of our favorite lakes in the Mount Zirkel Wilderness. Zirkel Wilderness Area is one of the most beautiful places to hike imaginable, with trails of all lengths and levels of difficulty. Mount Zirkel Wilderness Area is located directly west of Walden, Co and north of Steamboat Springs, Co. Our original plan was to head out Monday and hike in from the East Boundary. Simply put, Mount Zirkel is one of the best mountains in Colorado. National Forests, Backpacking in the Mt Zirkel Wilderness. All of this wilderness is located in northwestern Colorado and is managed by the U.S. Forest Service. Big Agnes Mountain and Mount Zirkel in the distance. Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. It has a total of 159,935 acres. Laramie, WY 82070 This Wilderness area is home to the headwaters of the Elk, Encampment and North Platte Rivers, as well as some 70 lakes, high mountain peaks (including the 12,180 foot-tall Mount Zirkel for which it is named) and a portion of the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail. 4 Easy Trails. 0.87 mi). It straddles the Continental Divide and encompasses the rugged Sawtooth Range, as well as portions of the Park and Sierra Madre ranges. Zirkel Wilderness Area. Location: Rainbow Lake, Mt Zirkel Wilderness, Routt National Forest, North Central Colorado, near Walden. The Mt. [Backpacking] Mt. #1 - Fish Creek Falls Trail. A decent number of accolades for a mountain in a state which contains over 1,000 higher peaks. They are available for download by quadrangle. Dispersed camping opportunities are widespread or many developed campgrounds are nearby, such as Big Creek Lakes, Seedhouse, Summit Lake and Teal Lake Campgrounds. All of this wilderness is located in northwestern Colorado and is managed by the U.S. Forest Service. One of the five original Colorado wilderness areas designated by the 1964 Wilderness Act, Mount Zirkel was greatly enhanced by additions in 1980 and 1993. 13 Difficult Trails. The large land area of the Mount Zirkel Wilderness features a … Backpacking in the Mt Zirkel Wilderness, Colorado. Go to Wilderness.net for additional maps and information about Wilderness. Explore the most popular backpacking trails in Mount Zirkel Wilderness with hand-curated trail maps and driving directions as well as detailed reviews and photos from hikers, campers and nature lovers like you. It contains the headwaters for the Elk, Encampment, and North Platte Rivers, has more than 70 lakes, and has roughly 170 miles of hiking trails. The Zirkel Wilderness which is northwest of Steamboat provided my entry into backpacking and fishing. I am proud to say that I hiked to the summit of Mt. Trail follows a stream far into the Zirkle Wilderness, then doubles back on an overlooking ridge line back to the start. At 12,180 feet, it is the high point in Colorado's Park Range, Routt County, and its namesake wilderness. East side Zirkels. Friday, July 12 was a beautiful but hot and windy day. Trails/Trailheads that access Mount Zirkel Wilderness include: The Mount Zirkel Wilderness Area is co-managed by the Hahns Peak/Bears Ears and Parks Ranger Districts of the Routt National Forest.​ Select 'Hiking' and 'Camping' on the Hahns Peak/Bears Ears Ranger District and/or Parks Ranger District Recreation pages for a complete list of campgrounds and trails. National Forest Store: Offers a full, nationwide selection of National Forest, Ranger District, Wilderness, and Specialty Maps for purchase online or by phone, fax, and mail. 274 Miles. Mt. 3 stream crossings. Mt. An easy climb offering sensational views of the Yampa Valley and into Utah and Wyoming. Mount Zirkel Wilderness trail locator map This map also shows area affected by the Routt Divide Blowdown. You will arrive at Rainbow Lake after about 3.5 miles. 2 h 52 m. Fish Creek Falls is a 283 foot waterfall located about 5 miles outside of Steamboat Springs. This hike combines Mad Creek and Red Dirt trails. Zirkel Wilderness Area encompasses more than 160,000 acres, and straddles the Continental Divide along the Park Range, as well as the southern edge of the Sierra Madre Range. Forest Service Topography Maps: These maps overlay Forest Service assets, such as roads, trails, and campgrounds, on USGS's topographic maps. It also ranks number fourteen among Colorado's most prominent peaks. Answer 1 of 4: Two couples are coming to stay in Steamboat Springs for a week in mid September and would like to do some hiking in the Mt Zirkel wilderness area. This is a previously un-published video of my first Colorado backpacking trip to the Zirkel Wilderness near Steamboat Springs in July 2011. There are 15 peaks in the wilderness that surpass 12,000 feet in elevation, … Backpacking Bugs Fee No shade Mount zirkel wilderness - 7 lakes trailhead The hike starts at a trailhead at a camping place and there is a 5 dollar fee per night. Outdoor Trail Maps LLC Mount Zirkel Wilderness - Colorado Topographic Hiking Map (2019): Amazon.co.uk: Sports & Outdoors A good example of this is the semi-polished summit of Mount Zirkel (12,180 ft.), the highest point in the wilderness. Medicine Bow-Routt 17.5 mile loop trail. The route is used by hikers during the summer and is a beautiful trail to snowshoe in the winter. We were about 5 minutes from the trailhead when I (DeNae) realize that I had left my hiking shoes at home. The Mica Basin Trail #1162 is an obvious spur up along a creek drainage that descends from Mica Lake at the base of the … The wilderness is named after Mount Zirkel, the highest peak in the range at 12,182 feet (3,713 m), which itself is named after German geologist Ferdinand Zirkel. Zirkel Wilderness Labor Day weekend is one of our favorite long weekends to get out to the mountains for an extended amount of time. The Zirkel Circle is usually done … First 2.5 miles of the hike are dead trees and gorgeous wildflowers. The east side of the Mount Zirkel Wilderness Area experiences significantly less visitor traffic than does the west side. The small store in Clark provided the entry. The sprawling wilderness area was expanded in 1980 and again in 1993. The Mount Zirkel Wilderness is a U.S. Wilderness Area located in Routt National Forest in northwest Colorado.The closest city is Steamboat Springs, Colorado.The wilderness is named after Mount Zirkel, the highest peak in the range at 12,182 feet (3,713 m), which itself is named after German geologist Ferdinand Zirkel.. share. Geologically speaking, the Zirkel Wilderness is relatively new. Mt. The Greater Park Range is a discontinuous uplift consisting of the Sierra Madre Mountains, the Park Range, the Gore Range, and the Tenmile/Mosquito Mountains. 4 am start at Slavonia trail head and reached the summit at 10:30 am. Treat all non-potable water before consuming. If you’re willing to drive a little farther, you will be awarded with hikes to … Three Island Lake is one of the largest lakes in the Mount Zirkel Wilderness. I am proud to say that I hiked to the summit of Mt. Government information and links are at the bottom of this page. Zirkel Wilderness: MAP - camping guidelines, Slavonia area, Forest Service Home | USDA.gov | recreation.gov | Recreation Customer Service Standards | USA.gov | Whitehouse.gov, Plug-Ins | FOIA | Accessibility Statement | Privacy Policy | Important Notices | Information Quality, https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/mbr/recarea/?recid=80838, Ranger Districts Are Serving Public Remotely, Walden, CO; Craig, CO; Steamboat Springs, CO. National Grassland We are still on the Wyoming trail 1101 but we left the Mt Zirkel Wilderness and are in the Routt National Forest. 2468 Jackson Street Flattop Mountain's expansive summit. 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