In the heart of the White River National Forest and
adjacent to the Flat Tops Wilderness

Flat Tops Wilderness

When Euro-Americans arrived in the 1860's most of the area was occupied by bands of Ute Indians. Early settlers realized the uniqueness of this area but it was not until March 5, 1932 that the area was designated as the Flattops Primitive Area. Although primitive area designation was not viewed as a general measure for wilderness protection, it was seen as an interim way to protect key lands. On December 12, 1975, the 235,230 acre Flattops Wilderness was established. It is the third largest Wilderness Area in Colorado and has the largest population of native elk and mule deer in Colorado and the world!

Geology:The Flattops Wilderness is the northern extent of the White River Plateau. Uplift began approximately 52 million years ago. There are two fairly distinct types of terrain here, the forested lower elevations with occasional meadows and the mesa tundra. The lower elevations are mostly the valleys of the escarpment and are about 10,000'-11,000'. The forested lowlands are dotted with golden meadows of wildflowers, U-shaped valleys and lots of lakes to fish in.

Wildlife: Sizeable herds of deer and elk use the Flat Tops area as summer range. Other species include black bear, fox, coyote, bobcat, pine marten, mink, beaver, showshoe hare, marmot and pika. On rare occasions, moose, bighorn sheep and mountain lions can be seen.

Plant Life: At lower elevations, between 7,500 and 9,000 feet, south facing slopes are usually covered with sage, Gambel oak and aspen. The moister north facing slopes are characterized by dense stands of conifers. Lodgepole pine is the conspicuous conifer at low to mid-elevations. Moving higher, Engelmann spruce and subalpine fir become the dominant forest cover.